History Paper 3: Superpower relations
Origins of the cold war: 1941-58
The grand alliance:
November 1943 – The Tehran conference; focused on plans to defeat the Nazis but also how
to run post war Europe. The USSR had differing political ideologies from the UK and USA.
Agreed that Eastern European countries would be under USSR influence
February 1945 – The Yalta conference; finalised decisions for post war Europe, free elections
across Europe, the big three and France will split Germany and then Berlin into 4. The UN
was put together to replace the League of Nations.
June 1945 – The Potsdam conference; the exact division of Germany and Berlin was
decided, Nazi leaders would be tried for their war crimes. Tensions were high Truman the
new USA President was suspicious of the USSR began little divide.
The telegrams:
The Long telegram – in Feb 1946, there was a telegram sent to Truman that stated Stalin
wanted an end to Capitalism and that he aimed to cause divide between the Western
powers which he wanted to culminate in them becoming weaker.
The Novikov telegram – in Sept 1946, there was a telegram sent to Stalin stating that the
USA was aiming for World Supremacy, the USA was trying to limit the control of the USSR
and UK across Europe.
Containment:
The Truman doctrine – in Mar 1947, the USA aided any country threatened by communism,
the support was both financial and military. The US gave $400 million to Greece and Turkey
to prevent the spread of communism into Europe.
The Marshall Plan – in Jun 1947, it was a promise of aid where the US provided a total of
$17 billion as financial help post WWII, the countries also promised to buy American goods,
and this further grew the USA’s influence into Europe (caused rifts between USSR and US)
Cominform – the USSR reacted to the growth of USA influence and made all European
communist parties under the control of the USSR, Sept 1947
Comecon – as further precaution the USSR nationalised industries through collectivisation
and offered economic aid, Jan 1949
The Berlin crisis:
Trizonia – The UK, USA and France combine their zones of Berlin to create ‘trizonia’ it had
one centralised control government and by June 1948 introduced its own currency to ensure
economic recovery (post war).
USSR response – the combination of the 3 superpowers threatened communism as its
success wasn’t visible, skilled workers moved to west Berlin to live in a Capitalist society this
angered Stalin as he now had no workers.
Blockades – in June 1948 Stalin ordered all rail and road links from West to East Berlin to be
cut off. This lead to the ‘Berlin Airlift’ the Americans dropped packages to bypass the
blockade, this gave supplies to those trapped in East Berlin
Origins of the cold war: 1941-58
The grand alliance:
November 1943 – The Tehran conference; focused on plans to defeat the Nazis but also how
to run post war Europe. The USSR had differing political ideologies from the UK and USA.
Agreed that Eastern European countries would be under USSR influence
February 1945 – The Yalta conference; finalised decisions for post war Europe, free elections
across Europe, the big three and France will split Germany and then Berlin into 4. The UN
was put together to replace the League of Nations.
June 1945 – The Potsdam conference; the exact division of Germany and Berlin was
decided, Nazi leaders would be tried for their war crimes. Tensions were high Truman the
new USA President was suspicious of the USSR began little divide.
The telegrams:
The Long telegram – in Feb 1946, there was a telegram sent to Truman that stated Stalin
wanted an end to Capitalism and that he aimed to cause divide between the Western
powers which he wanted to culminate in them becoming weaker.
The Novikov telegram – in Sept 1946, there was a telegram sent to Stalin stating that the
USA was aiming for World Supremacy, the USA was trying to limit the control of the USSR
and UK across Europe.
Containment:
The Truman doctrine – in Mar 1947, the USA aided any country threatened by communism,
the support was both financial and military. The US gave $400 million to Greece and Turkey
to prevent the spread of communism into Europe.
The Marshall Plan – in Jun 1947, it was a promise of aid where the US provided a total of
$17 billion as financial help post WWII, the countries also promised to buy American goods,
and this further grew the USA’s influence into Europe (caused rifts between USSR and US)
Cominform – the USSR reacted to the growth of USA influence and made all European
communist parties under the control of the USSR, Sept 1947
Comecon – as further precaution the USSR nationalised industries through collectivisation
and offered economic aid, Jan 1949
The Berlin crisis:
Trizonia – The UK, USA and France combine their zones of Berlin to create ‘trizonia’ it had
one centralised control government and by June 1948 introduced its own currency to ensure
economic recovery (post war).
USSR response – the combination of the 3 superpowers threatened communism as its
success wasn’t visible, skilled workers moved to west Berlin to live in a Capitalist society this
angered Stalin as he now had no workers.
Blockades – in June 1948 Stalin ordered all rail and road links from West to East Berlin to be
cut off. This lead to the ‘Berlin Airlift’ the Americans dropped packages to bypass the
blockade, this gave supplies to those trapped in East Berlin
