cold war

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Why did the cold war begin?

The Grand Alliance included America, USSR and Great Britain. It was created in 1941 to defeat the Nazi's.

This alliance was a marriage of the Capitalists(America, Great Britain) and the Communists(USSR) they had a common enemy HITLER!!.

When Hitler was defeated so was the one thing they had in common, the Grand Alliance was increasingly becoming uneasy. Between 1943-1945 the Grand Alliance had 3 international meetings Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam

The Tehran Conference(1943)

Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt met. Stalin was annoyed that Britain and USA delayed in opening the second front in the war. He was convinced that USA and Britain was waiting for The USSR to get fatally hurt against NAZI Germany.

THEY AGREED ON:

That USA and Britain would open a second front and take some pressure of the USSR. They opened it in 1944.

The USSR would declare war on Japan once it defeated Germany.

Poland should be giving more land from Germany but lose some to the USSR.

The Yalta Conference(1945)

Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt met.THEY AGREED ON:

Germany when defeated would be reduced in size and would be demilitarized and would have to pay reparations(In labour, Material and goods)

Plans were begun for how the would divide Germany after the war. The rebuilding of Europe. Also they gave the right to the counties to choose their own governments.

The Nazi party would be banned.

The USSR would declare war on Japan 3 months after the defeat of Germany.

Poland should be under Soviet influence.

United nations would be set up to replace League of Nations. The members would be all Allies and those who agreed to join.

Signs of Tensions- Stalin believed that a Democratic Government had to be a Communist Government because only the communists represented the working class. however Roosevelt believed that Democracy involved a number of different political parties competing

The Potsdam Conference The Potsdam Conference was held from July 1945 - August 1945. The Potsdam conference was the last conference between the big three(America, Great Britain and USSR) who was meant to be represented by Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. Instead was represented by Stalin, Harry Truman and Clement Attlee. The issues they discussed:

Allied control of Germany

Reparations

Russia joining the war in far east

The oder/Niesse line

Truman Doctrine

The world had a choice between democratic freedom and communist tyranny.

America had the responsibility to fight for liberty wherever it was threatened

Trying to stop communism

America would send troops and economic resources to help governments that was threatened by communism

Marshall Plan

Beat communism through military

Then give help financially by giving 13 billion dollars to rebuild economies.

Satellite State is a country that is officially independent but is in reality controlled by another country. Stalin set up satellite states he believed that the Americans were trying to buy influence over Europe. USSR pushed for new election once in power they got rid of opposition parties. the communist party had leaders that follow Moscow, using police to stamp on opposition.

Comecon : The council for Mutual Economic assistance

Comecon was Stalin's answer to the Marshall aid. Stalin didn't want the countries he controlled to have American money. Therefore he created Comecon in 1949 it was there to encourage economic development and to prevent trade with Western Europe and America.

Politically, it would minimize American influence in eastern Europe and the USSR.

It ensured economic recovery in Eastern Europe.

Also meant that Easter Europe didn't have the wealth of Western Europe.

Hungary- in 1945 free elections were held and the communists lost by intimidation the communists were elected.

Poland- in 1945 communists came into power via free elections. Britain urged Stalin to take in some polish from London so they did but in 1947 the London poles were Executed, imprisoned or fled.

BIZONIA- by 1947 the British and USA zones of Germany were operating as one thus known as BIZONIA. BIZONIA had good a good relationship with France then were known as TRIZONIA the Western section was under the control of American, British and French

East and West Germany- Britain USA and France created a German Constitution. Secondly they crated a new currency the Deutschmark. Stalin was not told about the developments. He was reluctant to let america have further influence over Germany didn't want american troops stationed in Germany. he also realized Germany's most valuable economic resources was in the west.

Berlin Blockade(1948-1949)

Stalin plan was to cut off Western Germany supply to Berlin. Truman responded with Berlin Airlift Allied planes flew in supplies around the clock. 70 large cargo planes and airlifted 600-700 tonnes of food every day. this increased to 100 tonnes the airlift provided 170,00 tonnes of supplies in January 1949. Stalin stopped his plan and let America, France and Britain supplies through.

USSR, Britain and USA couldn't agree on the future of Germany there were four key issues:

-Should a reunited Germany be a part of Germany's influence on neutral.

-Should Germany be communism or capitalist.

-Should Germany receive Marshall Aid.

-Should troops from America and the USSR be allowed in united Germany.

So they decided to split Berlin in four zones.

Reaction to the Marshall Plan:

European leaders met at the Paris conference 1948 many countries accepted the Marshall aid but representatives from the USSR walked out they argued that this is America's way of controlling them. also he insisted that countries under his influence would refuse Marshall aid.

Cominform (The Communist Information Bureau 1947)-

Comiform was created for Stalin to extend his influence. Cominform was an international organisation that represented Communist Parties across Europe. Eastern European governments rejected Marshall aid. Communist parties were encouraged to demonstrate strikes e.g. in France 2 million workers had sympathy for the communists so they went on strike insisting that France reject Marshall Aid.

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