Topic 10Post War rivalries and mentalities : Superpowers and social change since 1945

Issue 1 : Origins of the Cold War

Main historical points relating to the origins of the Cold War Although the time frame of this topic starts in 1945, it is important to understand the origins of the ColdWar began well before this date. The Cold War originatedwith the ideological struggle between Capitalism and Marxism beginning in the C19th.

Conditions for the ‘future’ war were created with the October Revolution when Lenin came to power. This Revolution brought into focus the aim of uniting the ‘working men of the world’ against the forces of Capitalism.The Communist International was formed.Between 1918 - 1920 Capitalist countries (Britain, France, America, Japan & Australiainvaded Russia to overthrow Communism and restore the power of the Republicans in a Civil War. This failed.

A war nearly occurred in 1926 between Britain and the USSR when a General Strike in Britain was blamed on the Communists in Russia. In 1926 there was Civil War in Spain. The war between Spanish Fascists and Republicans, many were convinced that the republicans were under the control of Stalin. He deliberately kept out of the war due to domestic issues.

Origins of the Cold War

in the 1930s, Hitler made no secret of his hatred of Communism and he often tried to persuade Britain to join him in overthrowing Communism in the USSR. The German invasion of USSR, in 1941 resulted.

During WW11, although Britain, USSR & USA were on the same side, there was virtually no support for USSR from the other Allies and vica-versa. This was the second attempt to rid USSR of Communism, this explains Stalin’s desire to create security for his country after WW11

Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt & Joseph Stalin

Occupation of Eastern EuropeThe Cold War possibly began with the occupation of Eastern Europe by Soviet Armies as they moved west to Berlin to defeat Hitler, because once Stalin’s forces occupied countries, they proved impossible to dislodge.

Post - War ConferencesThe difficulty in removing Stalin’s forces became evident at the post-war conferences in 1945 at Yalta ** see issues, and Potsdam, held to decide on territorial boundaries ofEurope and the nature of the governments after the war.There was general agreement at first the countries in the Soviet sphere of interest would adopt a government system friendly to the Soviet Union.No agreement was reached about Poland – leaders exiled in London but fiercely anti-Communist.The USA & President Roosevelt sympathised with the Soviet need for protection.

Election of Harry Truman as US PresidentRoosevelt died before the conference at Potsdam and he was succeeded by Harry Truman. Truman saw the Soviet moves to control Eastern Europe as acts of treachery against ‘freedom loving people’** This marked a departure from the previous American position of support for Soviet spheres of influence – in response a solidification of Communism in Eastern Europe occurred.

Coalition governments in Eastern EuropeFormation of coalition governments with Communists in key positions also contributed to the Cold War in Eastern Europe, because Truman viewed this as part of Stalin’s plan to take over Europe – and from there, the world.Eventually the coalition governments were overthrown by local Communists with the help of the Soviet armies. Czechoslavakia was the only country to freely elect a Communist govt.Truman’s fears were realised.

Establishing communist governments in eastern Europe was, in Stalin’s eyes, a guarantee of security against future attacks. from the West.

The USSR had been invaded twice since 1917, so some protection was needed. This was doubly necessary as the USA had the atomic bomb,

recently using it against Japan to end the war.

Threat of Communism in Western Europe (France, Italy, Belgium, Greece)In France, Belgium & Italy poverty, economic ruin and popularity of local Communist leaders, they were anti - Hitler thus they were popular. In France Communists were the largest party in the 1946 elections – all this worried the USA.USA began to pour money into needy countries through the Marshall Plan to thwartthe Communists. In Greece, Civil War – British occupation troops backed the Greek Monarchy vsthe Greek Republicans supported by Communists. British forces supported by America – resulting in a win by the non-Communists in 1949.

Division of Europe into Western & Eastern BlocsEurope was divided into non-Communist and Communist areas, beginning with the partition of Germany (& Berlin), and Austria into British, Americans, French and Soviet zones.Creation of the Western Bloc followed, it comprised of a group of Western (anti-Communist countries) under American influence.This formed by the Truman Doctrine created by President Truman to provide financial and military support to stop the spread of Communism in Europe. – it became known as the Containment Policy – it intended to contain and stop the spread of Communism.By 1949 a set of military alliances formed called the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation- NATO – which made the containment official

The Eastern Bloc was a result of the Soviet Government forming an alliance of Eastern European states called Cominform in 1947 to counter the Western Bloc.The Warsaw Pact was created to formalise this.The Truman Doctrine and its aftermath – seen as an act of Defence by the Western Bloc – was viewed by the Eastern Bloc as offensive.

