...countries had conflicting ideologies, capitalism vs. communism and both wanted to spread their power and control in the world. Their incompatible ideologies from the start together with their troubled relationship since 1918 when the west intervened on the Russian civil war on behalf of the White Army, created an uneasy alliance in 1941 that that was most certainly ‘bound to fall apart’ when the common enemy was defeated in 1945. In order to come to a conclusion on the extent to which “An unnatural alliance that was bound to fall apart after the defeat of the common enemy” explains the origin of the cold war the essay will be divided into four parts: the opposed ideologies, events from 1919 to 1945, the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, and events subsequent to the conferences until 1949. The Bolsheviks seized power in 1917 leading to the establishment of the world’s first socialist state whose guiding ideas were those of communism. For the leaders of the western countries these ideas threatened the very basis of their societies, economically and politically, as they followed an ideology of Capitalism. For the USSR, capitalism which revolves around private enterprise was seen as creating divisions between rich and poor and thus the communists believed that all goods should be taken over by the government and distributed to individuals accordingly. (Phillips P4-5). Furthermore, a communist state was a one-party state, with the Communist Party representing the people whereas the...
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... o Both the USA and USSR believed that other countries should be run in the same way that theirs was. o Many people in each country were strongly against the beliefs of the other. • It is important to realise that the differences in beliefs between the two countries alone did not cause the Cold War. The two countries had even been allies during World War Two. However, the USA had learned from the experience of the Second World War that they should not give in to the demands of dictators. Any action that was perceived as a threat of the spread of Communism would bring a reaction from the USA. The Yalta Conference • This was held in February 1945, before the end of the Second World War, when it was clear that Germany was losing the war in Europe. It was held at Yalta in the Ukraine. • The three main figures at the Conference were Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt. They managed to agree on some important matters: o They agreed that Germany would be split into 4 zones after the end of the war. These would be run by the USA, Britain, France and the USSR. Berlin, deep in the Soviet zone, was also to be divided into 4. o They agreed that countries liberated from German occupation would be allowed...
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...To what extent did the breakdown of the Grand Alliance between the Autumn of 1945 and January 1947 happen solely because of the aggressive actions of the Soviet Union? Between the years 1945 to 1947, the Grand Alliance broke down entirely, it had been turbulent before that but these years saw the complete breakdown of the Alliance. This was due primarily to fundamental disagreements in ideology that never subsided and this manifested itself in a build-up of tension and rivalry between the members of the Grand Alliance. In these years particularly, there was the Yalta Conference which instead of leading to greater cohesion, actually caused many of the differences in ideology to surface and inadvertently caused tensions to deepen. The Yalta and Potsdam conferences were the primary causes of disagreement between the two great powers represented by the United States and the Soviet Union. In February 1945 at Yalta, the arguments started with the resentment which had been building up during the war, for example Stalin resented the failure to open a second front before 1944. Firstly he had to ensure Russia’s security and so wanted friendly governments in Eastern Europe to act as a buffer zone. Roosevelt was willing to make concessions for the Soviet Union, especially as he needed help from the Soviet Union in the Pacific against the Japanese. However, Roosevelt kept the development of an atomic weapon with Britain secret, which gave way to signs of future tensions. Britain, however...
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...made at the Potsdam Conference in 1945. 4 marks One decision made at the Potsdam conference was that Germany would be divided into four zones which would be occupied by one of the four allies. Berlin would be divided up in the same way. They agreed to give the USSR a quarter of their industrial equipment because the Soviet zone was less developed industrially. However, the soviet zone had to provide the other three zones with raw materials. Explain the importance of three of the following conferences. 15 marks * The Teheran Conference 1943 * The Yalta Conference 1945 * The Potsdam Conference 1945 * The development of the atomic bomb The Teheran Conference was important because it shows strains in the relationship of the Big Three and the lack of trust between them. It took pace in 1943; this is significant because it meant that the allies were bought closer as they had a common enemy. The allies had agreed to create a UN organisation after the war ended. This is important because it would maintain peace between European countries and prevent a Third World War. However, there were also some disagreement during the conference. However, the allies had delayed opening the second front in Poland. Stalin believed that the west was waiting for the USSR army to be badly injured. This is important because it shows the suspicion between the allies. The Yalta Conference was important because it was the last meeting of the Big Three. During the conference, Roosevelt...
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...The tensions were “cold” between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. Post World War II, the Allies were the United States and Western Europe, and the Axis were the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The Cold War was the fight between the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States were the richest country where as the Soviet Union was still recovering from casualties after WWII. Both countries were fighting for global power because they were the world’s superpowers. Militarization lead to the First and Second World Wars and lead to the Cold War as well. Between 1947-1991, the US and the Soviet Union fought without a direct military conflict. Although the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences influenced the Cold War, The Cold War mainly began due to the disagreement in government and was fought with the weapons (a means of gaining an advantage or defending oneself in a conflict) of alliances and militarization threats....
