Download The Cold War 1943

The Cold War 1945-1955
Mrs Williams
Why did the USA and the USSR become rivals in the years 1945-55?
Part 1
Hiroshima and Nagasaki – how does this affect the relationship
between the USA and USSR?
United by the common enemy: In 1941; the Grand
Alliance was formed between Britain and the USSR. Its
aim: the defeat of Hitler. With US entry into WWII in
December 1941, the Alliance is extended to include
America. They are the Allied Powers.
Ideological differences:
The Iron Curtain: Soviet
expansion in the East
Yalta
Potsdam
Date:
Leaders:
What was
agreed?
Problems?
The American Congress did not want to give the
money for Marshall Aid. But then, in February
1948, the Communists took power in
Czechoslovakia, followed on 10 March by the
suspicious suicide of the popular minister Jan
Masaryk. Congress was scared, and voted for
Marshall Aid on 31 March 1948.
The background
• When the Communists first
seized power in 1917 in Russia,
there was fear and outrage in
Britain and the USA. They sent
troops to try and defeat
Communism, but they were
unsuccessful and the USSR was
created.
• Yet the fear of Communism
remained and, when Stalin
became leader in 1929, the fear
grew.
Stalin’s rule was terrifying.
One of his aims was to
control the people to such
an extent they would be
afraid to even think of
opposing him. Throughout
his time in power he used
his secret police, to crush
opponents of his policies.
By 1937 an estimated 18
million people had been
transported to labour
camps. Ten million died.
The people of the Soviet
Union lived with terror.
The British, in the years before the war, had always
feared the USSR over Germany. The British policy
of Appeasement, where we gave Hitler what he
wanted in the hope it would avoid war; simply
worsened relations with the USSR. Stalin thought
that Britain was leaving the USSR isolated to fight
the Nazi war-machine. Then he did something no
one expected; he allied with Hitler.
By 1940, the Nazis were rampaging through
Europe. Britain had shown great heroism in the
Battle of Britain; but still the Nazis ruled
supreme.
Then in 1941, Hitler ordered his troops to
invade the USSR. Now Britain and the USSR
were allies, and with American entry into the
war in 1941; the Grand Alliance was formed. Its
aim: the defeat of Hitler. The Soviets mounted
a fierce defence of their country against the
might of the German army in 1941-45. It was
the Soviet determination that turned the tide
of the war. As Churchill said, they “tore the
heart out of the German army.”
• In WWII, the USSR lost 20,000,000 people,
this compares to the 370,000 British lives lost
and 297,000 American.
• Stalin was determined to make the USSR
secure for the future.
• Before the war there had been a number of
countries who could claim to be superpowers:
USA, USSR, GB, France, Japan and Germany.
• By the end of the war there was only two
countries with the military strength and
resources to be called super powers – the
USA and the USSR.
How do Communism and
Capitalism differ?
• Let’s play Communist vs Capitalist Shotgun.
Each side will have to defend their political
ideology (set of beliefs). Let’s see who wins…
But what would happen to the
Grand Alliance once the common
enemy was defeated?
What does Stalin want and why?
I want
Communism to
be respected and
safe from
neighbouring
countries.
I want to be
rewarded with a
‘sphere of
influence’ in
Eastern Europe.
I want
Germany
punished with
large
reparations and
the loss of
territory
How would GB
and USA feel
about these
demands and
why?
Yalta Conference, Feb 1945
(WWII)
Stalin wanted to defend and
protect Communism and the
USSR.
He did not trust Churchill and
seems to have deliberately
antagonised him (in a toast
one night Stalin reminded
Churchill of his failures at
Gallipoli in WWI, where
British and ANZAC troops
had been forced to retreat
after heavy losses.)
You must know the difference between Yalta
and Potsdam, use the diagram to help you.
Churchill: he respected
the role the USSR had
played in the defeat of
Nazi Germany, but feared
Communism dominance
in Europe.
He also worried that FDR
was being too proRussian. He pushed for
there to be a French zone
in Germany, so that there
was another anti-Russian
voice in the armies of
occupation
Roosevelt had a good
relationship with both Stalin
and Churchill.
But he disagreed with Stalin
over the meaning of
democracy.
Whilst Stalin claimed the only
true democracy was
communism as it represented
the workers; FDR believed
democracies must have
different political parties
competing to win the people’s
support in free elections.
What was agreed?
