1. Who was to blame for the Cold War?
Ideology
Wartime conferences
Iron Curtain speech
Communist takeover of Eastern Europe
Yalta (February 1945)
Agreements
Disagreements
Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan once Germany had surrendered
Poland boarder dispute with the USSR. America allowed them to move Poland’s boarder west into Germany if they did not interfere in the events that were happening in Greece
Countries liberated from German occupation would be allowed to hold free and democratic elections
Germany (and Berlin) would be divided into four zones (American, French, British and Soviet)
The Big Three (USA, Britain, USSR) agreed to join the United Nations to prevent future wars
Potsdam (July-August 1945)
Changes after Yalta
Disagreements
Stalin’s armies were occupying most of eastern Europe
Stalin wanted to cripple Germany, but Truman did not
Harry Truman was now president of America. He was anti-communist and suspicious of Stalin
Russia wanted reparations but Truman did not want to repeat the mistakes of the end of World War One
The USA had tested the first atomic bomb before the conference
Truman did not like the fact that Stalin’s Red Army was in control of eastern Europe
Churchill was replaced as Britain’s Prime Minister by Clement Atlee
COMMUNISM VS. CAPITALISM
The USA
The USSR (Soviet Union)
Businesses and property were privately owned
Its government was chosen in free democratic elections
People were alarmed by Communist theory
All industry was owned and run by the state
Elections were held, but all candidates belonged to the Communist Party
Individuals lives were tightly controlled
COMMUNIST TAKEOVER OF EASTERN-EUROPE
Impact of the atomic bomb
When the USA first developed nuclear technology in 1945 they kept it secret from their allies (inc. USSR). It meant the USA had the upper hand and is referred to as “atomic diplomacy”. This only fuelled the USSR’s view that America was untrustworthy.
Dropping “nukes” on Japan in August 1945 ended WW2, but also sent a message that the USA intended to dominate a post-war world.
A country with nuclear technology was infinitely more powerful than any army.
The dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki can be seen as possibly the start of the Cold War, and the very beginning of the nuclear arms race.
Summary: Who was to blame for the Cold War?
At the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences the wartime allies tried to reach agreements about the peace settlement, including the division of Germany into four zones.
Some disagreements remained, fuelled by mutual suspicions.
Soviet fears of the USA escalated after the USA dropped atomic bombs on Japan.
The USSR took over eastern European countries
The Truman Doctrine (1947) and Marshall Plan (1947) made the USA’s intentions clear.
The USSR set up Cominform and Comecon to control Communist eastern Europe.
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift ( ) showed how serious and dangerous the Cold War had become.
By the end of 1946 the USSR controlled the majority of countries in eastern Europe through the installation of a Communist government which they achieved through the following methods:
Banning other political parties (Romania)
Removed opponents (Yugoslavia)
Won democratic elections (Hungary)
Use of the Red Army (Poland)
Agreements at Yalta (East Germany)

2. The ‘Iron-Curtain’ Speech
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Greece 1947 (The Cause)
In 1944 there was fighting between the monarchists and Communists about who should rule the country.
Churchill sent British troops to repel the Communist advances in 1945 which led to a civil war.
24th February 1947 the British announced they were withdrawing troops from Greece due to lack of funds.
Truman stepped in and paid for British troops to stay in Greece and prop up the king’s government
What it entailed
America were prepared to send money, equipment and advice to any country that was threatened by a Communist take over.
Aim was to stop Communism spreading into western Europe (Containment)
Consequences
Begun the American policy of containment against Communism
Truman accepted that eastern Europe was now Communist
The ‘Iron-Curtain’ Speech
Churchill described the border between the Soviet-controlled countries and the West as an ‘Iron Curtain’ this created more tension between the East and West
NOT physical divide, but an ideological divide.
Stalin saw this speech as a deliberate and unfair attempt to paint the USSR as aggressive and untrustworthy.
He said this proved Churchill was working with USA to make the Soviets look untrustworthy.
Marshall Aid (1947)
Cause
General George Marshall toured post war Europe and found it in a horrid state with shortage of food, fuel and clothing and limited amount of resources to rebuild their damaged homes.
