Topic 1: The Cold War Origins
Unit 1.1
Important Cold War terms:
Cold war - the state of military and political tensions between the Western Bloc and
Eastern Bloc from the end of World War II until the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Containment - policy using numerous strategies to prevent the spread of communism,
a response to a series of moves by the Soviet Union to enlarge its communist sphere of
influence
Brinkmanship - foreign policy practice in which one or both parties force the interaction
between them to the threshold of confrontation in order to gain an advantageous
negotiation position over the other
Isolationism - doctrine that a nation should stay out of the disputes and affairs of other
nations (advocated non-involvement) the United States practiced a policy of isolationism
until World War I and did not pursue an active international policy until after World War
II
Truman Doctrine - stated purpose was to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during
the Cold War
Counter revolutionary/reactionary - term for those who do not believe in or are
against communist uprisings or permanent revolution
Orthodox - 'Traditional view', Orthodox historians attribute the outbreak of the Cold War
to the Soviet Union, initiating the Cold War by seeking to expand and exert control over
Europe and Asia
Revisionist - the insistence that it is the original Western involvement and actions of
the Cold War in Europe which is at fault
Post-revisionist - post-revisionists argued that the foundations of the Cold War were
neither the fault of the U.S. nor the Soviet Union
Capitalism - an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry
,are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state *competitive market
Communism - a social, political and economic system with the goal of a classless
society rooted in beliefs of common ownership, where the means of production are
owned by the state
Proxy war - a war between two countries fought indirectly by becoming involved in
another country’s conflict on opposing sides
Sphere of Influence - regions politically influenced by a superpower
Emergence of the Cold War:
After WWII, the two strongest countries to emerge was the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.,
emerging as superpowers. Both countries held opposing political ideologies and
systems (capitalism and communism) and were fighting for global domination as rivals.
Fear of all out nuclear warfare between the two is what stopped it from developing into
an actual war, despite very tense occasions.
During WWII axis forces were united by extreme right-wing forces, however allies all
held varied political systems across the spectrum of right to left wing. Whilst suspicions
started when communist government came to power in the USSR in 1917, the allies
common purpose was defeat of Germany. Once this was accomplished it did not bode
well for long-term international relations between the countries (their alliance formed
purely out of circumstance).
* Grand Alliance: Britain, USSR, USA
YALTA CONFERENCE
February 1945
● Purpose of deciding what to do with Germany post-war
● Agreed it would be divided into zones of occupation
● Each zone under administration of one of main allied powers
● Also agreed countries in Europe should be allowed free elections
POTSDAM CONFERENCE
July-August 1945
, Circumstances:
● After Germany defeated in May no need for Grand Alliance
● Soviet army held control over much of Eastern Europe, Stalin having set up
communist government in Poland against majority wishes
● Roosevelt died, replaced by Truman (much more anti-communist)
● Americans successfully tested an atomic bomb, which the USSR was not
informed of until this conference
● Churchill defeated in general election, buffer lost
Ideas for Germany:
● Stalin wanted Germany to pay reparations for damage (if economically crippled
the Germans could ot invade USSR in future)
● Truman wanted to avoid making Germany bitter, avoiding the situation which
allowed Hitler to gain power
Ultimately decided on four zones, Britain, France, USSR and USA. Soviets would
administer Eastern zone, others the Western.
NB Long term goal of keeping Germany a united country and idea that all zones should
work in economic co-operation.
● Following the conference the USSR continued to expand its sphere of influence
by annexing countries nearby such as Lithuania and ensuring the rise of Soviet-
friendly governments in others such as Bulgaria, becoming known as Soviet
Satellites. This goes against the Yalta conference stating that free elections
should be held, particularly due to the communist coup in Czechoslovakia in
1948.
