Download Lecture One: Why was There a Cold War?

From Allies to Enemies
A New President
• In April 1945, President Roosevelt
died.
• He was respected both at home
and throughout the world, even
by Stalin.
• Succeeded by Truman
• Truman was more aggressive in
his foreign policy, more hostile to
communism and much less
experienced in foreign affairs.
A New President
• Truman became president just as
the United States was becoming
more worried about Russian
intentions in Poland.
• He proposed cutting the lend-lease
agreement with the USSR
• Encouraged them to declare war
on Japan.
• Stalin saw this as a crude tactic
and was determined not to be
swayed by it.
An End to War
In August 1945, the Second World War finally came to an
end with the use of a new weapon against Japan – the
atom bomb.
An End to War
• Two cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed with
this new weapon
• Hundreds of thousands of people killed
• The Soviet Union had joined the war against Japan, but
was not specifically told about the bombings beforehand.
An End to War
Pause for Thought:
How could the atom bomb affect the relationship
between the allies?
• At the Potsdam Conference, shortly before the bombing, Truman had
told Stalin that the United States had a new, very powerful weapon.
• Stalin, who was well aware of the atom bomb, simply replied that he
hoped the weapon would soon be used against Japan.
A New Kind of Power

Possession of the bomb = Great Responsibility
There were two choices open to him:

Keep the technology in the hands of the United States only, giving them an
edge over every other nation.

Turn control of the weapons over to the new United Nations, to be
developed and to share peaceful applications of the new technology.
A New Kind of Power
Perhaps surprisingly, Truman did attempt to reach an international agreement
on atomic energy, but agreement with the USSR proved impossible to reach,
especially as distrust between the two countries grew.
The Potsdam Conference
July-August 1945

The Potsdam Conference was the beginning of a new relationship
between the USSR, USA and Britain.

Truman met Stalin for the first time as President and during the
conference

Churchill lost the 1945 General Election as was replaced with the
Labour Prime Minister, Clement Attlee.
The Potsdam Conference
July-August 1945
Important agreements at Potsdam:

A Council of Foreign Ministers was set up to organize the rebuilding of
Europe

Arrangements for the temporary division of Germany were finalized

The USSR got a quarter of the industrial equipment from the British,
American and French zones as their zone was the least industrialized.
The Potsdam Conference
July-August 1945

Potsdam also saw unresolved disagreements about the issue of
reparations.

Britain and the US wanted to keep the German economy strong
enough to support the population

The USSR’s priority was to impose heavy reparations to account for the
damage done to the Soviet Union in the war.
The Divisions Grow

The handling of Italy’s surrender
was also a sign of growing division.

The US wanted a moderate peace

The USSR wanted to heavily punish
Italy.

Stalin wanted to take control of
Italy’s colony in Libya, which would
give it access to the
Mediterranean Sea.

The US accepted much harsher
terms for Italy to stop this
happening.
The Divisions Grow

Both sides attempted to grow their influence in their respective areas
of Germany.

Both saw it as key to the future of Europe – it was central

Neither the US, nor the USSR was willing to let the whole country fall
into the other’s hands.
Actions in Germany

Stalin moved to install a communist/soviet – friendly
government in his zone as soon as possible.

The USSR became the first of the Allies to allow political
parties in their zone of Germany.

He ordered a merger between the German Communist
Party and the more popular Social Democrat Party
Actions in Germany

He was successful in bringing communism to
power

Germans in the British, American and French
zones were very worried by what they had seen
Soviet Sphere of Influence: Stalin’s
paranoia led to American fear

Eastern Europe
 Stalin
used the Red Army to purge governments of nonCommunists
 “Stalinists”
were left in Power
US Response: Containment
George Kennan’s Long Telegram, 1946
Key Points



Kennan: key US
Diplomat in Moscow
Telegram was a
private
correspondence
between Kennan and
DC
VALUE OF THIS
DOCUMENT is HUGE

USSR’s actions were out of insecurity

Soviets wanted to advance Stalinism

Cruelty and Repressiveness was
‘justified’ by Soviet world view

USSR was fanatical but not ‘SUICIDAL’
US Response: Containment
Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech

Churchill’s speech was
at a college with
Truman sitting behind
him

Churchill identified an
“Iron Curtain”

Speech was focused on
fear and aggression
Soviet Reaction to Iron Curtain Speech:
Fear and Aggression

Stalin’s famous speech criticizing Churchill (comparing
him to Hitler)

Stalin withdrew from International Monetary Fund

Intensified anti-West propaganda

Initiated a Five-Year Plan
Actions in Germany

In January 1947, the British and Americans merged their
zones into one large one called Bizonia.

The Soviet Union was alarmed by this

They believed the British and Americans were attempting
to create a capitalist German state.
Actions in Germany

The British and Americans also continued to build up the
infrastructure of their zones

The USSR resented their plan to rebuild a former enemy as
so much of the Soviet Union was still in ruins.
A New Crisis

Although Britain had appeared to continue to act as a superpower, it
was severely weakened.

By 1947, the situation had become critical and Britain was struggling
to hold on to its empire, or to keep its soldiers deployed.

In February 1947, Britain informed the United States that it could no
longer support Turkey and Greece

Assistance to both would end the following month.
A New Crisis

This presented a huge problem

Greece was under threat from a communist revolution
(not assisted by the Soviet Union) against its pro-capitalist
government.

President Truman did not believe the uprising was not
Soviet-sponsored and feared a “domino effect.”
The Truman Doctrine
• In international politics, a doctrine is a set of principles
which a state follows when making decisions and taking
action.
• US response necessary due to the threat to Greece as
well as the growing attraction of communism in Europe,
• Truman set out a new policy which became known as the
Truman Doctrine.
The Truman Doctrine
The doctrine stated that:
• The world faced a choice between democracy and
freedom, or communism and tyranny
• The United States had a responsibility to fight for freedom
whenever it was threatened
• The USA would send troops and economic resources to
help governments threatened by communists
• Communism could not be allowed to grow and to gain
new territory
The Marshall Plan

Stalin was initially not concerned by the Truman Doctrine.

He saw it as a piece of propaganda within the wider
scope of the rivalry between the US and USSR.

This changed however, with the introduction of the
Marshall Plan.
The Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan was put forward by the US Secretary of
State, George Marshall.

He proposed to provide billions of dollars in loans to help
European nations recover and rebuild from World War
Two.

He wanted European countries to set up a supranational
organization to plan the spending of aid.
The Marshall Plan
Pause for Thought –
Why do you think
the US felt it
needed the
Marshall Plan?
Why do you think
Stalin was so
hostile to it?

Stalin was deeply suspicious of this plan

He suspected its real purpose was to undermine Soviet
influence in Eastern Europe – a challenge to his “sphere
of influence.”

He prevented any Eastern European states from
accepting the offer, and re-established the Cominform.