Economic Causes of tension : Marshall Plan & ComeconThe Marshall Plan was the economic plan of the Truman Doctrine to restore Europe after the war and contain Communism. Nazi- occupied Europe was in ruins.Houses, bridges, public buildings, machinery & factories destroyed.Public utilities cut off – ( electricity, gas, water & transport system )Huge piles of rubble in streets.People lived in cellars, collected supplies as best they coculd, some cooked in the streets. Farmland was ruined, disease & famine rife.The Plan was offered to Communist countries and the West.Stalin refused to accept it, viewing it as a plan to control Eastern Europe.He believed the East would become subservient to the West by supplying raw materials to the West.Organisation for European Recovery was formed and in 4 years 23 billion dollars of aid was poured into Western European’s economies.

Molotov Plan set-up in 1947 to counter the Marshall Plan and strengthen Stalin’s hold over Eastern Europe. An agreement between USSR & its allies in Eastern Europe.In 1949 – the plan amended to become Comecon ( Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) which created a centralised agency for stimulating and controlling economic development in Eastern Europe.

Growing Tension in EuropeThe creation of the Western and Eastern bloc countries soon turned Europe into two armed fortresses opposed to each other.This division of Europe into two blocs – which were physically separated from each other by barbed wire barriers, walls and machine gun posts – was called the Iron Curtain.1946 speech by Churchill he said an Iron curtain was descending across Europe, as a result of Soviet expansion.

Berlin Wall

Communism in ChinaCommunism gained strength in WW11 when the people viewed the Communists, rather than the Nationalists as the true defenders of China. The Nationalists (GMD)appeared to be putting all their energies into defeating the Communists rather thanfighting the Japanese.1946 Civil War broke out between Communists and the GMD. The Communists won and they expelled the GMD off the mainland to Taiwan. For Truman this was proof that Communism was spreading.

The Marshall Plan

The Arms RaceThe US detonation of the atomic bombs over Hiroshama and Nagasaki in Japan to end the war in the Pacific was considered an American message to Soviet Russiato force the Soviets to live up to the principles of the Atlantic Charter. The Charter was a 1941 agreement between Roosevelt & Churchill to establishguiding principles when waging war, guidelines for restoring self-govt. to conquered countries and for establishing free trade between nations.

In the USA believed that possession of atomic bomb would deter the USSR fromDeveloping nuclear bombs and using them against the USA.

The USSR was well on its way to developing atomic energy when USA exploded its Bombs. By 1949, USSR had exploded its own bomb. From there the race was on – in the 1950s there was a race between nations to develop intercontinental bombers, hydrogen bombers,ballistic missiles – adding fuel to the Cold War.

These and later actions through out the world became known as the Cold Warwhich lasted until 1989.The Cold War was not an all out war but ity was a period of tension, rivalry, propaganda, production of arms and that kept politicians and people on edge

Truman

Stalin

Fatman

Issue 2 : Cold War Crises

Cold War CrisesThere were many Cold War Crises in the period 1946 – 1989. These include

Greek Civil War (1946 – 1949) Berlin Crisis (1948 – 1949) Korean War (1950 – 1953) Iran Crisis (1951 – 1952) Crisis in Guatemala (1954) Hungarian Crisis (1956) Berlin Wall Crisis (1961) Vietnam War ((1963 – 1975) Czechoslovakian Crisis (1968) Chile Crisis (1975) War in Afghanistan (1979) Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

also tensions arose from …..

Arms Race 1980 Olympics in Moscow 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles

Questions …o What were the causes of the crisis?

o How were the Superpowers involved in the crisis ?

o Why did the crisis not end in a full-scale war?

Cuban Missile CrisisIt is 1962 and the United States is deep in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Recent surveillance of Cuba has discovered a supply of long range missiles directed at the United States. While the Cold War has previously been a series of tense weapon building, this may be the event that turns the Cold War hot.

President John F KennedyYou are John F. Kennedy in October 1962 and you are faced with the crisis in Cuba. You have just received word that the Soviets have stationed missiles in Cuba facing the United States. You know that the Soviet Union is using the missiles to blackmail the United States into giving up control in Berlin. Since the Soviets have refused to remove the missiles, you have a very important decision to make.What will you do? Will you alert the public ?

(Video)

President Kennedy faced a difficult situation. Kennedy made a brave decision by letting the public know what his agenda was in this situation. This crisis is regarded as the closest the world has come to a nuclear exchange.