Marshall feared that these extreme conditions would push people towards Communism and suggested a loan of $17 to rebuild Europe.
The American Congress only agreed after a pro-American minister in Czechoslovakia was murdered in 1948.
What it entailed
$17 billion was made available to European countries over a period of fours years to rebuild.
Consequences
New markets were created for American goods.
Stalin saw this as anti-Communist propaganda by the Americas.
Stalin forbade all eastern European countries from accepting Marshall Aid.
COMINFORM
Created in October 1947
Communist Information Bureau
Co-ordinated work of Communist parties across Europe
Disloyal leaders were replaced with loyal ones
Allowed Stalin to monitor all other Communist leaders
Marshall Tito, leader pf Yugoslavia, was expelled from Cominform in 1948
COMECON
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
Set up in 1949 to co-ordinate the industries and trade of eastern European countries
Members traded with one another rather than the West
Favoured the USSR more than any other member
Set up a bank for Socialist countries in 1964
The Iron Curtain and the evolution of East-West rivalry

3. The Berlin Blockade and Airlift (June 1948- April 1949)
Stalin saw Marshall Aid as “Dollar Imperialism” and told the countries within his Sphere of Influence (and within Comecon and Cominform) that they should NOT accept American Aid
What was the deal with Yugoslavia?
Unlike most of Eastern Europe Yugoslavia had not been liberated from the Nazis by the Soviets. Instead there had been an uprising from within Yugoslavia!
Yugoslavia, and its leader Marshall Tito, therefore had no loyalty to Stalin, and wanted their own version of Communism.
Up to 1948 the two countries had been fairly amicable.
Tito, however had gone against Stalin’s wishes on a number of occasions and showed Yugoslavian desire for independence.
The final straw was when Tito defied Stalin’s direct orders and sought American Marshall Aid.
Yugoslavia was expelled from COMINFORM.
Yugoslavia was the only European communist country outside of Stalin’s IRON CURTAIN
At the end of WW2 Germany was divided into 4 sections, and it’s capital, Berlin was similarly divided. This was because Berlin was deep within the Soviet sector, and the allies did not want the Soviets to have such an important city. By April 1949 the French, British and American zones, of both Germany and Berlin had been merged to become “Trizonia”.
Working together:
Initially the allies had worked together, and made important decisions as the Allied Control Council (ACC)
This became increasingly difficult as Stalin tried to get an even tighter grip on Eastern Europe, and the west desired to make Germany stronger and healthier.
The division of Germany and the Berlin Blockade
The Iron Curtain and the evolution of East-West rivalry
The impact of West Berlin:
West Berlin remained an island of Western influence in the Soviet zone. This was a particular problem when the Western powers united their zones, and made clear that they intended to build up West Berlin’s economy. This was in direct contrast to Stalin’s desire to weaken Germany. Things became much worse when the allies introduced a new currency.
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift (June April 1949)
Causes
1948 the allies combined their zones to form one zone ‘West Germany’.
The currency of West Germany was changed and it helped Germany to recover after the war.
West Berlin was rebuilt to a high standard and had a large amount of consumer goods in their shops to undermine Communism.
Events
June 1948 Stalin blocked off all supply lines into West Berlin.
Cut off supplies to more than 2 million people.
Hoped the blockade would force the allies out of Berlin.
The only way to get supplies into Berlin was to ‘airlift’ them in which the allies started in June 1948.
The allies continued the airlift for ten months until Stalin backed down and lifted the blockade
Consequences
Germany was now firmly divided into two nations.
The Berlin Blockade set out the patter for Cold War confrontations

4. How did the Cold War develop between 1949-60?
Spread of Communism in Asia
China 1949
Vietnam
Korean War
The Communists were led by Mao Zedong
Communists took complete control of China in October 1949
February 1950, USSR and China agreed the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance
Events showed that containment in Asia had failed
USA became worried that the most populated country was now Communist
North = Communist Vietcong
South = Capitalist
Supported by China and USSR
Supported by the USA
War broke out in 1960s between North and South
Events
North = Communist
South = anti Communist
North Korea invaded South
South Korea appealed to the United Nations
The UN supported south Korea
In protest USSR boycotted UN meetings
UN troops were sent to defend south Korea
Most of the troops were American
Significance
The UN proved it would act on world issues
Failed to unite Korea
The USSR resumed its seat on the Security Council
How did the Cold War develop between ?
