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The Cold War Begins
THINGS GET A LITTLE CHILLY
Soviet Sphere
 Systematically solidified hold over Eastern Europe (set up satellite states)
Soviet sphere of influence
 Communist parties were moved into leadership positions
1945 -47 in East Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and Hungary
Took until 1948 in Czechoslovakia
Long tradition of democracy
 Had been agreed that Greece would remain in Western sphere of influence
 Yugoslavia was exception
Communists had led resistance to Nazi’s in WWII, led by Josip Broz (aka. Tito)
Tito established an independent Communists state
Refused to submit to Stalin
Supported by the people
Didn’t like Stalinist style communism
Considered themselves Marxist-Leninist
Workers could manage themselves and local communes had political power
(decentralised gov’t)

Divide Deepens
 Churchill made speech claiming an “Iron Curtain” had “descended across the
continent”, splitting it into 2 hostile camps
Stalin claimed this was a “call to war with the Soviet Union”
 Desire was to limit Communist expansion (seen as threat to democratic system)

Conflict Erupts
 Greek Civil War (1946-49)
Saw increase in tension b/w Western and Eastern ideological divide
Communist guerilla forces supported by Tito attempted takeover of Greece from
pro-western democratic gov’t
Britain forced to withdraw from aiding Greece and Turkey because of rising costs
 Western Powers believed Moscow was supporting communist efforts
Stalin however was unhappy with the conflict; never sent aid to communist forces
in Greece
Saw it as Tito extending his independence (didn’t like it one bit)
Policy of Containment
 US looking for quick end to European commitments
 However; July 1947, US diplomat George Kennan advocated for a policy of
containment against aggressive Soviet moves
Kennan was known for his knowledge of Soviet affairs
 After Berlin Blockage; policy of containment became official US policy

American (Western) Response
 Truman Doctrine
Pronounced in a speech by Truman in 1947 outlining plans to oppose spread of
communism anywhere in world
United States would provide economic aid to countries under threat of Communist
expansion
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expansion
Military support if necessary
 Marshall Plan
US Secretary of State, George Marshall announced funds would be available for all
states in Europe
To rebuilt prosperity and stability in Europe
• Prosperous nations are stable nations (would halt spread of communism)
$13 billion for economic recovery of Europe
Would also lead to the buying of American products
Began with sending of food, then late fuel and other raw materials
European output increase 25% in 2 years
Increase in Tension
 How would Stalin view the Marshall Plan?
Viewed it as American attempt to weaken Russia’s influence in Eastern Europe
Forbid communist countries from receiving any of the assistance (only Yugoslavia
took American aid - $109 million)
 16 nations received assistance from Marshall Plan
$3000 million to Britain, $27oo million to France, $1400 million to Italy
 Germany’s future was the big question at time (Foreign ministers met on regular
basis over treaty with German, but desires became increasingly disparate)
US, Brit. And France began merging their zones economically
introduced a new currency to their sectors
 Then made plans for unification and formation of national gov’t
Stalin saw this as breach of Yalta Agreement (Germany reunited asap), creation of
separate West German state
Berlin Blockade
(1948-49)
 Stalin cut rail and road links b/w Berlin and the west
Prevented all traffic from entering West Berlin
Easily done as Berlin was 100km within East Germany
 Hoped this would force Western Powers from creating separate German State
 West faced dilemma over whether to use military force
Could have meant WWIII
Berlin Airlift
(“Operation Vittles”)
 West decided to supply West Berlin with needed supplies by airlift
 Largest plane would take only 11 tonnes
A plane left West German base with supplies every 30 seconds
 Airlift flew 5,000 tonnes of supplies into Berlin daily
Crisis hit in Jan. 1949; down to 1 week worth of coal, and 3 weeks worth of food
 By May 1949, 8,000 tonnes of supplies were flown in daily
 Soviets not desiring another war did nothing to stop them
 Blockade was lifted, May 1949
Approx. 2.3 million tonnes of goods delivered in total

Results
 Dramatic increase in tension b/w Western Powers (especially USA) and USSR
 Led to division of Germany into 2 states
Federal Republic
of Germany (FRG)
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of Germany (FRG)
was created from
the western zones
in Sept. 1949
German
Democratic
Republic (GDR)
established in East
Germany
Search for Security in
West
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Military alliance
 Signed in Washington, D.C., April 1949
 Nations:
Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain, Italy, Denmark,
Norway, Portugal, Iceland, USA and Canada
later Greece (1952), Turkey (1952) and West Germany (1955) joined
 Members agreed to provide mutual assistance if any of them were attacked
Attack on one was an attack on all
Sound familiar?
Search for Security in
East
 Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) established by eastern states in
1949
Economic cooperation
 Warsaw Pact, 1955
 Nations:
Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and
USSR
 Agreed to provide mutual defence (lasted until 1991)
 Europe divided again into 2 groups hostile to each other
Who’s to blame for the situation that formed in the post-war period?
Blame Game
 In the 50’s most believed the blame rested squarely on the shoulders of Stalin
His actions (imposing Soviet rule on countries in Eastern Europe) had ruined the
hopes for peace after WWII
 Over next decade the blame
began to shift (result of
aggressive actions of USA in
Southeast Asia)
Said situation was Truman’s fault;
his anti-Communist advisors were
also to blame
They were the ones who broke the
Yalta agreement and threatened the
USSR by setting up puppet states in
Europe
Reality
 Both USA and USSR took steps after WWII that were unwise
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 Both USA and USSR took steps after WWII that were unwise
Could have been avoided
 Problem:
They were both working within a framework that was set in the past
Rivalry b/w two different systems which both tried to extend influence to rest of
the world
 USSR felt need for security, especially on western border
Didn’t want to give up advantages gained from Germany's defeat
 Western leaders at same time were not prepared to accept establishment of Soviet
satellites
Saw them as a threat to their security
Equal Blame?
 US policy of containment was provocative
Increased Stalin’s suspicions
Had already been distrustful of US motives and this didn’t help
 Stalin appears not to have had a plan to spread Soviet power to Western Europe
Would, however, do so once threatened (reactionary)
 Western leaders reacted to situation militarily (ie. NATO)
Now seen as over reaction
Guaranteed the Cold War would deepen, instead of thaw out
Cultural Repression
 Artistic and intellectual life was strictly controlled
Pressure applied to artists and intellectuals to support the system
 Anyone producing work that was too “western” or “bourgeoisie” was condemned as
“an enemy of the people”
 All work had to depict the social and political lives of regular people and reflect the
progress of socialism
 Thousands were fired from jobs or disappeared into labour camps
Those who were free produced work with overt socialist content
Cultural Isolationism
 Began with campaign to glorify the USSR
Major focus on anything Russia
Re-wrote the history of major innovations/inventions, claiming they were Russian
Printing press, steam engine, radio, even the wheel (prehistoric group of
Russians)
 Russians prohibited from marrying foreigners, or travel
Soldiers returning from duty in other countries prohibited from speaking of their
experiences
 Newspaper stories featured stories meant to convince Russians that the west was
inferior and USSR was superior
Stalin’s Death
 Stalin died, 5 March 1953.
Suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage
 No successor (just like after Lenin)
Struggle among Party leaders for control
 Central Committee members agreed no individual should have all the power
Wanted to end the terror that they and the citizens had lived under
Many openly critical of Stalin’s policies (now that he was dead)
Let’s look at some primary documents
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