The Cold War

Origins of the Conflict Grand Alliance between the Anglo-American powers and the Soviet Union had always been a marriage of convenience They had a common enemy – the Nazis

Reasons for strained relationship Allies sent assistance to the White Army during the Russian Civil War US did not recognize the USSR until 1933 Western democracies excluded the USSR from interwar diplomacy Stalin and Hitler joined in dividing Poland

In 1945, leaders met at Yalta to discuss the layout of postwar Europe Agreed to the Declaration on Liberated Europe Agreed that Germany must be disarmed and de-Nazified Created the United Nations Became clear that the Anglo-Americans and Soviets interpreted the decisions differently

Met again at Potsdam in 1946 Harry Truman was more suspicious of Stalin’s intentions Clement Atlee replaced Churchill Allies agreed to hold war crimes trials at Nuremberg and divide Germany into 4 occupation zones Disagreements occurred over Poland and other Eastern European states

Nature of the Conflict Political Vied to spread their respective political influence throughout the world Democracy and free markets – First World Soviet system of planned economies and one party rule – Second World Non aligned countries – Third World

Both sides make alliances to maintain collective security US becomes part of NATO USSR becomes part of the Warsaw Pact President Truman issues the policy of containment to halt the spread of communism around the world Passes the National Security Act, National Security Council and CIA

Military Nuclear technology led to an arms race USSR explodes first atomic weapon in 1949 By countries develop the hydrogen bomb in 1952-53 USSR launches first satellite US develops ICBMs

Each side developed nuclear submarines Doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction – neither side had an incentive to launch a first strike because it was sure to incur unacceptable casualties from their opponent

Economic The US dominated the world economy at the end of WWII 80% of the world’s trade passed through American hands 50% of the world productive capacity was American The US was key in helping rebuild the world economy They wished to promote free markets

The USSR organized the Eastern bloc around the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) There was an effort to create specialization of production among the satellites

Ideological A battle of rival views of the world Winston Churchill coined the phrase “Iron Curtain” which divides the free peoples of the West from those living under Communism in the East

Chronological events of the Cold War Beginnings

1945 Germany is divided into 4 zones Berlin becomes the epicenter of the emerging Cold War Soviet troops occupy all of the nations of Eastern Europe except Albania and Yugoslavia

1946 Churchill delivers his Iron Curtain speech 1947 The US extends the Marshall Plan Money funneled through the Office of European Cooperation Truman Doctrine is issued In most Eastern nations, Western-back parties are pushed out of power

1948 The US, GB and France merge their three occupied German zones Introduce a new currency The USSR imposes the Berlin Blockade Truman begins the Berlin Airlift Noncommunists are kicked out of Czechoslovakian government

1949 Stalin ends Berlin Blockade Division of Germany becomes formal Western Europe develops NATO Communists take over China USSR explodes its first atomic bomb

1950 Communist North Korea invades Western backed south Korea President Truman builds a UN coalition to combat the invasion 1953 Joseph Stalin’s death opens a new era in Cold War diplomacy

Coexistence and Confrontation

1955 NATO agrees to rearm West Germany USSR creates the Warsaw Pact A summit between Eisenhower and Khrushchev leads to the evacuation of forces from Austria and its neutralization

1956 Nikita Khrushchev signals his goal of de-Stalinization Suggests the possibility of a peaceful coexistence between the capitalist West and communism Leadership of the Polish and Hungarian communist parties begin to liberalize economic and political life which is stopped by the USSR

1957 Sputnik is launched US creates NASA 1959 Government in Cuba is overthrown and makes ties with the USSR 1960 USSR forces shoot down a U-2 spy plane over Russian territory

1961 US backed invasion of Cuba ends disastrously Berlin Wall is built 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis takes place 1963 Hot line is established Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

1964 American commitment in Vietnam deepens 1967 Six Day War (US backs Israel, USSR backs Arabs) 1968 Prague Spring is crushed Brezhnev Doctrine announced

Détente

1970 Treaty of Moscow between West Germany and the USSR establishes diplomatic relations East and West Germany are admitted into the UN 1972 SALT I Treaty Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty Nixon visits China

1973 US removes last troops from Vietnam 1975 Helsinki Accords bring a formal end to WWII by acknowledging existing national boundaries

Revival and End

1979 USSR invades Afghanistan US Senate refuses to ratify the SALT II agreement US boycotts Olympics US provides aid to Afghans

1983 President Reagan denounces the USSR as the evil empire 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the new Soviet leader Works toward an international reform of the Soviet system

1987 Reagan and Gorbachev agree to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty 1988 Gorbachev withdraws troops from Afghanistan Reagan and Gorbachev sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty

1989 Communist governments in Eastern Europe collapse Gorbachev refuses to employ Soviet troops to defeat the peoples revolution

1991 USSR collapses into its member nationalist republics President Gorbachev resigns Official end of the USSR