Causes of the Cold War

ORIGINS OF THE COLD WARA World Divided

Key Questions1. How did the war-time allies attempt to prevent future wars?2. Why did the United States and the USSR go from being friends to enemies after 1945?3. What steps did each side take to assure ideological supremacy, and economic and political hegemony, 1945-47?4. Was it inevitable?5. What role did personalities play? (e.g. Truman replaced Roosevelt)6. To what extent did the USA and USSR present themselves as rival systems? (economic and ideological).

Major Topics to be CoveredOrigins of the Cold WarTruman and ContainmentCold War in Asia- China, Korea, and JapanPolicies of Ike & JFKVietnam WarDtenteMeaning of Cold WarTerm introduced into modern context by Walter Lippmann. Refers to a set of rivalries between USA and USSR.Different from a Hot War.Defined second half of 20th century. Shaped politics on every continent.

IMPACTCreated wars on a global scale.Proliferation of nuclear weapons.Led to the overthrow of many governments.Cost between 5-8 trillion dollars.Brought USA and USSR into wars they couldnt win.Triggered worst recession in 40 years as the 2 countries spent themselves in huge debt.

The Cold WarThe Cold War was a war involving the USA and the USSR in which no direct fighting actually occurred between the two countries, but tensions were very high.The USA and the USSR in 1945 were two very different countries with very different ideologies:The USA was capitalist The USSR was communist

66Underlying Tensions: Ideological differencesIDEOLOGY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS THE MOTIVATION AND JUSTIFICATION BEHIND WHAT COUNTRIES DO.IF IDEOLOGIES IN CONFLICT THEN THEIR ACTIONS WILL BE IN CONFLICT.

How are these beliefs different?Capitalism =Where all factors of production (industry, business and agriculture) are owned by private individuals or firms who run them for their own profit.

Communism =Where all factors of production (industry, business and agriculture) are owned by the state for the good of everyone.

88LeadershipCapitalistOne leader, voted for by the peopleWorks with Parliament to pass lawsCould be from a variety of political parties

CommunistIdeally no need for a leader - Run by a committee so no voting Oversees day to day businessOnly one political party99Factories

CapitalistOwned by individuals or companiesDevelops/ mass producesSells as much as possible for profitCommunistNo need for an owner factory owned by the GovernmentOnly makes what is needed by the stateNot for profit1010Farmers

CommunistFarmers produce for the stateAll produce is taken and given out to the people not for profitMachinery/ equipment is provided by the stateCapitalistFarmers produce for own gainSells food for as much as possible - for profitPersonally buys equipment and tools to make work more efficient. 1111Communism There should only be one political party There should be a variety of political parties for people to choose between Everyone must work for the state People should be free to start their own businesses and make a profit We should only make as many products as we need We should make as many products as we can and sell them for profitsCapitalism

Fairness and equality for all! Freedom and opportunity for all! We will enforce strict censorship no-one should criticise the state. We believe in people having freedom of speech on political matters.egalitarianismpeace brought about by prosperity achieved through capitalism and democracy1212Cold War BeginsYalta ConferenceDistrust between US & USSRDifference in post-war world visionsGerman ProblemBerlin AirliftWorld War Two

Why did the relationship between the USSR and the USA change during the war?1414What happened to ruin relations?In your groups you will have been given a source about an event.As a group you will need to use the source to work out the answers to the following:

Fill in your table as you go. Make sure you learn the facts - You will need to be able to explain what happened to the rest of the class in 5 minutes time!What happened?How did this raise tensions between the USSR and the USA?Who was at fault the USA, the USSR or both?

1515Strange BedfellowsWartime Allies but historical divisions.Capitalism versus Communism.Russia excluded from Versailles.American support for Whites in Russian Civil War. Soviet Government not recognized by USA.Soviets proclaimed world revolution.Diplomatic relations established 1933 for economic reasons only.Emergence of the Cold WarMy enemies enemy is my friend butRussia bore the brunt of the war effort;20 million killed. 1700 towns, 31000 factories, 100,000 collective farms, 128 billion dollars of property destroyed.1941 pleading for second front. Suspicious of Allied special pleading. Source of conflict. Not invited to Atlantic Conference. Tensions apparent.Russian Interests: Buffer ZoneRussian concerned about threats from Western Europe and Japan.USA and Britain not seriously interested.Russia wants protection from Western invasion.Russia wants to use defeated countries to rebuild its own.Wants to keep some conquered lands.Goals contrary to USA free trade ambitions.