● “Iron curtain”, physical divide
USA FOREIGN POLICY
● Radical change, instead of returning to isolationism post-war, the US adopted a
policy of containment introducing the Truman Doctrine in 1947
● Inspired by Greece and Turkey, where Greece was involved in a civil war
(royalists vs communists)
● Truman’s speech to congress outlining that they were prepared to send
resources such as money, military equipment or advice to any country under
communist threat
● Helped Greece defeat communist guerillas through aid
Unit 1.1
Important Cold War terms:
Cold war - the state of military and political tensions between the Western Bloc and
Eastern Bloc from the end of World War II until the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Containment - policy using numerous strategies to prevent the spread of communism,
a response to a series of moves by the Soviet Union to enlarge its communist sphere of
influence
Brinkmanship - foreign policy practice in which one or both parties force the interaction
between them to the threshold of confrontation in order to gain an advantageous
negotiation position over the other
Isolationism - doctrine that a nation should stay out of the disputes and affairs of other
nations (advocated non-involvement) the United States practiced a policy of isolationism
until World War I and did not pursue an active international policy until after World War
II
Truman Doctrine - stated purpose was to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during
the Cold War
Counter revolutionary/reactionary - term for those who do not believe in or are
against communist uprisings or permanent revolution
Orthodox - 'Traditional view', Orthodox historians attribute the outbreak of the Cold War
to the Soviet Union, initiating the Cold War by seeking to expand and exert control over
Europe and Asia
Revisionist - the insistence that it is the original Western involvement and actions of
the Cold War in Europe which is at fault
Post-revisionist - post-revisionists argued that the foundations of the Cold War were
neither the fault of the U.S. nor the Soviet Union
Capitalism - an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry
,are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state *competitive market
Communism - a social, political and economic system with the goal of a classless
society rooted in beliefs of common ownership, where the means of production are
owned by the state
Proxy war - a war between two countries fought indirectly by becoming involved in
another country’s conflict on opposing sides
Sphere of Influence - regions politically influenced by a superpower
Emergence of the Cold War:
After WWII, the two strongest countries to emerge was the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.,
emerging as superpowers. Both countries held opposing political ideologies and
systems (capitalism and communism) and were fighting for global domination as rivals.
Fear of all out nuclear warfare between the two is what stopped it from developing into
an actual war, despite very tense occasions.
During WWII axis forces were united by extreme right-wing forces, however allies all
held varied political systems across the spectrum of right to left wing. Whilst suspicions
started when communist government came to power in the USSR in 1917, the allies
common purpose was defeat of Germany. Once this was accomplished it did not bode
well for long-term international relations between the countries (their alliance formed
purely out of circumstance).
* Grand Alliance: Britain, USSR, USA
YALTA CONFERENCE
February 1945
● Purpose of deciding what to do with Germany post-war
● Agreed it would be divided into zones of occupation
● Each zone under administration of one of main allied powers
● Also agreed countries in Europe should be allowed free elections
POTSDAM CONFERENCE
July-August 1945
, Circumstances:
● After Germany defeated in May no need for Grand Alliance
● Soviet army held control over much of Eastern Europe, Stalin having set up
communist government in Poland against majority wishes
● Roosevelt died, replaced by Truman (much more anti-communist)
● Americans successfully tested an atomic bomb, which the USSR was not
informed of until this conference
● Churchill defeated in general election, buffer lost
Ideas for Germany:
● Stalin wanted Germany to pay reparations for damage (if economically crippled
the Germans could ot invade USSR in future)
● Truman wanted to avoid making Germany bitter, avoiding the situation which
allowed Hitler to gain power
Ultimately decided on four zones, Britain, France, USSR and USA. Soviets would
administer Eastern zone, others the Western.
NB Long term goal of keeping Germany a united country and idea that all zones should
work in economic co-operation.
● Following the conference the USSR continued to expand its sphere of influence
by annexing countries nearby such as Lithuania and ensuring the rise of Soviet-
friendly governments in others such as Bulgaria, becoming known as Soviet
Satellites. This goes against the Yalta conference stating that free elections
should be held, particularly due to the communist coup in Czechoslovakia in
1948.
● “Iron curtain”, physical divide
USA FOREIGN POLICY
● Radical change, instead of returning to isolationism post-war, the US adopted a
policy of containment introducing the Truman Doctrine in 1947
● Inspired by Greece and Turkey, where Greece was involved in a civil war
(royalists vs communists)
● Truman’s speech to congress outlining that they were prepared to send
resources such as money, military equipment or advice to any country under
communist threat
● Helped Greece defeat communist guerillas through aid