Popular Cartoon in 1962

Cuban Missile Crisis On October 14, 1962, a U-2 spy plane flying over Cuba discovered nuclear missile sites under construction.

These missiles would have been capable of quickly reaching the United States. President Kennedy convened a small group of senior officials to debate the crisis. Known as ExComm, they met almost continuously for the next two weeks. The group was split between those who wanted a military solution, such as an invasion or air strikes, and those who sought a diplomatic solution to remove the missiles.

Eight days later, Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba and all U.S. military forces to DEFCON 3.(Defence Readiness Condition) ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) were prepared for launch, Polaris submarines were dispatched, and B-52 bombers were placed on alert.

The world watched as tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union increased. Khrushchev put Warsaw Pact forces on alert. Later, U.S. forces were placed on DEFCON 2.

Reconnaissance flights by U-2s continued over Cuba, while U.S. and Soviet officials exchanged words of warning.

Finally on October 28, Khrushchev announced that they were withdrawing the missiles from Cuba. In the spring of 1963, the U.S. quietly removed the missiles from Turkey that equally threatened the Soviet Union.

This crisis is regarded as the closest the world has come to a nuclear exchange. Soon after this incident, the famous "hotline" was installed between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to help resolve future conflicts. It was later learned that the missiles on Cuba were operational and were armed with nuclear warheads. Soon after the Cuban Missile Crisis, negotiations were renewed regarding a Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (LTBT) – forbidding weapons testing in the atmosphere, it was signed between USA, USSR & Britain. A ‘hot line’ was set-up between Moscow & Washington was signed to prevent any future mishaps. Relationships uneasy

1980 Olympics in MoscowThe only two cities to bid for the 1980 summer Olympics were Moscow & Los Angeles

Votes Moscow 39 Los Angeles 20

The 1980s Olympic Games in Moscow were boycotted by the USA followed by another 60 countries in protest of the 1979 Soviet War in Afghanistan

Many of the boycotting nations participated in the Olympic Boycott Games in Philadelphia.

81 nations participated, the lowest number since 1956.

As a form of protest against the Soviet intervention of Afghanistan, 15 countries marched in the Opening Ceremony with the Olympic flag instead of their national flag – Olympic Flags & Olympic hymns were played when these countries won medals

At the closing ceremony the Los Angeles city flag rather than the USA flag was raised to symbolize the next host of the games and the Olympic flag was handed to the IOC President instead of the Mayor of Los Angeles

1984 Olympics in Los Angeles

Los Angeles was the only city to bid for the 1984 games

In response to the American led boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, 14 Eastern bloc countries and allies decided to boycott the games – Cuba, USSR, East Germany

For differing reason Iran & Libya also pulled out of the games

The USSR announced its intention not to participate due to security reasons,and chauvanistic sentiments and anti Soviet hysteria whipped up in the USA

The Los Angeles boycott influenced a large number of events that were traditionally dominated by the boycotting nations

Boycotting nations organised a rival event called the Friendship Games

The Berlin Wall Crisis

By Megan & Chloe

RIP 13th August 1961- 9th November 1989. (kind of)

Causes • Dispute simmering since 1958 when Khrushchev threaten to sign a separate

peace treaty with East Germany which would have seriously endangered West Berlin and Western access to the city

• East Germany – controlled by the Soviet Union • West Germany – occupied by US, France, Great Britain

• Soviets were concerned with the growing military strength, defection of East German citizens and the installation of tactical nuclear weapons in West Germany.

• June 4th 1961 – Khrushchev reissues threat with December deadline.

• Kennedy responded with a US public address claiming determination to defend the status of Berlin, including Western rights, but did not mention allowing freedom to move between East and West Berlin

• It can be said that this encouraged the Soviet and East German goverments to begin construction of the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961. This caused tensions to soar rapidly and included shows of strength and diplomatic sanctions on both sides.

Super Powers Involved• Kennedy proposed negotiations for September 21 in New York• Letters between Kennedy and Khrushchev were exchanged in late

September.• Kennedy was assuring Khrushchev that the US wouldn’t pursue the

re-unification of Germany.• Khrushchev decided (October 17) to rescind the December 31

deadline for a settlement.• November 9th – tentative settlement reached which regarded access

right and recognition of Germany boundaries. • It was to take more than a decade for a formal agreement to be

reached.

VS

No Full Scale War?

• Each party involved negotiated a diplomatic arrangement where by war did not eventuate.

Outcome• The Berlin Wall split East Berlin from West

Berlin. In doing this it also split families and shops apart.