The US perspectiveThinking how postwar world will be shaped.Establish bases around the world during war.Allow them to protect military strength around the globe bases not territory importantLaunching pads for potential attacks, preserve access to raw materials and deny them to rivals.An archipelago of bases from Manila to Casablanca.The US wants access to markets for trade as they fear a return of the Great Depression.

Cold War Origins: Post-War World VisionSoviet GoalsWith tens of millions killed in both world wars the Soviets main goal was NEVER AGAIN!Soviets wanted buffer states of friendly governments to protect them from future invasionExact revenge/reparations from GermanyUS GoalsRebuild Europe/GermanyWilsonian PeaceSelf-determination or free electionsDecolonizationDisarmament

Potential ThreatRussia wrecked economically.Little evidence that they wanted to challenge USA.Concern amongst American thinkers of potential future threat Russia posed in the unstable postwar environment.Worried that Americas access to oil and raw materials could be cut off by nationalist and communist movements (supported by the USSR).Mistrust and MisunderstandingTwo industrial military powers determined to expand.USA determined to prevent any one country from dominating the Eurasian land mass.Explains USA opposition to USSR presence in Mediterranean, Middle East, Turkey, Iran, etc.Explains why USA became involved in Korea and Vietnam.YALTA AND POTSDAMWartime Conferences about postwar world.Potsdam more problematic than YaltaConflicts over spheres of Influence;What to do with GermanyBorders of PolandGovernments of liberated countriesAmericas Trump card.

Cold War Origins: Yalta Conference (1945)Major Agreements at YaltaFree elections in Eastern EuropePoland becomes a nation againAgreed to create the UNSecurity CouncilFDR convinces Stalin to go to war with Japan 90 days after the war in Europe is overMistake?

Cold War Origins: the German ProblemPotsdam Conference (1945)Treatment of GermanyUS = RebuildUSSR = PunishNuremburg TrialsHigh ranking Nazis are triedPartition of GermanyFrance was given part of Germany as long as it came out of the Allies partBerlin is also split into sectorsGermany gets split into two (West and East)Truman informs Stalin of the atomic bomb in an effort to intimidate himVerbal grenades: Personality conflictsLeadership speeches increase tensions.Stalin spoke of need to rebuild Soviet industry and military.Churchills Iron Curtain Speech, March 1946.Truman: Russians only understand one syllable words.Sources of ConflictEastern and Central Europe.Partition of Germany.Russia refuses to go along with plans to rebuild Germany.Tensions surrounding Soviet troops remaining in Eastern Europe.The Atomic Question. ( Source of leverage)Arms Race before the Arms RaceDropping Atom bombs demonstrated US power to Soviets.US built up Nuclear arsenal in anticipation of the Soviets being chief threat.Between mid 1947 and 1948, 40 nuclear bombs, dozens of bombers built.

CONTAINMENTBritains weakened positionCivil War in GreeceThe Truman doctrineCzechoslovakia turns communistMarshall AidStalin forms Cominform and ComeconFirst test of Containment would happen in Germany with Berlin Blockade. First example of Brinkmanship.

COMINFORM AND COMECONStalin now wanted to tighten his control on each country. He did this by using Cominform and Comecon.Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) 1947.coordinated governments in Eastern Europe. Ran meetings and gave out instructions to Communist governments as to what they must do.Comecon (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) 1949. coordinated industries and trade of Eastern Europe. traded with each other and not the West. favoured USSR produced goods and guaranteed a cheap supply of raw materials for the USSR. Set up the bank for Socialist countries.Brinkmanship: Putting Containment to the TestThe impact of early crises: i) Berlin Blockade and airlift ii) Communist Revolution in China 1949iii) Korean War 1950-53

Cold War Begins: Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)Stalin wants Berlin all to himselfAll roads leading into west BerlinHopes to starve West Berlin and gain control of cityUS led airlift supplies Berlin and embarrasses USSR1 plane lands every 30 seconds!!!!!After a year Stalin stops the blockade

Iron Curtain Drops-Symbolic and physical separation of Western and Eastern EuropeTruman DoctrineGreece is on the verge of collapse to Communism and Truman is forced to make a momentous decisionTruman Doctrine Policy of Containment is introducedCommunism is evil, and it must not be allowed to spreadMarshall Plan: billions of dollars given to European nations to help them rebuild and surviveHelp keep communism isolated

