The Cold War (1945-53)

The Cold War 1945-53

1939 Germany and USSR signed a Non-aggression Pact
Great Britain and France wanted to help Finland against the Soviets
Stalin was angered by the Allied refusal to begin a second front against Germany in 1942
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) wanted the break-up of the British Empire
He made concessions to Stalin which angered Churchill
Stalin didn’t enter the war against Japan until he heard the atom bomb was to be used – he entered to secure as much territory as he could

The Iron Curtain

August 1945 Allied leaders met at Potsdam
Included Franklin D. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin
Allies suspicious of Soviet actions in Eastern Europe
Poland was regarded as a part of Soviet sphere of influence
The Polish government-in-exile in the West was imprisoned when it returned home
Russian-dominated governments were also set up in other countries captured by the Red Army e.g. Bulgaria, Rumania, and Albania
Churchill drew attention to this
Sent telegram to President Truman (replaced FDR who had died)
It said “What is to happen about Russia? An iron curtain is drawn upon their Front. We do not know what is going on behind”
March 1946 at Fulton Missouri he made a speech saying “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent”

The Meaning of ‘Cold War’

It wasn’t a real or ‘hot’ war – there was no declaration of war
When there was fighting (e.g. Korea) it was under ‘assumed’ titles
The struggle was conducted with an arms’ race and propaganda
The enemy was attacked with cartoons, articles, speeches and interviews
Constant attempts were made to win over neutral countries
Used economic and/or military aid
The powers had nuclear weapons and there was the fear that a war would destroy the world
Numbers of nuclear weapons reached a level known as ‘MAD’ or Mutually Assured Destruction, also known as ‘Overkill’
Countries had compulsory military service whereby young men had to serve in the armed forces for a limited period
After the death of Stalin in 1953 the tension eased somewhat but there seemed little hope of peaceful co-existence

Greece

At Yalta and Potsdam Greece was named as a British sphere of influence
After the Germans had gone in 1944 British troops fought communist guerrillas to keep the monarchy in power
1946 the communists rose again helped by neighbouring Moscow controlled states
February 1947 Great Britain no longer had enough money to fight for the defence of Greece
So the US was asked to help

The Truman Doctrine

Unlike FDR, Truman did not trust Stalin
He feared he would take over Greece
US Congress was persuaded to vote for a commitment to ‘free’ Europe
March 1947 Truman set out his policy – US would support free peoples resisting aggression by armed minorities and outside forces
Congress voted $4 billion for forces to be sent to Greece and Turkey
US would not return to the isolationism of the inter-war years
They would not attempt to ‘roll back’ communism
It wanted the principle of co-existence
Communism would not be allowed to advance further
This was the principle of containment

Marshall Aid

1945-7 US sent aid to War damaged Europe through the United Nations relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA)
This ended in 1947 but Europe hadn’t recovered
5^th June 1947 US Secretary of State George Marshall said US would provide the aid to continue European recovery
Stalin banned any Russian controlled-country from accepting this
Ernest Bevin the British Foreign Secretary persuaded the other European Countries to form the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation
16 states joined this OEEC
The western part of Germany was an associated member
April 1948 Congress voted $5.3 billion for this aid
$13 billion had been given by mid-1952
Stalin saw it as a US attempt to control Europe

Czechoslovakia

1919-1939 this was a liberal democracy until Nazis moved in
In World War II the communists played a part in guerrilla actions against occupation
1945 President Benes wanted Soviet help
He agreed to help the communists having more power
So he agreed to ban the Agrarian Party to secure communists participation
The communist Gottwald was made PM
The communists were given important posts in government
They controlled: the police; communications e.g. radio; the armed forces
1947 Benes allowed purge of non-communist Social Democratic Party so that a communist could become its leader
When Stalin banned Marshall Aid the Czechs were divided
They needed economic and financial aid but the communists insisted on obeying Stalin
Several ministers resigned and communists power thus increased
Student demonstrations against the government were crushed

1948

Czech elections postponed – communists feared popular opposition
Benes rejected demands for the dismissal of the communists in favour of popular ministers
Communist gangs seized the offices of non-communists ministers
Jan Masaryk, son of the state’s founder died when he was thrown from a window at his ministry
In the May elections there was a single list of candidates to vote for or against
Overwhelming victory for communists National Front
Benes resigned – Gottwald became President
Gottwald now purged the Communist Party
Anyone opposed the Stalinist line was tried, imprisoned or executed e.g. Slansky the Party secretary

