How did the Cold War develop? - created from Mind Map

Seite 1

4.1: Why did the Cold War begin?

4.2: The development of the Cold War 1945-48

4.3: The development of the Cold War 1948-56

4.4: Hungary: The tightening of control

Conflicting ideologies

Breakdown of the Great Alliance

USA: capitalist economy, democratic system of gov.

USSR: planned economy, communist state

Teheran Conference, 1943

Stalin wanted to punish + weaken Germany with reparations but Churchill + Roosevelt wanted to rebuild Germany

Yalta Conference, Feb 1945

4 agreements made:

1 – Germany would be divided into 4 zones: run by USA, USSR, Britain and France. 2 – Berlin (in East) would also be split into 4 zones. 3 – Free elections for countries of eastern Europe. 4 – USSR would join war against Japan in return for territory in Manchuria + Sakhalin Island.

The Potsdam Conference, August 1945

US President Roosevelt died in April 1945, replaced by Truman, during conference Churchill replace by Attlee. New leaders didn't get on well with Stalin. 2 agreements made: 1 – Nazi Party to be banned + leaders to be trailed as war criminals. 2 – Oder-Neisse rivers to be border between Poland and Germany.

By 1945: In Europe, Capitalism in West, Communism in East

US involvement in Europe

Countries of Eastern Europe = satellite states

USSR-backed Communist parties to take control of the country – in Bulgaria, Albania, Poland, Romania and Hungary opponents were beaten, murdered and frightened into submission.

By 1948: all Eastern Europe states had Communist govs.

1946, Churchill: "Iron curtain"

1947, Policy of containment of Communism in Europe

Soviet response

Truman Doctrine, 1947

Aim: Contain spread of communism, but not push it back

Marshall Plan, 1947

Aim: Economic recovery of Western Europe to prevent spread of Communism + important for American businesses to have future trading partners.

Cominform, 1947

Alliance of Communist countries. Aimed to spread communist ideas + help Stalin tighten his hold on his communist allies (restricted their contact with the West.

Comecon, 1949

Aim: to coordinate production + trade of Eastern European countries.

Berlin blockade and airlift, 1948-49

Rival alliances

Nuclear arms race

CAUSES

Continue to occupy Germany or

try to rebuild it?

EVENTS

RESULTS

Britain and USA wanted Germany to recover, wanted to rebuild it

They could not afford to keep feeding its people + punishing German would not help future peace.

USSR didn't want to rebuild Germany - Stalin suspicious why USA + GB did

1948, Trizonia (West Germany)

Merging of US + GB + French zones. With help of Marshall Aid, West Germany began to recover and prosper ≠ East Germany poverty and hunger. Many east germans fled to the West through Berlin.

Seen as a threat by Stalin to attack him

Introduction of the Deutsche Mark in West G

To further help economic recovery the USA and Britain introduced a new currency, the Deutsche Mark, in the three western zones.

But they did not consult Stalin, and he was furious - a united and strong Germany posed a threat to Soviet security.

Stalin closed all road + rail connections from Berlin to WG

Aim: to force the Western Allies from Berlin

Allies decided to airlift supplies into West Berlin

Lasted until following Spring 1949. West Berliners supplied with everything from food to oil, and building supplies.

Great success

May 1949, USSR lifted blockade

Zone controlled by USA, France + Britain = FDR, Aug 1949

FDR = Federal Republic of Germany

Zone controlled by USSR = GDR, Oct 1949

GDR = German Democratic Republic

Victory for West

Relations hit rock bottom

By 1956, 2 rival alliances

NATO, 1949

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

WTO, 1955

The Warsaw Pact

USA now formally committed to the defence of Western Europe

Stalin saw this as direct threat to USSR

Military alliance, main purpose: defend its members

Contained most of Western Europe states + USA + Canada

Response to NATO + West Germany joining NATO

1945-49, only USA had nuclear weapons

USA: A-Bomb 1945, H-Bomb 1952

USSR: A-Bomb 1949, H-Bomb 1955

1957, development of satellites, "space race"

+ USA and USSR developed ICBMs

ICBMs = long-range missiles

In 1956, an attempted uprising in Hungary was brutally crushed by the USSR

The uprising

CAUSES

EVENTS

RESULTS

Communist gov. established with support of USSR – RAKOSI

Falling standard of living + increased poverty

Hungarians hated Rakosi + AVH

AVH = Secret Police

Brutality, execution, imprisonment of 1000s of opponents

Protests got worse

Stalin's statue pulled down and dragged through the streets

Rakosi forced to resign

Soviet tanks moved into Hungary

Nagy became PM

Soviet troops withdrew

Determined on reform

Demanded Khrushchev for withdrawal of Hungary from WTO + have neutral role in Cold War

Khrushchev = alarmed

Free elections = end of Communism in Hungary + gap in iron curtain (Soviet buffer zone from West).

Soviet troops + 1000 tanks invaded Hunagry, crushed uprising, Nagy captured & shot

3000 Hungarians killed, over 200, 000 refugees fled to the West

Highlighted the limitations of Khrushchev's policy of peaceful co-existence

New pro-Soviet gov., Kadar

Re-established Communist control of Hungary + negotiated withdrawal of Soviet troops

Satellite states didn't dare challenge Soviet authority/reject Communism