China
Korea
Vietnam
Consequences for USSR-USA relations
Stalin's USSR was the only major country to recognise the Communist PRC (People's Republic of China) government as the other, mostly Western, governments recognised the Nationalist government in exiled on the Island of Taiwan, known as the ROC (Republic of China). Mao therefore looked to the USSR to protect it from America. They created the Treaty of Friendship.
The West viewed the Communist takeover of China as a failure of Containment and the Truman Doctrine. To try to combat this they sent millions of US dollars to Taiwan and Japan.
The USA made sure the exiled non-communist government in Taiwan got to be in the UN, not Mao’s government
This war demonstrated the USA’s commitment to containing communism.
It also showed how much power the USA had over the UN.
This was the first PROXY WAR:
The North Koreans were armed largely by the USSR, and the South Koreans were backed by the USA.
This was not direct conflict, but indirect, PROXY conflict.
It also showed that the USA did not want to enter full conflict with the Soviets as they dismissed their extreme military commander General MacArthur.
The American DOMINO THEORY was in full play by the time the Vietnam War broke out. The theory was that is South Vietnam fell to communism, other countries would soon follow suit.
Vietnam saw American Containment very much in action.
Eisenhower (new US President) and his NEW LOOK Policy saw increasing amounts of US aid being sent to Vietnam.
When America were finally at war in Vietnam it was to prevent the Communist overthrowing of the South. Their action was incredibly unpopular around the world, and damaged America’s global reputation

5. How did the Cold War develop between 1949-60?
Summary: How did the Cold War develop between ?
China became Communist in 1949 and allied with the USSR – a huge threat to the USA.
The Korean War was fought by the USA and her allies to prevent the spread of Communism.
The war showed how dangerous the international situation was.
The West set up NATO (1949) and Khrushchev responded in 1955 with the Warsaw Pact – the two organisations that were ranged against each other.
The arms race, together with the beginnings of the Space Race, further heightened tensions in the Cold War.
Khrushchev, succeeding Stalin, promised a thaw and made some concessions
However, in 1956 he ordered troops into Hungary to stop the reforms taking place that would have weakened Communist control.
The U-2 spy plane and its pilot Gary Powers were shot down over Soviet territory.
The USA was forced to admit spying activities on the USSR, and this wrecked the Paris Peace Summit of 1960.
The effects of this further encouraged the proliferation of weapons of destruction.
Military Alliances: NATO vs the Warsaw Pact
The Arms Race
NATO vs The Warsaw Pact
NATO (1949)
The Warsaw Pact (1955)
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Created during the Berlin Blockade
Agreement to work together to resist attacks from their enemies
Agreed that an attack on one was an attack on all
Gave American forces secure bases in Europe to defend western Europe if the USSR invaded
Created by Khrushchev to use eastern Europe as a buffer against attacks from the West
Created after West Germany was allowed to become a member of NATO and have its own armed forces again
Members would defend each other if one was attacked.
Included all Communist countries of eastern Europe – except Yugoslavia
1945: America develop and drop the worlds first atomic bomb
1949: The USSR create their own atomic bomb which begins the Arms Race.
America allocated 40% of its defence spending to its air force to create nuclear bombers.
Fear in America of the ‘bomber gap’ after the USSR developed the Bison jet bomber and the long range TU-95 bomber.
Large businesses in America supported the Arms Race as they benefited from the government contracts for the military.
How did the Cold War develop between ?
Nikita Khrushchev and the ‘thaw’ in relations:
After the death of Stalin in 1953 many minds turned to the question of who would succeed him as leader of the USSR. By 1955 Khrushchev had taken on this role.
Ended USSR’s long feuds with China and Yugoslavia
Reduce expenditure on arms
De-Stalinisation
Released political prisoners
Close down Cominform as part of his policy of reconciliation with Yugoslavia.
