Cold War
Lesson 2
Truman Doctrine
• The Anglo-American alliance feared that the
Soviet Union would be in better position for
world domination than even Germany itself
• Policy of containment was created to contain
Soviet expansion to Eastern Europe
• Stalin’s effort to establish a security zone in
Eastern Europe was seen as a drive for
continental hegemony and world domination
• America would now officially oppose/contain
communism around the globe
When does the Cold War
Escalate?
Turkey
•
• Greece
• Germany – Berlin
• GDR – EAST
• FRG – WEST
• China
• End of US Nuclear Monopoly
• NATO
• Situations that from WWII that will still be an issue later
– Korea divisions
– Vietnam given back to the French
Turkey
• March 1945, Soviet Union renounces its
friendship treaty with Turkey
• Stalin demands territory in the Caucasus,
naval bases and access to its waterways
• When Turkey refuses, Stalin mobilizes the
Soviet Army on Turkey’s border
• In response, President Truman sends a
American naval task force
Turkey (continued)
• The United States begins arming the Turkish
armed forces and agrees to permanently station
military forces in the country
• The United States agrees to send Turkey $100
million in aid
• In the face of this large American force, Stalin
backs down and withdraws his demands
• Turkey now becomes part of the western orbit
and is seen as a success for Truman’s
containment policy
Greece
• At the end of World War II, Greece was facing
domestic unrest
• After the Germans withdrew, communist forces
began battling with the Royalist forces for control
of the country
• Britain sent military forces to police the country,
and train the Royalist forces in 1945
• 1947 – Britain begins to withdraw due to
financial pressures at home
• America enters and begins to send military aid
($400 million)
Greece (continued)
• Reasons for western success?
• Unlike many eastern European nations,
Greece was geographically close to the
western Allied forces
• During the war, Stalin had excluded
Greece from the Soviet sphere of
influence
• Without direct Soviet aid, the Greek
communist forces were defeated
Division of Germany
• By 1947, the divisions in Europe now spread to
Germany
• In all three zones of western occupation (USA,
UK and France), Marshall Plan aid was used to
revive the German economy
• A common West German currency was
established
• The Soviets viewed this with suspicion, and talks
of a “reunification” were put on hold “indefinitely”
Berlin Airlift
• June 1948
• In response to the Western policies of
uniting Western Germany, the Soviets
attempt to close off Western Berlin
• Stalin orders an end to all surface traffic
(roads and rail) are closed off into East
Berlin
• This is done in order to starve out the
Western forces, and force them to
withdraw
Berlin Airlift
• In response to this, the British and
American forces launch the largest airlift in
history (up to that time)
• Over the next year, food, fuel and other
basic commodities were flown in to
prevent the civilian population from
collapsing to starvation
• By May 1949, Stalin orders the blockade
to end
North Atlantic Treaty
• April 1949
• 12 nations (led by USA) sign North Atlantic
Treaty
• Due to fears of Soviet aggression, the
nations of Western Europe decided to
merge together in defence issues
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
is formed
• US gives $1.5 billion in aid to new
members to rebuild armed forces
Origins of Chinese Civil War
• Began in 1927 between Chinese
Nationalist and Communist forces
• That year, a urban revolt was attempted
by the Communist forces
• While the Communist uprising failed, Mao
Zedong now took his message to the
peasantry (in the farming areas)
• At this time in China, less than 1% of the
workforce were in factories or industry
• Most people were subsistence farmers
Mao Zedong
• Mao Zedong now decides that the key to
victory is in mobilizing the peasantry
• Peasants in China are among the poorest
in society, and Mao now wants them to
turn on their landlords and the elites
• While Mao held similar positions as Stalin
on international affairs, he did have many
views that were divergent from the Soviet
Union
• Stalin did not like that Mao was not
dependent on the Soviet Union like other
communist nations
World War II
• During the Second World War (1937-45),
the Nationalist and Communist forces
agreed to a truce in order to fight off the
Japanese invaders
• The Soviet Union provided military
assistance to both sides in order to keep
the Japanese army fighting in China
• Stalin armed both the nationalist and
communist forces against the Japanese
Chinese Civil War
• 1945 – Red Army (USSR) invades
northern China until Japanese surrender
• In northern China, the Soviets turn over
captured Japanese weapons to Mao’s
communist forces
• In central and southern China, the Soviets
occupy the country until Chiang Kai-shek’s
nationalist forces take control
• Soviet government was weary of
provoking a confrontation with the West
since China was important for trade
1945-1949
• While the nationalists hold the cities in
central and southern China, their
corruption and warlord practices turn the
Chinese peasants against them
• Unfair taxes, corruption, and small
landholdings are major complaints
• Since most of Chinese people were
peasants, Mao has many recruits at his
disposal
Establishment of People’s Republic
• While the Nationalist forces controlled
more cities and had more forces, their
armies had suffered heavily during the war
• By 1949, the Nationalist forces under
Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan with
the rest of their forces
• Mao now had the task to rebuild China
after a 22 year long war with Japan and
civil war that followed
US Reaction
• US devastated – caught off guard
• allies with China before
• Escalation of the Cold War in Asia - proof
of the spread of Communism was an
international conspiracy
– Linked to the Korean War
• US military buildup of Taiwan Government
• Signs a defense treaty
• Nuclear threats
When you need money…..
• Who would you turn to?
• What do you have to pay back?
• What do you have to give in return?
Mao Goes to Moscow!
• February 1950
• Soviet Union and China sign a 30 year
Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual
Assistance
• This was directed against Japan and the
United States (that supported the
Nationalists in the civil war)
• China had to recognize Mongolia’s
independence (in Soviet sphere of
influence)
What did Mao have to give?
• China had to recognize Mongolia’s
independence (in Soviet sphere of
influence)
• Soviet Union received ports for their Naval
vessels
• A joint stock company with Soviet
participation over the Manchurian railroads
and mineral resources was formed (coal,
iron)
What did Mao get from Moscow?
• A friendly neighbour to the north
• $300 million in U.S. dollars
• While this seems like a large amount of
money, it only amounted to 50cents for
every Chinese citizen (600 million people)
• As well, there was to be no military
assistance from Moscow
Difference between Russian and
Chinese Revolution? **
• This revolution will be different from the 1917
revolution in the Soviet Union, since it will be a
peasant based revolution
• This is strikingly different from the working class
revolution that Karl Marx had called for in
Europe
• These peasant based agrarian revolutions will
become a major factor for the future of the Cold
War
• (Ex. Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua, Angola)
Results from Dealings
• China would be presumed by the United
States to be in the Soviet sphere of
influence
• In reality, China was more independent
from Moscow due to the lack of military
ties and the small amount of economic
assistance
• China would begin to chart its own course,
and the West would not notice until 1972