Origins of the Cold War & Containment

Unit 10.8

Origins of the Cold War

The Cold War dominated international relations from late 1940s to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991

Largely centered around the intense arms rivalry between the U.S and the Soviet Union

Bitterness between the Soviets and the U.S.

The wartime alliance between the Soviets and the U.S. was a temporary halt in their generally poor relations

Bolshevik Revolution that established a Communist government in Russia in 1917 was viewed as a threat to capitalistic countries

Shortly after the U.S. formally recognized the Soviet Union in 1933, President Roosevelt and his advisors concluded Stalin and the Soviets could not be trusted› This was true signed the 1939 Non-Aggression Pact with

Hitler

Refusal to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons

The United Nations Security Council was made up of 15 member nations who were given the responsibility within the UN for maintaining international security › The five major allies during the war were granted a

permanent seat on the Council

Soviets rejected a plan for regulating nuclear energy and eliminating atomic weapons

This was interpreted by American leaders as proof that Moscow did not have peaceful intentions

Communist Occupation of Satellite States

As promised by the Yalta Conference, free elections were held in Eastern European satellite states occupied by the Soviets› The results were manipulated in favor of Communist

candidates

1946-48: One by one, Communist dictators came to power in Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia

Soviet sympathizers argued these satellite states would act as a protective buffer for Moscow against another Hitler-like invasion from the West

Communist Occupation of Satellite States

U.S. and British governments were alarmed by the Soviet takeover of these nations

Flagrant violation of self-determination, genuine democracy, and free markets

British were especially concerned with free elections in Poland, whose independence had been the issue that began WWII

Communist Occupation ofSatellite States—The Iron Curtain

Occupation Zones in Germany

The division of Germany and Austria in occupation zones was supposed to be temporary

In Germany, the eastern zone under Soviet occupation gradually turned into a new Communist state

Occupation Zones in Germany

This conflict stemmed from differing views of national security and economic needs

Soviets: want a weak Germany for security reasons and large war reparations for economic reasons

U.S. & Britain: believe the economic recovery of Germany is important to the stability of Central Europe

The Soviets, fearing a restored Germany, tightened their control over East Germany and attempted to force the other occupying nations out of their assigned sectors

Containment in Europe

Truman’s containment policy was to govern U.S. foreign policy for decades› Formulated by secretary of state General George

Marshall, undersecretary of state Dean Acheson, and George F. Kennan, an expert on Soviet affairs

Kennan: only a “long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies” would cause the Soviets to back off of their Communist ideology of world domination

The Truman Doctrine

Truman issued this containment policy in response to two threats:1. A Communist-led uprising against the government in

Greece 2. Soviet demands for some control of Turkey’s Dardanelles

Truman asked Congress for $400 million in economic and military aid to assist the free people of Greece and Turkey from “totalitarian” regimes

May have oversimplified the situation in Greece and Turkey, but garnered bipartisan support in Congress

The Marshall Plan

After the war, Europe laid in ruins, short of food and deep in debt › Further demoralized by a harsh winter and

depression

George Marshall outlined an extensive program of U.S. economic aid to revive the economies of Europe and strengthen democratic governments › A $17 billion European Recovery program

The Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellites denied the aid, fearing they would become dependent on the U.S.

The Marshall Plan

Massive infusion of U.S. dollars helped Western Europe achieve self-sustaining growth by 1950s and ended any threat of Communist influence in the region; greatly increased U.S. exports to Europe as well

Also deepened the rift between non-Communist West and Communist East

The Berlin Airlift First crisis of the Cold War-

Soviets cut off all access by land into Berlin› Truman would not withdraw

from Berlin but would not use force to open up the roads either

Instead, ordered U.S. planes to fly in supplies to the people of West Berlin; this massive airlift continued for weeks

Truman also sent 60 bombers capable of carrying atomic bombs to English bases

The Berlin Airlift

Stalin decided to back down and not challenge the airlift

Reopened the highways after a 11 month-long blockade

Major consequence of the Berlin crisis was the creation of two Germanies:› West Germany (U.S. ally)› East Germany (Soviet satellite)

NATO vs. Warsaw Pact In his 1796 farewell address,

Washington warned against forming permanent alliances with European nations

Truman breaks this tradition in 1949 by recommending the U.S. join a military defense pact to protect Western Europe

Ten European nations joined the U.S. and Canada in creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

NATO vs. Warsaw Pact NATO was a military alliance

for defending all members from outside attack

Eisenhower chosen as NATO’s first Supreme Commander; stationed U.S. troops in Western Europe as a deterrent against Soviet invasion

Soviet Union countered in 1955 by forming the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance for the defense of the Communist states of Eastern Europe

National Security Act (1947)

Provided for:1. The centralization Department of Defense

to coordinate the operations of the Army, Navy, and Air Force

2. The creation of the National Security Council (NSC) to coordinate the making of foreign policy in the Cold War

3. The creation of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to employ spies to gather information on foreign government

Arms Race & Atomic Weapons After the Berlin Crisis,

scientists in the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in an intense arms race competition to develop the most superior weapons systems

Soviets test their first atomic bomb in 1949

Truman approves the development of the Hydrogen bomb, which was a thousand times more powerful than the Atomic bomb and added to the U.S. arsenal in 1952

Arms Race & Atomic Weapons

The National Security Council states that the following measures were necessary for fighting the Cold War:› Quadruple U.S. government defense

spending to 20% of GNP› Form alliances with non-Communist

countries around the world› Convince the American public that a costly

arms buildup was important for the nation’s defense

Question?

Did NATO and the defense buildup intensify Russian fears and start an unnecessary arms race or did it deter Communist expansion in Europe and effectively maintain peace?