THE COLD WAR
KEY: Causes Consequences Events in Berlin Arms race Space race Events in Cuba
Relationships between Superpowers during WW2
- only worked together due to circumstances, not out of choice
- Stalin didn’t trust the west
- due to Russian Civil War (1918)
- Britain and France had turned down an alliance w Russia in 1939
- Stalin believed that the west wanted the USSR to destroy itself fighting
against Germany alone, so wanted to take over Eastern Europe to form a
buffer zone against the West, but mainly Germany
- 26,000,000 Soviets had died due to WW2
- the west didn’t trust Stalin
- believed that he wanted to impose Communism upon Europe
- he didn’t allow the Red Army to help out the Poles in the Warsaw Uprising
November 1943
- Teheran Conference
- Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA), Stalin (USSR)
- Roosevelt hoped that this would cement close relations between the leaders
- All about opening up a second front in western Europe
February 1944
- Yalta Conference
- Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA), Stalin (USSR)
- tensions had increased due to SU advancing through Eastern Europe
- Suspected that they would stay there, but UK and USA needed USSR in case
of invasion of Japan
- what was decided?
- Germany and Berlin into 4 zones (USA, France, Britain and USSR)
- Finalised UN formation after war to ensure future international cooperation
July/August 1945
- Postdam Conference
- Attlee (UK), Truman (USA), Stalin (USSR)
- tensions were incredibly high (USA had already developed atomic bomb by July so
didn’t really need USSR for war against Japan anymore)
- what was decided?
- Germany was to be de-militarised and divided as discussed at Yalta
- Nazi Party banned and leaders tried as war criminals
- Germany would pay reparations, mostly to USSR
- Poland lose some territory in East to USSR
- disagreements?
- Stalin had not held any elections in Eastern Europe as he had promised
- Truman tried to force him to do so
- Stalin was angry that USA didn’t say anything to him about their atomic bomb
, - Stalin was beginning to keep control of the Eastern European countries that
he had freed from Nazi rule (Churchill’s “Iron curtain” idea)
August 1945
- Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski
- USSR didn’t know about US bomb = tensions
- world had never seen such destruction before
- could be seen as the start of the Cold War (end of alliance)
- end to WW2 everywhere now
1945 - 1948
- Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe
- troops remained in ex-Nazi controlled countries, and any new governments made
were coalitions with Communist Party so they had a say in running the country,
- infiltrated key areas of the government, and brutally discredited political opponents
so that Communist Party could take over the gov = Communist state
- e.g Bulgaria (November 1945), Romania (November 1946), Poland (January 1947),
Hungary (August 1947), Czechoslovakia (1948)
February 1947
- Long Telegram
- George Kennan (spy) sent a telegram back to USA
- it said he thought that USSR wished to spread influence
- they saw USA as an enemy
- this message confirmed Truman’s fears
March 1946
- Iron Curtain
- during Churchill’s visit to USA, he made a speech
- criticised actions of the USSR
- accused USSR of attempting to spread its influence and gain more
power at all costs
- Iron Curtain ended all contact between countries either side of it
- Stalin saw it as an unfair attempt to paint the USSR as aggressive
- believed that Churchill worked with USA to damage how world saw USSR
March 1947
- Truman Doctrine
- said that the US would help any country threatened by communism
- why was it issued?
- response to events in Greece
- Greek civil war between King and Communists
- Brits had been helping King, but had to pull out because they
couldn’t afford continuing support
- US stepped in ($400 million in aid)
- didn’t want Soviets to have access to Mediterranean supplies
- provide economic aid to war-torn, weak countries in Europe
- make them more powerful against Communism invasion
KEY: Causes Consequences Events in Berlin Arms race Space race Events in Cuba
Relationships between Superpowers during WW2
- only worked together due to circumstances, not out of choice
- Stalin didn’t trust the west
- due to Russian Civil War (1918)
- Britain and France had turned down an alliance w Russia in 1939
- Stalin believed that the west wanted the USSR to destroy itself fighting
against Germany alone, so wanted to take over Eastern Europe to form a
buffer zone against the West, but mainly Germany
- 26,000,000 Soviets had died due to WW2
- the west didn’t trust Stalin
- believed that he wanted to impose Communism upon Europe
- he didn’t allow the Red Army to help out the Poles in the Warsaw Uprising
November 1943
- Teheran Conference
- Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA), Stalin (USSR)
- Roosevelt hoped that this would cement close relations between the leaders
- All about opening up a second front in western Europe
February 1944
- Yalta Conference
- Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA), Stalin (USSR)
- tensions had increased due to SU advancing through Eastern Europe
- Suspected that they would stay there, but UK and USA needed USSR in case
of invasion of Japan
- what was decided?
- Germany and Berlin into 4 zones (USA, France, Britain and USSR)
- Finalised UN formation after war to ensure future international cooperation
July/August 1945
- Postdam Conference
- Attlee (UK), Truman (USA), Stalin (USSR)
- tensions were incredibly high (USA had already developed atomic bomb by July so
didn’t really need USSR for war against Japan anymore)
- what was decided?
- Germany was to be de-militarised and divided as discussed at Yalta
- Nazi Party banned and leaders tried as war criminals
- Germany would pay reparations, mostly to USSR
- Poland lose some territory in East to USSR
- disagreements?
- Stalin had not held any elections in Eastern Europe as he had promised
- Truman tried to force him to do so
- Stalin was angry that USA didn’t say anything to him about their atomic bomb
, - Stalin was beginning to keep control of the Eastern European countries that
he had freed from Nazi rule (Churchill’s “Iron curtain” idea)
August 1945
- Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski
- USSR didn’t know about US bomb = tensions
- world had never seen such destruction before
- could be seen as the start of the Cold War (end of alliance)
- end to WW2 everywhere now
1945 - 1948
- Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe
- troops remained in ex-Nazi controlled countries, and any new governments made
were coalitions with Communist Party so they had a say in running the country,
- infiltrated key areas of the government, and brutally discredited political opponents
so that Communist Party could take over the gov = Communist state
- e.g Bulgaria (November 1945), Romania (November 1946), Poland (January 1947),
Hungary (August 1947), Czechoslovakia (1948)
February 1947
- Long Telegram
- George Kennan (spy) sent a telegram back to USA
- it said he thought that USSR wished to spread influence
- they saw USA as an enemy
- this message confirmed Truman’s fears
March 1946
- Iron Curtain
- during Churchill’s visit to USA, he made a speech
- criticised actions of the USSR
- accused USSR of attempting to spread its influence and gain more
power at all costs
- Iron Curtain ended all contact between countries either side of it
- Stalin saw it as an unfair attempt to paint the USSR as aggressive
- believed that Churchill worked with USA to damage how world saw USSR
March 1947
- Truman Doctrine
- said that the US would help any country threatened by communism
- why was it issued?
- response to events in Greece
- Greek civil war between King and Communists
- Brits had been helping King, but had to pull out because they
couldn’t afford continuing support
- US stepped in ($400 million in aid)
- didn’t want Soviets to have access to Mediterranean supplies
- provide economic aid to war-torn, weak countries in Europe
- make them more powerful against Communism invasion