Marshall Plan Aid in EuropeUS Guarantees Peace By Readying for WarNational Security Act of 1947 creates the Department of Defense Pentagon is builtNational Security Council is created to advise the PresidentNSC-68: allowed for the President to quadruple military spendingPeacetime draft is createdUS gets entangled in a foreign allianceNATO (1949): a defensive alliance to protect from Soviet aggressionAn attack on one is an attack on allWarsaw Pact is the Soviet response to NATOCold War in AsiaJapanGen. MacArthur rebuilds Japan into a peaceful and thriving democracyChina Falls (1949)China becomes Communist (25% of the world)Soviets detonate an atomic bomb in 1949US responds by developing the H-BombArms Race beginsContainment Put to the Test: KoreaKorean War: 1950-1953Korea separated in two after WWIIWith USSR backing North Korea invaded South KoreaUS led coalition come to South Koreas aidContainment Policy: do not allow communism to spreadBack and Forth warChina eventually enters the warGeneral MacArthur wants to nuke China and end this war quicklyWar never officially endedKoreas are still technically at warMassive RetaliationPresident Eisenhower1952-1960 Not a fan of containmentPromised to liberate captive peopleMassive RetaliationMess with us or our allies and we will use our nukesUse of nuclear weapons as a first strike optionSmaller army and smaller price tagBrinksmanship: go to the brink of war to show strengthNuclear war is not something to get into over minor conflictsHungarian Revolt of 1956Americans did nothing to assist the revoltMutual Assured DestructionEach side knew that if they used nuclear weapons against the other side, the other side would have enough weapons left to destroy you Using nuclear weapons would be suicideJFK and Flexible ResponseJFK shifted away from massive retaliation because it was impracticalFlexible Response: respond to each crisis accordingly based on importance to the USCuban Missile Crisis (1962)Soviet nuclear missiles on CubaJFK threatened war if they were not removedIn the end a compromise is madeClosest the world has ever been to nuclear warThe Cuban Missile CrisisIn August 1962, the Cuban and Soviet governments secretly began to build bases in Cuba for a number of medium-range and intermediate-range ballistic nuclear missiles (MRBMs and IRBMs) with the ability to strike most of the continental United States.

AIMSKhrushchev

JFKCastro

Worried about USA Bay of Pigs Wants protection Soviet Union USSR = fellow Communist countryCIA tried to kill Castro Needs Soviet money as economy is in ruins

Worried about SU becoming friends with Cuba only 80 miles away fromUS SU could put missiles on Cuba thatcould destroy the US within minutesWants Castro dead Capitalist to takehis placeJFK must be seen as strong after the Bayof Pigs otherwise never be elected back inWants to put missiles on CubaUS can destroy SU from missiles in Turkey SU want the same capacityKh believes he can bully JFK JFK is weakafter the Bay of Pigs and a young PresidentKh is also under pressure from other SU leaders Kh must put missiles on Cuba for his own political survival 1. Do nothing and allow the missiles to be put on Cuba2. Airstrike on the Cuban missile sites to ensure that they could not fire any nuclear weapons 3. Invade Cuba and take the country over to ensure that it can never be used for such a site4. Blockade Cuba with US warships to block any Soviet ships from entering Cuba with the nuclear weapons5. Start a nuclear attack on Cuba and if necessary the Soviet UnionThe Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962Kennedys OptionsPositiveNegativeDo nothing and allow the missiles to be put on Cuba Avoids war Still got missiles in TurkeyUSA would be in danger of attackJFK look weak SU would have wonAirstrike on the Cuban missile sites to ensure that they could not fire any nuclear weaponsNo missiles on CubaJFK look like strong leader

Loss of lifeStart a war SU could attack in Europe (Berlin) start a nuclear warCuba could rebuild sites Invade Cuba and take the country over to ensure that it can never be used for such a siteNo missiles in CubaYou get rid of threat for good kill CastroShow JFK strengthCould start a World War you are being aggressive Could be large number of US casualties might fail Blockade Cuba with US warships to block any Soviet ships from entering Cuba with the nuclear weaponsStop any missiles from getting to CubaNot starting a war making the SU make the next move If it works JFK look strongRelying on no missiles on Cuba already Still leave the problem in Cuba Castro still there Relying on SU to turn back Start a nuclear attack on Cuba and if necessary the Soviet UnionDestroy the known world SU and Cuba would be destroyedRest of world unhappyMorally wrong