Invited Marshal Tito to Moscow
Dismissed Stalin’s former Foreign Minister, Molotov
Attended first post-war summit between USSR and the Allies in 1955
Talked of ‘peaceful co-existence’ with the West
Agreed to pull Soviet troops out of Austria

6. Why was the Space Race and the Arms Race so important?
1945
At the end of WW2 the USSR and USA used Germany’s technology to create missiles which could go into space
1955
Eisenhower announced a programme to develop a man-made satellite
1957
October: Soviets launch Sputnik into space
November: Sputnik II as launched into space carrying a dog
1958
January: Americans launched Explorer I satellite
July: NASA was created
1961
12th April: Major Yuri Gagarin of the Red Army became the first human in space
1969
July: Apollo 11 landed on the surface of the moon
In response to the USSR sending the first man into space, President Kennedy launched the Apollo manned space programme which ran during these years.
1975
Timeline of the key events of the Space Race
Why was the Space Race and the Arms Race so important?
A world of spies?
Alongside the Arms and Space Race both sides became increasingly involved in gathering intelligence.
The USA used U2 Spy Planes – which could spy on the USSR without being spotted or shot down.
They were valuable for gathering info on Soviet military progress
When one was shot down in 1960, it causes a huge international crisis
The USSR spied too: one spy, Rudolf Abel was caught in America in 1957, then exchanged later for the pilot of the downed U2 in 1960
Space Race
Was a powerful propaganda tool which caught the imagination of people all over the world.
USSR and USA were mainly interested in space technology in order to build missiles.
Arms Race
Using Space technology the USSR created the first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in May 1957.
1959 USA create their own ICBMs. Now both countries could attack each other from their own nation.
Early 1960s the USA began to pull ahead in the nuclear arms race, however the people in America did not know that.
The American public became worried that the USSR had more nuclear missiles than the USA – however the President knew there was no missile gap due to secretly spying on the USSR.

7. How did the Cold War develop between 1949-60?
The Hungarian Uprising 1956
The U-2 Crisis and the Paris Peace Summit
Causes
Hungary was led by a hard-line Communist leader called Rakosi.
The people hated the restrictions on their freedoms put on them by their government – in particular the lack of freedom of speech.
They resented the presence of thousands of Soviet troops in their country as they had to pay for Soviet forces to be in Hungary.
Some areas of Hungary had Russia street signs, schools and shops.
Events
June Rakosi was removed from power by a group within the Communist Party and replaced by Erno Greo.
The Hungarian people did not support Greo and during a demonstration on 23rd October a giant statue of Stalin was pulled down in Budapest.
USSR allowed a new government to be formed under the leadership of Imre Nagy and removed Soviet tanks and troops from Hungary.
Nagy’s government stated it would hold free elections, create impartial courts and restore farmland to private ownership.
Nagy also planned to remove Hungary from the Warsaw Pact and declare them neutral in the Cold War in the hope that the USA would support the new independent Hungary.
How did the USSR react?
Khrushchev could not accept Hungary leaving the Warsaw Pact.
November 1956 thousands of Soviet troops and tanks moved into Budapest and two weeks of fighting followed.
About 3,000 Hungarians and 7-8,000 Russians were killed.
200,000 Hungarians fled into Austria to escape the Communist forces.
Imre Nagy and his fellow leaders were imprisoned and then executed.
Western powers sent no help as they were involved in their own crisis.
Janos Kadar was made leader of Hungary and he arrested 35,000 anti Communists.
Causes
In 1956 America resumed illegal flying spying mission over the USSR with the agreement of President Eisenhower.
The U-2 spy plane flew so high that it could not be shot down by the USSR and carried sophisticated spying equipment.
Khrushchev was frustrated about the flights by could not complain because he had no proof.
Events
May 1960: Khrushchev was preparing for the Four Power Summit with France, Britain and the USA which was to be held in Paris.
1st May 1960: the USSR shot down a U-2 spy plane and arrested the pilot, Gary Powers.
The USSR paraded Powers on television and accused the USA of spying.
The USA at first denied that Powers was on a spying mission but then admitted he was.
President Eisenhower refused to apologise or promise it would not happen again.