Germany : agreed in principle to divide into 4 zones; and Berlin.
Free elections in liberated countries
USSR to have a ‘sphere of influence’ in E Europe
Once Germany was defeated; USSR would fight against Japan too.
How will you
remember
this?
The World: poorly, but
getting better.
The
doctors
making
the patient
better
‘How are we feeling today?’ – a British
cartoon of 1945 shows Churchill, Roosevelt
(USA) and Stalin (USSR) as doctors, working
together to heal the world.
This is how people hoped the future
would be.
But although the Conference appeared
successful, behind the scenes, tension
was growing, particularly about
reparations, and about Poland.
After the conference, Churchill wrote to
Roosevelt that ‘The Soviet Union has
become a danger to the free world.’ And
on their return home both he and
Roosevelt were criticised for giving away
too much to the Soviets.
Do you agree with this interpretation of
the Yalta Conference?
Past Paper Question!
In February 1945, the leaders of the USA, the USSR and Britain met at Yalta to decide what
to do with Germany when the Second World War was over. Describe what was decided
about Germany at the Yalta Conference.
Potsdam Conference, July 1945: Spot the difference –
Why? Impact?
Stalin’s armies were occupying most of eastern Europe: Once they
liberated lands in the east; the soviet army did not leave. Stalin
argued this was a defensive measure. By July 1945 his troops
controlled the Baltic states, Finland, Poland [forbidden by Yalta],
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. Thousands of
people fled; fearing a Communist takeover.
Changes between Yalta and Potsdam
FDR died in April
1945. He was
replaced by Harry
Truman. He was
more anti-Communist
and did not trust
Stalin, fearing a Soviet
take over of the rest
of Europe.
Half way through Potsdam,
Churchill loses the general
election and is replaced by
Clement Atlee
The Allies tested
the atomic bomb
on 16 July 1945.
Potsdam, July 1945
Now I know what happened to Truman yesterday. I couldn't
understand it. When he got to the meeting after having
read this report he was a changed man. He told the
Russians just where they got on and off and generally
bossed the whole meeting.
Why is Truman being
so forceful with Stalin?
Churchill, talking - on 22 July - about Truman's behaviour on
that day.
Soon after he had arrived at the Conference, Truman learned (on 21 July) that
America had tested the first atomic bomb. It gave the Americans a huge
military advantage over everyone else. It also meant that Truman didn't need
Stalin's help in Japan. Instead, Truman's main aim at the conference was to find
out from Stalin what date the Russians intended to enter the war in the Pacific something which (unlike Roosevelt) he did NOT want.
“The Russians only understand one language - ‘how many armies have you got?’ I’m
tired of babying the Soviets.”
President Truman, writing in January 1946 (but note the date - well AFTER the
conference.)
What was agreed?
A map of how Germany was
divided into zones
• To set up the four ‘zones of occupation’ in
Germany.
• The Nazi Party, government and laws were
to be destroyed, and 'German education
shall be so controlled as completely to
eliminate Nazi and militarist doctrines and
to make possible the successful
development of democratic ideas.
• To bring Nazi war-criminals to trial.
• To recognize the Polish Provisional
Government of National Unity and hold
'free and unfettered elections as soon as
possible‘.
• Russia was allowed to take reparations
from the Soviet Zone, and also 10% of the
industrial equipment of the western zones
as reparations. America and Britain could
take reparations from their zones if they
wished.
Hiroshima & Nagasaki
By May 1945, the Japanese were clearly losing the war in the
Pacific; they started making requests for a peace. Stalin told
Truman at Potsdam of 'telegram from Jap Emperor asking
for peace’ (it was refused; instead the Potsdam Conference
called on Japan to surrender unconditionally). In fact, the
Japanese offered to surrender on 3 August, but their offer
was rejected because it wasn’t an ‘unconditional’
surrender.
Instead, on 6 August 1945, the B29 bomber Enola Gay
dropped the first atomic bomb (nicknamed ‘Little Boy’) on
Hiroshima. The temperature in the centre of the bomb was
50 times hotter than the surface of the sun. Winds swept
out from the centre at 500 mph; everything in a two-mile
radius was flattened. The mushroom cloud rose to 50,000
feet. The Americans estimated at 117,000 people were
killed – the Japanese put the figure at a quarter of a million.
Three days later, on 9 August, the Americans dropped
another bomb, on Nagasaki, and the Japanese surrendered.