• East Berlin got the better deal because the consumer products were available exclusively to them.

• To go from East to West Berlin you had to apply for a visa. At first laws were very strict about crossing to the West side.

• On the 9th of November 1989 the East German Government announced they could all visit each other.

• Germans climbed over the wall celebrating. • Parts of the wall were chipped away by souvenir

hunters. • Industrial equipment was later used to remove

almost all of the rest of it.

Kennedy's Thoughts

‘Why would Khrushchev put up a wall if he really intended to seize West Berlin?’

‘There wouldn’t be any need of a wall if he occupied the whole city. This is his way out of

his predicament. It’s not a very nice solution, but a wall is a whole lot better than a war’.

The Berlin BlockadeLaura McPherson, Emily Ventra and Jessica Vozzo

The causes of the Berlin Blockade:

• Continuing Soviet protesting over the promotion of Germany’s economic recovery

• Continual failure by foreign minister’s conferences

• Stalin’s deliberate deception on reunification, made western powers weary of his intentions

What happened and who was involved?

• 1948 - the Americans, British and French announced a separate state of West Germany would be created with its own government.

• A new currency was introduced- Russia responded by closing all roads and

traffic into Berlin- Stalin said he was defending the East

German economy as the new one was ruining them

• Western powers believed Stalin was trying to force them out of Berlin

- Western powers responded with a massive airlift of supplies to the encircled Berliners in order to keep their spirits up

• The Blockade lasted 318 days (11 months).

Why didn’t the Berlin Blockade end in full-scale war?

• American army wanted to fight its way into Berlin

-this would have resulted in war

• President Truman decided to supply Berlin by air

-this decision stopped the Berlin Blockade from starting an all-out war.

• the crisis was extreme at first but improved as the Blockade went on

• 1949, Stalin reopened the borders, it became clear to him that the West had continuing political support for the airlift.

The Korean War

(1950 – 1953)

By Amy Newbound & Michaela Gauci

The Causes of the Crisis

• After World War ll (awaiting return of Korean Independence) the United States and Soviet Union had been assigned areas of Korea.

•Stalin installed a Soviet-friendly Government in the north, while the American-backed Syngman Rhee controlled the southern half below the 38th Parallel.

•Due to the chaotic political situation in the south, under the direction of General Douglas MacArthur a United States Military was administered to control the area.

•In the north, the Soviets backed a ‘Stalinist’ regime under the direction of Kim ll - Sung & created the “North Korean People’s Army”, equipped with Russian tanks and artillery

•In accordance with ‘containment’ and the ‘Truman Doctrine’, President Truman sent troops to protect South Koreans and managed to garner UN support for the mission.

•Stalin feared an attack from the South. He did all he could to prevent provoking a war however, Kim ll insisted.

•Stalin took upon the decision to initiate preparations for war, as they believed that the south was preventing the country’s unification.

Why did the crisis not end in a full-scale war? •Caught off guard, the “North Korean People’s Army” swept through and invaded the South, “Republic of Korea” overwhelming all the opposition on 25 June 1950. American troops fared badly against the superior North Korean troops.

•The U.S. called on the Security Council to invoke the United Nations Charter and brand the North Koreans as, “aggressors”. The British Government: responded at once. The Far East Fleets were soon in action along the Korean coast, together with ships of Commonwealth navies.

•North Koreans advanced rapidly south, aiming to take the vital port of ‘Pusan’.

•But General Walton Walker, (Commander of the 8th U.S. army in Korea) rallied his forces and held the Pusan bridgehead as reinforcements began to arrive. This included, 2 British battalions from Hong Kong, the Middlesex Regiment, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders & Australian battalion from Japan.

•General Douglas A. MacArthur proceeded to drive back communist forces north of the 38th Parallel. Hoping to wipe out communism in Korea although, in early October MacArthur’s troops entered North Korea and quickly trounced the communist forces.

•Truman decided to negotiate a peace settlement however, MacArthur didn’t approve as he couldn’t stand the idea of cutting a deal with “communists”. Ignoring Truman’s orders, MacArthur demanded that China surrender or face U.S. Invasion. This destroyed any chance for peace negotiations. MacArthur was fired.

•President Eisenhower negotiated an armistice with Korea - four years after the war, a costly war with 33,000 American soldier deaths. This war

prompted the U.S. to implement NSC-68, a National Security Council report.

The “Superpowers” Involved

(1)Korea

(2)Soviet Russia

(3)United States of America

• China (Swarmed into North Korea to preserve the

‘communist’ ideas)

• Britain

• Australia