What were the outcomes?
Khrushchev refused to attend the Paris Peace Summit.
Gary Powers was sentenced to ten years in a Soviet Prison, but was exchanged for a captured Soviet spy in February 1962.
Eisenhower was criticised in America for being too soft with the Soviets. Kennedy used this feeling to become the new President of America.
Impact on Cold War relations
The only serious action against the USSR came in the form of harsh words
The West were evolved in the Suzi Crisis at the same time
Hungary was too close to the USSR for the USA to help
Khrushchev was not going to allow eastern European countries to leave the Warsaw Pact
Eastern European countries realised the West were unable to support them
The USSR increased their control over Hungary
Forced to disband their army
Increased number of Soviet troops in Hungary

8. How did the Cold War transform 1960-72?
Keywords
How did the Cold War transform ?
Czechoslovakia and the Prague Spring 1968
The Berlin Wall: 1961
Causes:
Causes:
People in Czechoslovakia did not like the lack of progress in their country and 20 years of Communist control.
1967: Dubcek became the leader and proposed ‘Socialism with a human face’.
Dubcek wanted less censorship, more freedom of speech and restrictions on the secret police.
With the easing of censorship people started to attack the Communist leadership on television and radio debates.
Summer of 1968: talk of allowing another political party, Social Democratic Party, to rival the Communist Party.
There were large contrasts in living standards between East and West Berlin.
Western powers had invested in West Berlin to undermine Communism.
Many East Berliners travelled to West Berlin and then onto West Germany to escape the harsh Communist government in East Berlin.
Those defecting were highly skilled workers which the Communist government could not afford to lose.
In 1961 Khrushchev thought he could bully the new President, Kennedy, and ordered that he remove all US troops from Berlin.
Summary: How did the Cold War transform ?
The Berlin Wall became a symbol of division between East and West in the Cold War.
Castro became the ruler of Cuba, which held America financial and military interests.
Khrushchev was keen to assist Cuba- in return for placing missiles on the island.
The Crisis in October 1962 could have led to world destruction.
Eventually both sides backed down in order to avoid further escalation.
The Czechs wanted to loosen the hold of Communism on the country.
The USSR sent in troops to end the Prague Spring in 1968.
IN spite of all the crisis in international relations, tensions began to ease at the end of the 1960s under Nixon and Brezhnev, with both having solid reasons for doing so.
The result in 1972 was SALT 1 which was a step towards limiting nuclear weapons.
How did the USSR respond?
Events:
Brezhnev, the new leader of the USSR, came under pressure from the East German and Polish leader to stop the reforms in Czechoslovakia.
First Brezhnev got Soviet, Polish and East German troops to perform training exercises on the Czech border in order to scare Dubcek.
20th August 1968 Soviet tanks moved into Czechoslovakia and removed Dubcek with little opposition.
13th August 1961, East German soldiers erected a barbed-wire fence between East and West Berlin.
This ended free movement from East to West Berlin.
The fence was replaced by a concrete wall.
West Berlin was sealed to foreigners and allied soldiers. The only crossing point was ‘Checkpoint Charlie’
Border guards had orders to shoot people trying to cross from East to West.
Consequences of the Prague Spring:
Consequences:
Brezhnev issued the ‘Brezhnev Doctrine’ which defined the essentials of Communism.
A one party system and to remain a member of the Warsaw Pact.
The USSR showed the West that it would not tolerate losing any part of its control over eastern Europe.
Families were divided and many West Berliners were unable to go to work.
27th October Soviet and US tanks had a tense stand-off at Checkpoint Charlie.
After an 18 hour stand off the tanks retreated 5 meters at a time.
The Communists presented the wall as a protective shell around East Berlin.
The West presented the wall as a prison wall.

9. The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
What was
the Red Scare?
The HUAC – 1950s
House Un-American Activities Committee
Set up 1938 to question people suspected of being involved in communist activities.
Asked if they had ever been to communist meetings, and if so, who else had they seen there.
Most people completely innocent
1950: Alger Hiss (State Department Official) convicted of passing secrets to USSR
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg – guilty of passing secrets to the Soviets
McCarthyism (to 1954)
In the search for communists within America
Senator Joseph McCarthy became key leader
Targeted entertainment industry, Democrat Party and Universities.