Kennedy Decision time!BlockadeAvoids direct confrontation and war that would be nuclearPuts the ball in Khrushchevs courtIf war Soviets could strike in Europe start WW31. Turn Soviet ships back2. Tell ships to continue on their present course call Americas bluff3. Try and make a deal with JFK missiles in Cuba for missiles in Turkey4. Invade Berlin to create a distraction 5. Support ships with submarines in the area do not turn backThe Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962

Khrushchevs OptionsPositiveNegativeTurn Soviet ships backAvoid WarSeen as a peacemakerSeen as weakCastro still in danger US still have missiles in TurkeyTell ships to continue on their present course call Americas bluffSeen as strongJFK would have to start warCould be warIf stopped still no missiles on CubaTry and do a deal with JFK missiles in Cuba for missiles in TurkeyNo warSeen as a peacemaker It make SU safer SU will lose nothing Still not got missiles in CubaCastro still in dangerRelying on JFK to do a deal

Invade Berlin to create a distraction Seen as strongMight get missiles into CubaNuclear warSupport ships with submarines in the area do not turn backSeen as strongJFK start warCould lead to war If stopped no missiles in Cuba

Khrushchev decision time!MAKE A DEALSends a telegram offering a summit no strings attached probably sent by KhrushchevSecond telegram with demands for missiles to be taken off Turkey and no invasion of Cuba in the future probably sent by hardlinersSoviet Union can NOT just back down without any concessions!BUT can not start a nuclear war it knows it can NOT win

Bobby Kennedy meets Dobrynin SU representative and assures him that missiles will be taken off Turkey Agreed that Missiles should return to the SU and that missile bases on Cuba should be dismantled US agrees NOT to invade CubaThe ships turn around and the world pulls back from nuclear warUS takes obsolete missiles out of Turkey kept secretThe End of the Crisis

A Hotline was set up between Moscow and Washington directly between the Presidents to stop any further misunderstandingsIn 1963 a Test Ban Treaty was signed no more nuclear weapons could be tested in the atmosphereNuclear war had been avoided

The OutcomeKhrushchevJFK

Fidel Castro

Who has won the Cuban Missile Crisis?I believe that we can win victory for freedom both at home and abroad. I believe that we can be strong enough and determined enough to win those victories. I believe that appeasement and weakness can only bring war. Ive asked and will continue to ask: Why Not Victorywhy not victory for sound, constitutional principles and governmentwhy not victory over the evils of communism?LBJ has to answer the question what are you doing about communism?The Vietnam War

How did two little boats lead to one big war?

4th August two American gunboats the Maddox and the Turner Joy were attacked by the North Vietnamese in the Gulf of Tonkin

It was like a grandmas nightshirt it covered everythingWhat powers did the President gain from the resolution?

The Gulf of Tonkin resolutionWhy is this going to have an impact on the war?

Congress passed the resolution on 7th August 1964 by 88 votes to 2 votesHow does this help LBJ?

He has full political support from both Democrats and Republicans

After the Gulf of Tonkin American aircraft bombed North Vietnam for the first time LBJs approval rating went from 42% to 72%LBJ won the 64 election with 61% of the popular voteHow does this help LBJ?1964 Presidential election

The Working group report 1965What recommendations does the report make?

What was the situation in South Vietnam?

Why did the Superpowers pursue a policy of dtente? DetenteDetente refers to a period of apparent easing or thaw in tensions between the two superpowers Organise the factors into a Diamond nineMost significantLeast significantWhy did the Superpowers pursue a policy of dtente? Looking at somebody elses diamond nine Compare your choices and discuss your reasons. Rearrange your cards, if you have changed your mindMost significantLeast significantIf you have moved the cards prepare to explain whyWhy did the Superpowers pursue a policy of dtente? SUMMING UPHistorical legacy of distrust.Ideological differences.Divergent postwar needs and concerns.Personality conflicts.Postwar conditions.

ReadingThe Unfinished Nation, Chapter 29The Cold War, pp. 750-770Mastering Modern World Historypart I Chapter 7 The Cold War pp. 122-140Chapter 8 The spread of communism outside Europe pp. 142-168