Cold War: Chapter 2 [Early Developments in the Cold War, 1945-49]

Question 1

CREATION OF SATELLITE STATES

Answer 1

• 1944-45: Red Army liberated many Eastern European countries
• Stalin wanted to use them for buffer zone post war
• Feb 1948: in Czechoslovakia Benes overthrown by communist Gottwald
• 1947: ‘free’ Polish elections wherein London Pole government members threatened and forced to flee
• 1947: Moscow backed Hungarian voter intimidation

Question 2

LONG TELEGRAM AND GEORGE KEENAN

Answer 2

• Keenan = US ambassador in Moscow
• Stalin wanted capitalist destruction
• Stalin believed outside world unfriendly and wanting communist destruction
• BUT Keenan claimed USSR would soften in face of strong resistance
• US gov worried so introduced containment

Question 3

NIKOLAI NOVIKOV

Answer 3

• claimed USA wanted military power for world domination
• Roosevelt’s death = death of American desire to cooperate with USSR
• Stalin responded by taking further control of bordering countries

Question 4

CHURCHILL’S IRON CURTAIN SPEECH

Answer 4

• March 1964: Fulton, Missouri
• USSR = threat to freedom and peace because of their establishment of communist govs in Hungary etc.
• Stalin believed Truman shared these beliefs
• strengthened Soviet forces and set up Anti-West campaign

Question 5

IMPACT

Answer 5

• Long Telegram confirmed Truman’s fears
• US military advisers believed USSR too weak for war
• but Truman aware that war not needed for Soviet increase in power and territory
• WW2 had destroyed infrastructure and these economic conditions made communism look attractive

Question 6

TRUMAN DOCTRINE

Answer 6

• USA hopeful that richer Europeans would help rebuild destroyed European economies
• BUT post-war Britain = bankrupt [pulled out of Greece in 1947 after fighting communist guerillas]
• 12 March 1947: Truman announced to Congress that $400 million aid and civilian and military personnel to be sent to Greece and Turkey
• outlined that democracy = majority rule and political freedom
• and that communism = evil will of minority
• USA would send troops and aid to countries resisting communism
• USA abandoned isolationism and adopted containment

Question 7

MARSHALL PLAN [JUNE 1947]

Answer 7

• George Marshall announced provision of economic aid to Europe to stop communist appeal
• 1948-1952: $13.7 billion in aid given
• economic impact was enormous but only seen in 1950s
• British Ernest Bevin called it ‘lifeline to sinking men, giving hope where there was none’
• USA decided aid would only be provided to USSR and Satellite States if countries agreed to review of finances
• Stalin didn’t allow this

Question 8

DOLLAR IMPERIALISM

Answer 8

• Truman thought policy = defensive measure
• Stalin thought policy = weakening UN by implying USA as protector of world
• also thought policy = using economic might to divide Europe into 2 = ‘dollar imperialism’
• remaining Grand Alliance beliefs disappeared

Question 9

COMINFORM [22 SEP 1947]

Answer 9

• association of European Communist parties
• Stalin could direct and control Satellite State govs
• Marshall Plan rejected at first meeting
• spread propaganda, compared USA to Nazis and ensured loyalty of Satellite govs

Question 10

COMECON [25 JAN 1949]

Answer 10

• alternative to Marshall Aid
• members = USSR, Hungary, Poland etc.
• supported economic development and discouraged trade with West

Question 11

GERMANY DIVIDED

Answer 11

• Allied Control Commission = central org. for 4 zones
• soldiers and military checkpoints on streets
• Soviets wanted to take material to rebuild USSR but West wanted German economy to be rebuilt so Germany could better trade and better resist communism
• Dec 1947: talks broke down and Soviets stormed out

Question 12

UNITING WESTERN ZONES

Answer 12

• March 1947: Bizonia + French = Trizonia
• June 1948: Deutschmark created at ACC for economic unity
• Soviet furiosity at economic separation
• Stalin believed this = West ‘ganging up’ and forcing USSR into poverty

Question 13

BERLIN BLOCKADE [JUNE1948]

Answer 13

• Stalin knew Western zone easy to attack because surrounded by Soviet zone
• only 2 air and 2 land routes
• Stalin shut land routes aiming to show divided Germany wouldn’t work
• Berlin soon to run out of food
• successful blockade = Soviet propaganda success and Western abandonment of their zones
• West knew forcing supplies across land = act of war
• instead flew supplies
• if planes shot down, Stalin would be seen as agressor

Question 14

BERLIN AIRLIFT [JUNE 26 1948]

Answer 14

• Allies began Operation Vittles
• food and coal flown in
• Western troops and Berliners created new airport at Tegel
• citizens unloaded planes and distributed supplies
• 1,000 tonnes of supplies daily
• May 9 1949: Soviets lifted blockade
• Stalin looked foolish and aggressive

Question 15

CREATION OF EAST AND WEST GERMANY

Answer 15

• 8 May 1949: West formed Federal Republic of Germany
• Bundestag elected, Adenauer to office and Bonn = capital
• Oct 1949: East created German Democratic Republic

Question 16

CREATION OF NATO [APRIL 1949]

Answer 16

• threat to Berlin and Czech invasion = need for protective Western military alliance
• if any member attacked, all members support
• British Bevin gave speech claiming Europeans would welcome American involvement
• American bases in Europe