Origins of The Cold War

Cold War1947 - 1989

How America and the Soviets Differed

America• Capitalism• Wanted stronger, united

Germany• Wanted independent

nations in Eastern Europe

Soviet Union• Communism• Wanted weak and divided

Germany.• Wanted to control Eastern

Europe• Refused to allow Eastern

European elections

Satellite States

Countries remaining under Soviet control after World War II

“From Stettin to the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that

line lie all the capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.

The Communist parties, which were very small in all

these Eastern States of Europe, have been raised to pre-eminence and power far beyond their numbers and are seeking everywhere to obtain totalitarian control.”

~Winston ChurchillIron Curtain Speech

March 5, 1946

Truman Doctrine (1947)• Effort to aid Greece and Turkey– Both battling communist forces

– “to support the free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation [conquest] by armed minorities or by outside pressure.”

• Promise to aid nations struggling against Communism.

• Set precedent for American foreign policy

Containment• Keep Communism within its borders

(contained)

• Blueprint for American policy during Cold War

“We are going to continue for a long time to find the Russians difficult to deal with. It does not

mean that they should be considered as embarked upon a do-or-die program to

overthrow our society by a given date… In these circumstances, it is clear that the main element

of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union must be that of long-term, patient but

firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”

~George Kennan, “The Sources of Soviet Conduct,” 1947

Marshall Plan“Without economic health, there can be no political stability and no assured peace.”

George Marshall, 1947

1948 – 1952: U.S. gave $13 billion to Western Europe~grants and loans for food, fuel, money

Same aid offered to Eastern Europe, Stalin refused

Containment policy’s first sucess

Berlin Air Lift• Stalin wants West Berlin– Already controls East Berlin

• Stalin halts highway, rail, water traffic from West Germany (U.S. Control)

• No aid = fall to Communist control• U.S. spends next year flying round-the-clock

missions– Drop food, fuel, medical supplies, clothes, toys…

etc.

• Stalin admits blockade failure• Blockade Ended in May 1949• Marshall Plan & Containment Policy

Success

NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

• Military alliance to counter Soviet expansion• 12 W. European and N. American nations– Act together in defense of W. Europe.

Mutual Military Assistance/Collective Security:“An armed attack against one or more of them…shall be considered an attack against all of them.”

Brinkmanship

• Theory: Pushing each nation’s military to brink of war.

• Purpose: Convince the other nation to follow your wishes.

• …with nuclear weapons