Causes of the Cold War – Review

1. Rightly or wrongly – USA decided Stalin’s actions were a threat to world peace.
The Truman doctrine + Marshall Plan were “two halves of the same nut”.

“It must be the policy of the USA to support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressure” – Truman

“the seeds of communism are nurtured by misery and want…” – Marshall

Flashpoints

1. Greec e + Turkey – British walked away from responsibility of protecting from communism.
USSR’s response: set up Comminform – political co-ordination of satellites states. 2. Czechoslovakia – 1948, last independent state in East Europe! Masaryak (pro-western leader) death by defenestration. USA related 13/14 billion dollars in aid.
USSR’s response: set up Comincon

The German Problem

The occupation

The USSR arrived first * Set up and authorized 4 political parties. * Forced German people into slave labor. * Take reparations in the form of: livestock, equipment, food, art.

De-nazification * Important Nazis hunted down, pt on trial. Families had to run. * Soviet military stripping Germany from goods, refugees going over to the American zone. * 3 zones begin to co-ordinate! The Bi-zone. 1947 stop de-nazification new currency, 1948 – Deutschmark. * Full employment in the Bi-zone. Production has gone up to 50%, especially in Berlin deliberate act to show-off. * Causes Berlin blockade.

Consequences of the Berlin Blockade:

* Made Stalin look even worse * Western hatred towards Stalin is widespread * Gave the USA a very good reason to adopt anti-communism NATO (north Atlantic treaty organization) is set up. * Germany is split. * August 1949 FDR, October 1949 DDR marks the beginning of arms race. * 1951 War against Germany officially ended by USA * 1952 USSR approaches USA: we will all withdraw from Germany Neutral country. USA refuses.