The Cold War1945-1991

Why

USA refused to share the Atom Bomb

Russia followed a communist system and America followed capitalism and both sides feared each other.

Russians felt that the West delayed their invasion of Germany so Russia would suffer.

Russia held on to all the territory it invaded during the war and had puppet soviet governments in order to create a buffer zone between them and the west.

Stalin encouraged Internationalism communism and the west feared this.

Reaction of the west

Truman Doctrine $400 m to Greece

and Turkey ides that poverty and

misery lead to revolution.

Marshal Plan money to help Germany

and the whole of Europe recover.

USA and USSR didn’t physically go to war backed sides in numerous conflicts from the Korea to Vietnam.

Couldn’t afford to go to war because of the Nuclear deterrent. 3rd world war would mean nuclear annihilation the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of war frightened both sides into creating a red phone between the Kremlin and Washington

Space race was a by product of the war. Bay of Pigs Berlin wall built

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty

organisation) US Canada and

Western Europe versus the Warsaw

pact of Eastern European countries

Case study 1 Berlin Blockade

Berlin divided into occupied zones. East controlled by Russia, western section controlled by US, GB, and France. Berlin itself was inside the Russian zone and the west's only access was through the Berlin corridor.

Division of Germany was meant to be temporary.

Russia wanted Huge reparations took machinery and even factories and brought them back to Russia. US wanted to create a new denazified Germany with democratic government and strong industry

West created a new currency

Deutschmark.

Russians reacted by cutting off all roads

rail and canal links power supplies. Russia

wanted Germany to be weak creating a

new currency would revive Germany that’s

why they wanted to starve East Berlin and

make it economically impossible so that

the Americans would leave Berlin or drop

their currency plans

Operation Vittles

Use 20 mile air corridor fly in food into Berlins three airports.

Food medical supplies, planes landed every 90 seconds 8,000 tons of cargo each day lasted for eleven months.

Rationing of food. Dehydrated potatoes milk powdered eggs, dried vegetables meat in cans now and then.

Industry closed down 125,00 loose their jobs.

Russia realised that they could not

break the resolve of the Berliners or

the west so they lifted the blockade

Results of the Blockade

USSR not ready for war. Federal Republic of Germany set up with

capital in Bonn. Marshall plan used to build up Germany

German Democratic Republic in East Germany created

NATO and Warsaw Pact created. Berlin Centre of Tension between Russia

and the West centre of espionage and the wall became symbol of the tension between the sides