Download Lecture One: Why was There a Cold War?

A War Within a War?
A Grand Alliance?

In 1941, the USSR entered World War Two when Hitler launched a
surprise invasion.

Despite Stalin’s preparations, the Germans made huge advances into
Soviet territory at a cost of hundreds of thousands of Soviet lives.

By the end of 1941, the United States also entered the war after the
Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor.
A Grand Alliance?

The United States wanted to defeat Germany and restore stability to
Europe as quickly as possible

Wanted to create conditions in which it could trade and be
successful.
A Grand Alliance?

The Soviet Union wanted to inflict a decisive defeat on Germany
which would ensure it would not be able to do such devastating
damage to the USSR again.

They wanted to create a “sphere” of communist friendly countries
around its border.
A Grand Alliance?

Britain wanted to preserve its empire and to remain a major power in
Europe. Churchill wanted to avoid the USSR using the war to
massively expand its territory.
Key Issue:
Why could there have been tension between the USSR and its allies, even during World War 2?
Conflict of Interest

As well as the ideological conflict between communism and
capitalism, the political interests and aims of the Allies meant that
they did not always fight the Second World War for the same reasons.
Conflict of Interest

Britain wanted to survive as a great power with its empire intact.

Churchill did want to remain on good terms with the USSR after the
war ended

He was worried about Stalin using the war to expand Soviet territory.

As Britain had gone to war to protect Poland in 1939, they also
wanted at least some democratic government in that country.
Conflict of Interest
Pause for
thought:
What areas of
conflict can
already be
seen here?

The Soviet Union also wanted to continue cooperation with the United
States and Britain after the war.

Stalin abolished the Comintern as a sign of his good faith.

Stalin was determined the USSR would have security from future
attacks

He wanted an area under Soviet control and foresaw an
“intermediate” zone of neutral countries between Soviet territory and
Western Europe
The United States – Ally or Rival?
The Historiography of the Cold War offers several
possible opinions of the United States’ actions
and attitudes towards its allies:

Early historians suggested that the United
States had no clear idea of its goal for the
post-war world, especially in Europe.

Revisionists have argued that United States
did have objectives for its own post war
security.

The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, it has
been argued, showed the Americans that
they could no longer afford a policy of
isolation

Like the USSR, they wanted to create a postwar world in which they would be secure.
The United States – Ally or Rival?

The United States did promote its own agenda after joining the war

The US objected to British plans when they felt Churchill was trying to
use them to “prop up” the British Empire.

President Roosevelt handled his relationship with Stalin with care, and
often allowed Stalin to get most of what he wanted
The Tehran Conference
28 November – 1 December 1943
The three leaders, Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill met in Tehran to reach
agreements on how to defeat Germany and also to make some
agreements about how Europe might look after the war.
The Tehran Conference
28 November – 1 December 1943
They agreed:

The US and Britain would invade Europe from the west, taking pressure
off of the USSR in the East.

Churchill had wanted an invasion through the Balkans, to stop the
Soviet Union taking too much territory for himself.

Roosevelt managed to persuade him not to oppose Stalin this way.
The Tehran Conference
28 November – 1 December 1943
Pause for
thought:
Why do you
think Roosevelt
agreed to this
plan?
They agreed:

The Soviet Union would join the war against Japan once Germany
had been defeated

The USSR would be allowed to re-annex parts of Poland, but Poland
would be compensated with land from Germany
Poland – The First Crack
Poland was one of the first areas where the aims of the allies collided.

Britain particularly wanted to avoid Poland falling under complete
communist control

It had gone to war in 1939 as a response to Hitler’s invasion.

Additionally, the Polish government in exile was based in London and
Polish soldiers and pilots had fought for Britain during the war.
Poland – The First Crack
Poland was one of the first areas where the aims of the allies collided.

The USSR saw Poland as key to its future security.

Stalin was worried about future German aggression and other threats
from Western Europe.

It was key to Stalin that a communist-friendly government take power
in Poland.

The US and Britain both hoped that Stalin would still tolerate some sort
of democratic government in Poland.
Poland – Stalin’s Strategy

When the Red Army invaded Poland, they destroyed the Nazi
occupation, but this was not Stalin’s only aim.

The Polish government in London was supported in the country by a
nationalist resistance movement – the Polish Home Army.

Stalin was determined not to allow this group to take power
Poland – Stalin’s Strategy
Pause for thought:
How did these
events favour
Stalin?

The Polish government was highly suspicious of the Soviet “liberation.”

The Home Army took control of Warsaw in order to prevent the Red
Army taking control of the capital.

However they were defeated by the Germans, and the Soviet Army,
although only 20 miles away, did nothing to help them.
Eastern Europe – Cooperation or
Rivalry?
Pause for thought:
Why do you think Stalin promoted the idea of
“spheres of influence?”
Is this a sign of cooperation or rivalry between
the Allies?
Although Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to gain power and
influence in Europe, he respected the idea of “spheres of
influence.”
On several occasions, he held back possible communist
gains to avoid confrontation with his allies.
In Greece especially, Stalin refused to aid a Yugoslaviasponsored communist revolution because he saw it as being
well within Britain’s “sphere.”
Italy and France – Rivalry within Cooperation

When Britain and the US defeated the fascist Italian government and
the subsequent Nazi occupation of Italy, the USSR ask to be involved
in the rebuilding of Italy.

USSR firmly told they would not have a part to play as they had not
taken part in the fighting.

Stalin was happy to accept this
Italy and France – Rivalry within Cooperation

It suggested that the US and Britain could not expect to be involved in
rebuilding Eastern Europe.

Stalin even pushed Italian communists to cooperate with the new
government.

This cooperation led to the increased popularity of communism in
Italy.
Italy and France – Rivalry within Cooperation

Paris was liberated from German control in August 1944.

The leader of the Free French (the French government in exile),
Charles De Gaulle immediately started planning to rebuild French
power and influence in Europe, and to counter American and British
domination.

He signed a defensive alliance against future German aggression
with the USSR in December 1944
Yalta – The End of the Beginning
The three leaders met for the final time at the Yalta Conference in
February 1945. At this point, they knew that they were going to win the
war and the meeting focussed on post war issues
Yalta – The End of the Beginning
Post War Issues:

Germany would be occupied by the three allies and France. The
country and the capital, Berlin, would be divided into occupation
zones.

The Nazi Party would be banned, and war criminals tried in an
international court.

The United Nations would be set up, and all three allies would be
permanent members of the security council.
Yalta – The End of the Beginning
• However the allies were only able to reach a vague
agreement about Poland.
• There was an agreement to democratic politicians being
involved from all sides
• Stalin was confident he could exploit the language of the
compromise to get what he wanted
• Churchill and Roosevelt could claim they had secured a
deal for Poland to have a freely elected government.
1942-1945: Conclusions?
Germany surrendered unconditionally and simultaneously to
the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain on May 7,
1945.
1942-1945: Conclusions?
The Grand Alliance had achieved its aims:

Europe was liberated from Nazi occupation

The Nazi Party itself was destroyed

The USSR reclaimed the land it had lost in the Nazi invasion

Britain had, for the moment, survived as a major power

The United States had restored a stable environment to
trade in.
1942-1945: Conclusions?
However, the alliance still had important issues to answer
about the post war world and its ability to remain united in it.