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...the world.In this moment a new powers (Western allies and Soviet Union) established new spheres of influence. 11 February 1945 – Yalta Peace Conference – a meeting between the tree big countries (United States, Soviet Union and United Kingdom) speaking about the future of Europe. The main concerns were: Polish questions, future of Germany and the condition of the entry of Soviet Union into war with Japan. Each president decide to arrive to Yalta for different reasons: Roosevelt decide to create United Nations, Churchill feared the growing of power of the Soviet Union in Europe and Stalin was intent on protecting Soviet Union against another German invasions. Roosevelt attained his goal and in addition Stalin accepted the American proposal on the use of the veto in the Security Council. All men agreed to move the Polish boundary western to the 1919 Curzon Line and to restore Western Byelorussia and the Western Ukraine to the Soviet Union. 2 August 1945 - Postdam Peace Conference - Trumann, Stalin and Churchill met to reach a new accord on postwar Germany and the Pacific war. They confirmed a decision to divide Germany into British, American, French and Russian occupation. Its policies were dictated by the “five Ds” decided upon at Yalta: demilitarization, denazification, democratization, decentralization, and deindustrialization. The conference was regarded also about the surrender of Japan, about the annexation of former Polish territory...
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...Q) Use the sources below and your own knowledge to explain how far you would agree with the statement that the cold war developed in the years 1945 to 1953 primarily due to the role of individual leaders? The term ‘Cold War’ refers to the period of struggle and conflict between the USA and USSR between 1945-1991. Each of the Superpowers saw the other as a threat to its continued survival and adopted strategies to preserve their positions. The two Superpowers never went to war directly with each other in this period, but became involved in conflicts such as the Korean War where each side stood behind the other nations involved. This statement suggests that the ever-increasing hostility between the USA and USSR during this time period was due to actions from Truman and Stalin respectively. I agree with this statement to a certain extent, however, there are certain flaws with this statement, in that it was not wholly the fault of the two leaders as individuals but more due to certain events and the manor of poor cooperation with which the dealt with them. Two factors in favor of this statement are the beliefs and attitudes of Stalin and Truman. Stalin’s fear of the USA led him to believe that the USSR needed a barrier of territory between Soviet territory and the USA’s allies in Western Europe. Stalin feared another anti-communist invasion of Russia from Europe as had occurred in 1918 and 1941. Stalin wanted to create a barrier against the West, a barrier made up of communist...
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...APUSH Cold War Lecture Notes Define Cold War- • An era of distrust, threat of nuclear war. & ideological expansion between the superpowers, USA & USSR. What change occurred with Stalin between the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences? • He agreed to allow self determination in Eastern Europe, He extended his control over eastern Europe to create a buffer zone between USSR and its future enemies. What major decisions were difficult to agree upon at the Potsdam Conference? • Because Britain, France, the USA, & USSR could not agree on German war repararations Germany was divided into occupied zones at the Potsdam Conference. What is the Iron Curtain? • Imaginary boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War 2 Define the US policy of Containment • Strong resistance to the USSR would stop Russian expansion & the spread of communism. The 3 parts to the Containment plan- define each one. Truman Plan • Offered U.S. military and economic assistance to any nation threatened by communism. NATO Plan • Created to provide collective security for Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Greece, & Turkey Marshall Plan • Offered aid to help Europe recover Stalin responded to Containment with the Berlin blockade- what was the Berlin blockade? • USSR responded to Containment by cutting off all traffic to Berlin in East Germany ...
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...War flashpoint in the years 1957–63. Explain why the relationship between Reagan and Gorbachev in the years 1985–88 helped to end the Cold War. Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union changed in the years 1980–84 Explain why the USSR loosened its grip in eastern Europe from 1985-90 Explain why détente collapsed in the years 1979–84 Explain why relations between the USA and Soviet Union changed in the years 1983–87. Explain why relations between the USA and Soviet Union changed in the years 1979–83. Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union changed in the years 1981–85. Describe the key features of the Yalta Conference, 1945. Describe the key features of the Allied response to Soviet control of Eastern Europe in the years 1945–47. Describe the key features of the Potsdam Conference, 1945....
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...could also be said to have contributed to the development of the Cold War; partly because of being aggressive to Stalin- taking an Iron Fist on dealings with Russia through polices such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. Issues such as Britain and Churchill´s Iron Curtain Speech can also be seen as hindering relations between the two superpowers in the Cold War, and therefore playing a role in its development. It is correct to say that the development of the Cold War was definitely impacted and heightened through provocative, and at times, aggressive actions on foreign policy taken by Stalin. An example of Stalin´s confrontational actions, in terms of foreign policy, is his part in the events which took place in the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences (1945); two meetings which were intended to sort...