Catholic Church

Archbishop Beran led Church opposition to the communists
He had been put in a Nazi concentration camp for opposing them
Government demanded oath of loyalty from all priests
Beran refused this
1950 monasteries were closed; most Church property was confiscated
1951 Beran was exiled and 7 bishops arrested

Germany

Yalta it was decided to divide to Germany into 4 occupation zones
Berlin was divided on same lines
USSR was to take reparations from Germany to compensate for war damage
Leading Nazis were put on trial at Nuremberg
Lesser Nazis were tried by German judges at other places
In Germany thousands were homeless, short of fuel and food
Currency system had collapsed
Problems made worse by large number of refugees from Poland
1946 US drew up plans to rebuild Germany but Soviets and French disagreed
1946-7 winter very severe – made situation worse
1947 Great Britain and US agreed to merge their zones to help Germany
New currency introduced and aid poured in
France now merged her zone with the US/GB one
Soviets refused to be involved and banned western officials from their zone
1948 Marshall Aid extended to western zones
1949 West Germany was granted an occupation statute
A German Parliamentary Council drew up a new constitution
Soviets announced the formation of the German Democratic Republic from their zone i.e. East Germany

The Berlin Crisis

February 1948 the Soviets announced that all of Berlin was part of their zone
June 1948 London Agreement led to formation of a federal government in West Germany
Soviets said the new currency in the western zones was the principles of Potsdam i.e. that all 4 powers should co-operate in the governing of all Germany
The new currency was excluded from Soviet zone
That meant it didn’t circulate in Berlin (Soviet zone)
June 1948 Soviets closed all land links between the west and Berlin – for ‘repairs’
They aimed to make it impossible for Western powers to supply and govern the west Berlin zones – the city would fall to the Soviets
Allies replied with an airlift and for nearly a year all food, fuel and supplies were flown in
May 1949 the blockade was ended and supplies were once again delivered by road, rail and canal

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

March 1947 Great Britain and France signed Treaty of Dunkirk
It was aimed at a revived Germany
March 1948 they were joined by Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg (Benelux countries) in the Treaty of Brussels
This was for mutual aid against German or Soviet aggression
These Brussels powers had 12 divisions (USSR had 250)
Events in Berlin and Czechoslovakia increased fear of USSR
April 1949 the 5 Brussels powers were joined by USA, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Italy and Portugal in NATO
Greece and Turkey joined 1952
West Germany joined 1955

Korea

Stalin’s hopes to extend Soviet power was hit by: Yugoslavia breaking with the Eastern bloc; failure of Berlin blockade; the creation of NATO
Stalin turned his ambitions to Far East
Encouraged communist revolts in Malaya and Indonesia 1948-50 (failed)
Korea had been ruled by Japan but by the Cairo Conference (1943) was to gain independence after World War II
August 1945 Soviet (in the north) and US forces (in the south) moved in after surrender of Japan
The dividing line between the two zones was 38^th parallel
1948 USSR set up the communist People’s Republic
In the south the US set up the Republic of Korea
US and USSR withdrew forces but border clashes began
1948 UN tried to hold national elections but failed

Korean War

June 1950 North Korea invaded the South and drove latter army back to Pusan
USSR was boycotting UN because Communist China wasn’t allowed to join
USA got Security Council to condemn North Korean aggression and send a force to drive them out
15 countries apart from US sent troops
General MacArthur was in command
UN forces were driven back to Pusan
An amphibious landing was made at Inchon behind the communists who were driven back across the border
MacArthur planned to chase them to the Yalu River
China threatened war if that happened – MacArthur carried out his plan so China acted
UN forces were driven back again
MacArthur wanted to drop atom bombs on China but fear that this might lead to world war led to President Truman sacking MacArthur
Fierce fighting ensued with severe casualties on both sides
June 1951 Soviets proposed an armistice but the fighting went on
1953 a truce was agreed at Panmunjon and the border remained where it was
A demilitarised zone has divided the 2 Korean states ever since

Effects

Massive destruction, millions die
Bitter enmity between China and US continued
Anti-communist feeling in US allowed Senator McCarthy to gain support for his anti-communist witch-hunt
The South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was set up (1954) as an Asian version of NATO to combat communist aggression

1953 Death of Stalin

Stalin dies March 1953
He had ruled USSR since 1920s after Bolshevik Revolution
West sent help to anti-communist side in Russian Civil War
After World War II he extended Soviet power into Eastern Europe and Asia
His successor was Khrushchev – a different person to Stalin
He never had the power Stalin enjoyed
He was prepared to accept Truman’s idea of co-existence
A ‘thaw’ in East-West relations followed

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