Origins of the Cold War

Long Term Causes Relations with the West (USA, GB, France) had been strained since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution: –Bolsheviks pulled out of WWI and angered the West –USA, GB, France and Japan all sent troops to assist against the Bolshevik Revolution –The world´s first communist state was established and the West feared spread of communism –USA did not recognize USSR until 1933 –Capitalist democracies versus communist dictatorship

Long Term Causes cont. Late 1930s, GB, France and USSR relationship strained further: –Stalin feared the GB and France were encouraging Hitler to expand east toward USSR –Stalin agreed to Nazi-Soviet Pact in August 1939 –GB and France were shocked and condemned Russia’s invasion of Poland in Sept 1939 and its occupation of Baltic states in the winter of –Stalin kept USSR on good terms with Hitler through June 1941 to avoid war

Long Term Causes cont. It was only Hitler’s invasion of USSR in June 1941 that brought USSR together with the Allies Also, USSR and USA only became allies in Dec 1941 when Hitler declared war on USA War relations were often strained: –Stalin was upset with GB and USA that a “Second Front” was not opened until June 1944, leaving Russians to do most of the fighting against Germany –Stalin thought GB and USA were purposefully trying to have USSR weakened by heavy losses on the Eastern Front

Short Term Causes Breakdown of wartime co-operation between the Allies (obvious at Yalta and Potsdam conferences) 1945 Yalta (Feb) and Potsdam (July-Aug) GB and USA openly disagreed with USSR on many issues –Particularly the future of Poland and Eastern Europe May Germany is defeated and Allies become increasingly suspicious of each other Instead of a number of world powers before WWII, only two undisputed powers remained

YALTA (in the USSR) Date: Feb 1945 Present: Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin

Yalta Agreements Wanted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany Germany and Berlin would be split into four occupied zones USSR would keep the Polish land claimed in September 1939, but Polish government would be reorganized and democratic elections held as soon as possible Democratically elected governments should be set up in liberated Europe

Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the separating of Those communist lands of East Europe from the West.

POTSDAM (Germany) Date: July 1945 Present: Atlee, Truman and Stalin

Potsdam Conference In the five months since the Yalta Conference, a number of changes had taken place which would greatly affect the relationships between the leaders. 1.The Soviet Union was occupying Central and Eastern Europe 2.Britain had a new Prime Minister 3.America had a new President, and the war was ending 4.The US had tested an atomic bomb By July 26, the Potsdam Declaration had been broadcast to Japan, threatening total destruction unless the Imperial Japanese government submitted to unconditional surrender. [9] [9]

Potsdam Agreements Measures of German demilitarization, denazification and punishment of war criminals Created Allied Control Council composed of military commanders from each German zone –Each commander was responsible for his own zone –The ACC had little power over Germany as a whole Decided that each power would take reparations from their own zones Council of Ministers created to negotiate peace treaties with Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland and Hungary

Factors Contributing to Cold War Mutual suspicion –The official ideology of the USSR stated the inevitability of conflict with western capitalist states & contributed to suspicions from the west –Liberal-democratic system of the West was not understood by Stalin. He did not understand why the Allies were unable to commit themselves “on the spot” but had to refer to their Parliament or Congress.

Factors Contributing to Cold War Roosevelt’s Aims Roosevelt had idealistic aims (“four freedoms” Freedom from want, freedom of speech, freedom of religious belief and freedom from fear) Stalin’s Aims Stalin had more concrete aims (regaining of Russian territory lost in WWI, control over Eastern Europe) Tendency to interpret the actions of the other in the light of their own priorities Conflict between fundamental aims of Stalin and Roosevelt

Factors Contributing to Cold War Nature of Stalin’s regime –dictatorship of USSR was only justified if external forces threatened the security of USSR, therefore to prevent the danger of being overthrown from within, Stalin had to have external enemies. Death of Roosevelt & Churchill’s replacement –Stalin had a great deal of respect for FDR –Truman was far less of an internationalist and far less willing to extent goodwill to the USSR –Churchill replaced by Attlee

Factors Contributing to Cold War The bipolar nature of international relations –USSR and USA were the only real powers in the immediate post-WWII period and as representatives of rival social systems they were forced into confrontation Menace of the Bomb –The Soviets were unhappy with America’s atomic bomb and considered it a great military advantage. The USSR began it’s own atomic bomb program.