Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1939
- German invasion of Poland: Britain and France declare war on Germany
- Beginning of Winter War between USSR and Finland
1940
- Hitler’s blitzkrieg through Europe: takeover of Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands,
Belgium, and France
- Battle of Britain
1941
- Germany begins ‘Operation Barbarossa’ and invasion of USSR
- Britain and USA sign Atlantic Charter Pearl Harbor attack by Japan brings USA into
the war
1942
- German assault on Stalingrad
- German defeat at El Alamein in North Africa
1943
- German defeat at Stalingrad
- Allied invasion of Italy
- Tehran Conference
1944
- D-Day landings by Western Allies begin in Normandy
- Rome falls to allied forces
1945
- Warsaw falls to Soviet troops
- Yalta Conference
- Russian forces enter Berlin
- President Roosevelt dies and is replaced by Truman
- United Nations meets for the first time in San Francisco
- Germany surrenders
- Potsdam Conference
- Nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan surrenders
1946
- Kennan’s Long Telegram
- Iran crisis
- Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech at Fulton, Missouri
1947
- Announcement of Truman Doctrine: aid sent to Greece and Turkey
- Marshall Plan for economic recovery of Europe proposed
- Creation of Cominform
1948
- Czechoslovakian Coup
- Marshall Plan passed by Congress
- Berlin airlift
1949
- COMECON established
- NATO established
- Berlin Blockade ends
- USSR explodes its first atomic bomb
- FRG/GDR established
Breakdown
- begun in 1941 when Churchill and Roosvelt send troops to aid Soviets
o realtions tense mainly with UK – distrust
- Soviets demanded more support
o opeing Second Front in the East
partially agreed, built if it was the right time
postponing to permanently weaken USSR
1. Wartime Conferences
- decision of Grand Allience determined the territiorial and political changes in Europe
- key points:
o state of war
o status of DE, PL, Eastern Europe, JP
o UN
Tehran Conference
- 11.1943, Stalin, Roosvelt, Churchill
State of the war
o 1943 – start of winning by Allies, following by the turning-point
o pushing Germany into Eastern front
W – drawing Germany from North Africa and invaded Italy (Mussol.)
W – still not making front
o Germany – different views on post-war, failure of Treaty of Versialles
no agreement over DE’s furture
o agreed on goal of unconditional surrender
o support of Operation Overlord (Allied invasion of nFR begun on D-Day,
6.6.1944)
o Poland – concern over security and borders
Stalin wanted to gain the territory of PL – agreement over seized parts
in 1939
ensuring hostility with Germany & Poland (due to given border)
puppet regime
increased tensions over Katyn Massacre
Soviets blamed Germans
o Eastern Europe – Soviets demanded siezed teritories
control over Baltic States, Romania
W agreed to such annexation
against Atlantic Charter (agreement, UK x USA)
o Japan – UK & USA wanted USSR to enter war with JP
wanted stalin to open second front in Asia
o UN – wanted to replace League of Nations
again designed to collective security
Conclusion
- agreement on a new international organization
- agreement on the need for a weak post-war Germany
Yalta Conference
- 1945
- Stalin’s strong diplomatic position due to occupation of most Eastern Europe
o Due to strong presence, USSR was ready to invade Germany itself
o Germany heavily attacked aerialy, and from both fronts
- Germany – demilitarized, de-Nazified, divided in 4 zones of occupation (temporary)
o Allied Control Council (ACC) – set up to govern Germany
o reparations set out
- Poland – borders set out by Curzon Line
o Poles were giving German teritory as compensation as well as more
democratic gov, following ‚free elections‘
o Lublin Committee communist dominated post-war gov
o Stalin didn’t paymuch attention to PL
Katyn Massacre, lack of support for the Warsaw Uprising
this helped erradicating Poles in favor of free PL
- Eastern Europe – Staling agreed to general free elections
o percieved as vicotry by W
- Japan – promised to enter war as soon as war was over
o Soviets demanded JP’s teritory
- United Nations – Stalin agreed to join UN
o agreement on 5 permanent members of Security Council – each veto
demanded all Soviet Repblics to have seat in General Assembly
Conclusion
- agreement on the United Nations
- Soviet agreement to join the war in the Pacific against Japan
- the Big Three signing a ‘Declaration on Liberated Europe’ pledging their support for
democratic governments based on free elections in all European countries, including
those in Eastern Europe.