Why drop the bomb if Japan was
so near to surrendering?
One theory:
• Truman dropped the atomic bombs because he wanted
to end the war before the USSR could enter the war in
the Pacific and claim the lands promised them at Yalta.
• the bomb was dropped to impress the Soviets, and
persuade them to relax their grip on eastern Europe.
How will Stalin react
to this?
Will Truman change
his diplomacy?
• Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used
it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save
the lives of thousands and thousands of young
Americans.
• Speech by President Truman, 9 August 1945.
On 27 October 1945, Truman made
a speech about US foreign policy,
which outlined twelve key points.
These included a promise that the
US did not want any territory, and
did not intend to go to war with any
country, small or large.
However, he be seeking defensive
military bases, and that he did not
intend to share the secrets of the
atomic bomb with anybody.
The speech alarmed the British, who
saw it as increasing the tension
between America and the Soviet
Union, and also as an affront to the
close diplomatic relationship
between Britain and the United
States.
This cartoon by the British cartoonist
David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard on 30 October 1945.
Soviet take over of Churchill was worried about Soviet
influence in eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
even during the war.
In October 1944, Churchill went to
Moscow to meet Stalin face-to-face and
made the so-called ‘percentages
agreement’, where Churchill suggested
that Russia and Britain agree ‘spheres of
influence’ in the different countries of
eastern Europe (Romania 90-10, Greece
10-90, Yugoslavia and Hungary 50-50
etc.). Stalin agreed.
Although the Soviet Union took complete
100% control of the Iron Curtain
countries after the war, Stalin did keep
his promise to stay out of Greece.
Country
Albania
Bulgaria
Date
1945
1945
East Germany
1945
Romania
1947
Poland
1947
Hungary
1947
Czechoslovakia 1948
Method
The Communists immediately took power.
In the 1945 elections, a Communist-led coalition was elected, but the
Communists executed the non-Communists.
East Germany was the Soviet zone of Germany. In 1949, they set up a
Communist-controlled state called the German Democratic Republic.
In the 1945 elections, a Communist-led coalition was elected to power.
The Communists gradually took over and in 1947 they abolished the
monarchy.
Stalin had promised to set up a joint Communist/non-Communist
government at Yalta, but then he invited 16 non-Communist leaders to
Moscow and arrested them. Thousands of non-Communists were
arrested, and the Communists won the 1947 election.
The non-communists won the 1945 elections with Zoltan Tildy as
president. However, the Communists' leader, Rakosi, took control of the
secret police (the AVO), and executed and arrested his opponents. Tildy
was forced to resign and Cardinal Mindzenty, head of the Catholic
Church, was imprisoned. By 1948, Rakosi had complete control of
Hungary.
A coalition government was set up and led by the non-Communist Benes.
However, the Communists' leader Gottwald made sure they controlled the
radio, the army and the police. Gottwald became prime minister and set
up a secret police force. Non-Communists were arrested. In 1948,
Communist workers went on strike, the non-Communist minister Masaryk
committed suicide and Gottwald took over the government.
Pictionary – what do they mean?
1
2
• Salami tactics: The Hungarian Communist Rakosi
described this process as ‘slicing salami’ – gradually
getting rid of all opposition, bit-by-bit.
• Satellite State: Country under the influence or control of
another state.
In this American cartoon
from 1946, the thief
labelled ‘Russia’ is caught
stealing a bag labelled
‘territorial grabs’. He is
being helped by Stalin, who
is dressed like a policeman
and holding a
truncheon. Policeman
Truman, from the 'World
League Police Station' is
too late to stop him.
Russia saw
it as
protecting
herself from
future
attack. The
West saw it
as empirebuilding.
The sides are drawn…
Clip: 28 mins
in.
• On a trip to America in 1946 Churchill
made his famous ‘Iron Curtain’ speech.
Europe was divided; capitalism in the
west, communism in the east. The latter
being increasingly controlled by Moscow.
• Stalin responded by calling Churchill a
‘warmonger’ showing a ‘striking
resemblance to Hitler and his friends.’
• The Great Alliance was crumbling. Both
superpower leaders ordered secret reports
from their embassies to understand what
the other was thinking.
The West was
deeply suspicious
about this however
the Russians made
clear their desire for
a BUFFER ZONE in
Europe. This meant
they wanted a ring
of countries to
protect them from
being attacked again
(as they had been
by the Germans in
1941 so
disastrously)