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...The War of Vietnam Social Science Mr. Thompson 03/25/2014 Why did the USA become increasingly involved in the war of Vietnam? There are many reason why America got involved in the war of Vietnam. The countries Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were then called the French Indochina. This is because the French had conquered the area before in the 19th century. The French indo china was wanted by the French, because of its materials like rubber, coal and rice. Also Vietnam was the world’s third biggest grower of rice. However, because of these new materials Japan wanted to conquer this too. They took time and waited for the right time to go and attack Vietnam. This finally came down to the year 1940 when France was defeated by the Germans. So Japan went into Vietnam and started taking out what they wanted. In 1940 the French were defeated by the Japanese. Therefore, it meant that Japan had control over the French indo china. This then expanded the Japanese empire even more. Japan had hoped to keep the French indo china but by the end of the Second World War 1945 the French had returned to reoccupy the territory they had lost earlier. In August 1945 the French had defeated the Japanese and took back what was their’s. This couldn’t have been done without the support of the USA. The Japanese got rid of the French and then the Americans got rid of the Japanese. This meant that the Vietnamese was the only military force left in Vietnam. Vietminh are the Vietnamese fighting for the independence...
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...Britain did not try to take advantage of the Soviet Union’s position in 1942, because they feared that bargaining would encourage Stalin to consider making separate peace with Hitler (focused on unconditional surrender) The conference that Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill held in the Iranian capital of Teheran in November 1943 proved of crucial importance in...
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...birth of McCarthyism in America, can also be seen as hindering relations between the two superpowers of the Cold War and therefore playing a role in it’s development. Whether Stalin was to blame for the Cold War can also be judged and evaluated through the use of sources, offering a number of interpretations, from extreme Orthodox and Revisionist views to the more diplomatic reasonings of the post revisionist stance. It is correct to say that development of the Cold War, between 1945 and 50, was definitely impacted and heightened through provocative, and at times, aggressive actions on foreign policy, taken by Stalin. An example of Stalin’s confrontational actions, in terms of foreign policy, is his part in the events of the Yalta and Potsdam, 1945, conferences; two meetings which were intended to sort through post war issues and reach a place of peace and calm for the allies. The issue of Poland was the one least simple to solve due to Stalin’s insistence on the fact that it should be put in Soviet hands as they were...
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...During the period of 1945 to 1950 the Cold War developed between the Superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union. The end of the Second World War had resulted in a power vacuum over war-torn Europe and left a legacy of mistrust and suspicion between the two superpowers. The Yalta and Potsdam conferences proved this as they failed to agree on certain issues and as the leaders of the United Kingdom and United States changed in between the two conferences. The relationship and trust between the leaders that once stood close during the war had broken down. During this period Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union and President Truman of the United States had conflicted with each other nations in a series of events in Europe such as the Czechoslovakian Crisis and the Berlin Blockade The leader of Czechoslovakia was defenestrated and communists ruled the country. The Czech crisis showed that Stalin's expansion through Eastern Europe brought increasing fear across Europe. There was little America or the west could do to stop the Coup without bloodshed or escalation. The Czech crisis seems to suggest that it was totally Stalin's fault in terms of starting the war as he expanded across Europe he came ever closer to America and tension was boiling point. It wasn't just Stalin's policies that are considered to have had a role to play in the formation of the Cold War. It was also Truman's policies that were also to blame as he aimed to 'roll back' communism. Truman gave...
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...Potsdam Conference -June, 1945 -The Big Three (Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill/Clement Atlee, and Harry Truman) met in Potsdam, Germany because they needed to negotiate terms for the end of World War II. After the Yalta Conference (February, 1945), Stalin, Churchill, and FDR agreed to meet following the surrender of Germany to determine the postwar borders in Europe. Germany surrendered May 8, so the Allied leaders agreed to meet at Potsdam during the summer to continue discussions that had begun at Yalta. -The Leaders agreed to divide Germany and Berlin, demilitarize Germany, re-establish democracy in Germany (including free elections, a free press, and freedom of speech), make Germany repay reparations to the allies in equipment and materials, ban the Nazi Party, participate fully in the United Nations Organization, and to move Poland’s frontier westwards to the river Oder and Neisse. They disagreed about the amount of reparations (Stalin wanted more, but Truman disagreed) and free elections (Stalin didn’t want). -The relations between the USA and the USSR worsened due to lack of trust and cooperation between the leaders. They both had different ideals. -Stalin and Truman Guatemala 1954 -June, 1954 -Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, the president of Guatemala, put forth a number of new policies such as seizing and expropriating unused, unfarmed land that private corporations set aside long ago and giving land to peasants and the US intelligence community deemed the plans communist...
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