Developments between Yalta & Potsdam Conference
- radical changes in atmosphere:
o President Roosevelt died in April 1945 and was replaced by Truman, who was
to adopt a more hardline, or ‘get tough’, policy towards the Soviets
o Germany finally surrendered unconditionally on 7 May 1945
o Winston Churchill’s Conservative Party lost the July 1945 UK general election
and Churchill was succeeded as prime minister by the Labour Party leader,
Clement Attlee
o As the war in Europe ended, the Soviet Red Army occupied territory as far
west as deep inside Germany
o On 17 July 1945, the day after the Potsdam Conference began, the United
States successfully tested its first atomic bomb
Potsdam Conference
- 1945, Potsdam, Germany
- Stalin, Truman, Attlee
State of war
- 7.5.1945 – Germany surendered
o War in pacific still raged, USA poised to invade JP
- Germany – agreement of de-Nazification, demiltarization, division
incapabe to agree how to carry this out
o agreed uponindependent approach in their zones
o German economy run as a whole , yet limited to domestic industry and
agriculture
- Poland – Truman not sattsified over agreements
o establishement of new frontier and reorganisation of gov
o didn’t feel the elections were free
- Eastern Europe – Truman unhappy about Percentage Agreement (bilateral
agreements between Stalin & Churchill) – sphere of influence according to percentage
o Truman didn’t want Eastern Europe under Sovit influence
had little impact
- Japan – 6.8.1945 – Hiroshima & Nagasaki – unconitional surrender
- UN – San Francisco, 1945, 50 nations signed UN Charter
o USSR – only communis power in Big Five
o Stalin used veto if something against soviet interest
Conclusion
- agreement for the immediate, practical control of the defeated Germany
- the establishment of the United Nations
Key developments 1946-1947
Salami Tactics
- increase ofinfluence in Eastern Block
- Rakosi, Hungarian Communist leader, commenting on Communist control in Europe
– „like slicing off salami, piece by piece“
o Stage 1: the Soviets supervised the organization of governments in the Eastern
European states, initially establishing a broad alliance of ‘anti-fascists’.
o Stage 2: each of the parties was ‘sliced off ’, one after the other.
o Stage 3: the Communist ‘core’ was left, and then ultimately the local
Communists were replaced (if need be) with Moscow-trained people
- Baggage Train leaders – trustworthy figure who fought in wars returned to countries
o they would ensure the post-war gov would be dominated by Moscow-backed,
Stalinist Communists
- ‚free elections‘ – 19.1.1947
o promised at Yalta Conference
o preceeded by mass murders, censorship, intimidation
o 50k deported
Case study – Poland
- during election:
o 246 candidates from Polish Peasant Party disqulified
o 1 million take of electoral register
- Donnelly – ‘In these appalling circumstances of intimidation, it was not surprising
that Bierut’s Communists secured complete control in Poland‘
- W had different out look and took it as braching of agreement, E seen it as erradicating
‚western expansionism‘
- this tactics was also used in other countries and persured by the invading Red Troops
Iran
- after the war USSR wanted to increase their sphere of incluence
- Teheran Conforence – UK & USSR agreed that after war they’d withdraw from Iran
o Stalin - 30,000 troops
encouraging Communist Uprising
Allies demanded to withdraw immediately (another breaching)
1.1.1946 – refused
US suspected the invasion of Turkey & Black Sea Straits
Instability in Greece & Turkey
- anti-imperialist, nationalist, atmosphere
o support of pro-Communism
- W believed that rebellions were supported by the USSR
- Churchill enraged due to breaching Percentage Agreements
- Stalin wanted to ensure the international control of Straits of Constantiopole
o rather than Turkish control
Communist Parties – Italy & France
- post-war influence grew
o growth of membership due to economic deprivation, hardship experience, ...
- further suspections of Moscow enouragement
Division of Germany
- failure of blockade meant division was innevitable
o W – FGR – Federal Republic of Germany
9.1949
10.1949 – Adenauer, first chancellor
o E – GDR – German Democratic Republic
- both sides didn’t want united DE, because of the possiblity of DE as a whole
becoming an ally
o W – divided DE protected by the USA was m,ore favorable than neutral
united DE
EU divided economically, politically
- Berlin still remained a divided city
o 4 powers withing GDR
Berlin as the major source of friction
Formation of NATO
- Wester suspicion was reinforced by the Berlin Airlift, Czech Coup
o this emphasiszed the need US defence of EU
- 4.1949 – USA, CA, Brussels Pact, Norway, DK, Iceland, IT, PT
- at the same time US Congress a proved plan of military assistance to build up
Europe’s armed forces
o major military presence of US in EU
cleary departing from previous US foreign policy
- Paris Pacts
o West Germany into NATO
confirming USSR’s danger
Warsaw Pact - 1955
- all states of Eastern Europe under single military command
o lack of organaisation
o initially more pollitican than military alliance
dividing EU economically, militairly and politically
Situation by the end of 1949
- Europe was now clearly divided along political, economic, and military lines
- Germany was not to be reunited as had been the original aim of the Allies at the end of
World War Two. There were now two clear states, although neither side was prepared
to recognize the existence of the other (until Ostpolitik in the 1970s).