Known as a witch hunt.
McCarthy’s methods eventually brought his downfall as he tried to attack the US Army.
FBI Director J.Edgar Hoover
Convinced the Red Scare was real
Accused teachers of being “re-educators
The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
Background:
Cuba is a large island 160km from the southern USA.
The Americas supported the Cuban leader (Batista) because was just as opposed to Communism as they were.
Batista was a dictator and he was unpopular in Cuba.
January 1959 Fidel Castro removed Batista and became the new Communist leader of Cuba.
Castro won over the majority of Cubans and arrested or exiled many of his political opponents.
January 1961: Kennedy armed 1,400 anti-Castro Cuban exiles.
The exiles invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs but were met by 20,000 Cuban troops.
The invasion failed and further enhanced the relationship between Castro and Khrushchev
The Bay of Pigs:
The Crisis:
After the Bay of Pigs, the USSR sent even more weapons to Cuba.
14th October 1962 an American spy plane flying over Cuba took pictures of Soviet nuclear missile sites being built on Cuba.
The USSR had also sent 20 ships from Russia to Cuba carrying nuclear missiles.
President Kennedy decided to create a naval blockade to block the ships from entering Cuba,
23rd October: Khrushchev writes to Kennedy explaining that he will not stop for the blockade.
24th October: the Soviet ships approach the blockade, then either stop or turn around.
27th October: An American spy plane is shot down and Kennedy is advised to attack Cuba.
27th October pm: Kennedy decides to delay the attack and send a final ultimatum to Khrushchev.
28th October: Khrushchev agrees to return the missiles to the USSR as long as the USA remove their ICBMs from Turkey. The crisis has ended peacefully.
Thousands of Cuban exiles fled to the USA and formed pressure groups demanding action against Castro.
Castro took over some American businesses in Cuba.
The CIA provided funds to the Cuban exiles.
American companies working in Cuba refused to co-operate with any Cuban business which used materials from the USSR.
Castro responded by assuring Americans living in Cuba that they were safe.
Summer 1960: Aliened himself with the Soviet Union and began to receive weapons from the USSR.
How did USA respond to Castro’s rule?
Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis:
Nuclear missiles were removed from Cuba.
Kennedy came out of the crisis with an improved reputation in America and western Europe.
Khrushchev was able to claim a personal triumph as Cuba remained Communist in the American sphere of influence.
The events in Cuba helped to thaw tensions between East and West.
A permanent ‘hot line’ phone link between the White House and the Kremlin was set up.
1963 Nuclear Test Ban treaty was signed.

10. DÉTENTE AND SALT Timeline of DETENTE
Factors which encouraged Detente
The cost of the Vietnam War was crippling the American economy
The USSR needed to expand its world trade to improve living standards
Both sides had stockpiles of weapons that could destroy the Earth many times over
Both were worried about conflicts in the Middle East that would disrupt oil supplies
Both were worried about the growing power of China
President Nixon, 1969, was keen to talk with Brezhnev
What was Détente?
Period from end of 1960s to second half of 1970s.
Relations between USSR and USA improved and tensions decreased.
Greater cooperation and dialogue.
Threat of war reduced.
Agreements made to reduce nuclear weapons (SALT)
Summits held regularly between Brezhnev and Nixon (leaders of USSR and USA).
DÉTENTE AND SALT
The Helsinki Agreement: recognised Soviet control over Eastern Europe, concluded a trade agreement, and Russia promised to respect human rights.
EFFECTIVELY allowed Soviet total control behind the Iron Curtain…Soviets do not uphold their human rights promise.
Timeline of DETENTE
Non-Proliferation Treaty
Nixon becomes President
Ping-Pong Diplomacy
China joins UN
SALT 1 Treaty
Nixon visits China & Russia
The Helsinki Agreement
US and USSR spacecraft dock in space 1975
SALT 1, 1972
Strategic Arms Limitations Talks
Limited the number of ICBS on both sides
Allowed both sides to use spy satellites to check on the other side
The agreement was to last for 5 years