- The USA had abandoned its peacetime policy of avoiding commitments and was now
involved economically (through the Marshall Plan) and militarily (through NATO) in
Europe.
- No peace treaty had actually been signed with Germany, which meant that the borders
of central Europe were not formalized. This was particularly worrying for Poland, as it
now included territory taken from Germany in 1945. (This was not finally resolved
until 1975.)
- Western countries had developed a greater sense of unity due to the Soviet threat.
How this impacted the international relations beyond EU?
- From this time on, many conflicts, wherever they were in the world, would be seen as
part of the struggle between Communism and Capitalism.
- The USA’s policy of containment, which had been developed to fight Communism in
Europe, was to lead the USA into resisting Communism anywhere in the world that it
perceived Communism was a threat. This would involve the USA fighting in both the
Korean War and the Vietnam War.
- The United Nations was never to play the role envisioned in the original discussions
between Roosevelt and Churchill at the time of its foundation. With the USA and the
USSR now opposing each other and able to use their respective vetoes, the UN could
not act effectively to resolve international conflicts.
How can we explain the breakdown of the Grand Alliance?
Role of ideology
- incompatable idologies that could coexist
o Red Scare – resentment towards communists in US after the Bolshevik Rev.
distrust was entrenched even in the domestic US policies by 1945
- to US it seemed like USSR wanted to spread communism worldwide
o Salami tactics after 1945, the Czech Coup and the Berlin Blockade appeared to
be motivated by a desire to spread Communism in Eastern Europe.
o The newly established Cominform was seen as an organization which was
designed to promote worldwide revolution.
o The rise of Communist parties in France and Italy after World War Two and
the civil war in Greece were all seen as being encouraged and funded by the
Soviets.
o Soviet activity in Iran reinforced the belief that Stalin wanted influence outside
of Eastern Europe.
- USSR seen US as wanting to encircle USSR and overthrow the gov:
o The Marshall Plan was seen as an example of ‘dollar imperialism’ and an
attempt to extend influence over Europe and lure East European states away
from the Soviet Union.
o US economic power, and its drive to establish free trade across the globe and
keep markets favourable to US interests, seemed to indicate the possibility of
US global economic domination.
o US actions in Germany, particularly its introduction of the new currency in
Western zones, appeared to be an attempt to spread US influence.
- in both case spropaganda was widely used to undermine eachother
Role of Great Power rivaly – quesitonable importance
- some argue that it was due to traditional Great Power rivalries
- Walter LaFeber and Louis Halle both see the USA and the USSR as expansionist
powers. Therefore, the hostility that followed 1945 was a continuation of policies they
had respectively pursued since the 19th century
- WW II. exasterbated this becaause it tured them into superpowers
o natural decline of power of other states and naturla want to expand theri
sphere of influences
Role of economic interest
- both set up opposite economy systems within EU
o signifying economic interest
- post-war devastated EU made easy for them to impose this
- US – est of open markets to preven the return of inter-war economic problems
o stting up of Bretton Woods system
included Internationa Momentary Fund, World Bank
USSR cooperated whoever the tough anti-communist
application for loand cause a great dispute over the US and
USSR
- the emphasis on free market Capitalism cause USSR to withdraw
o „dollar imperialism“ – USSR
- US set up economic aims according to capitalism, promting their influence and appeal
o Marshall Plan had similar effect
stronly idological purpose to stop bankrupted EU from supporting
Communism
- as a response COMECON
o financial assistance to Easter Europe
this also helped to impose its regiemes in E.EU
- thus both superpowers used similar economic measures to secure ideological aims
- economic interest cause also ifferent views upon DE
o USA – seen as important tu support DE for general EU recovery as well as
a possible exporter and importer, possible E front
Marshall Plan
o USSR – wanted to keep DE weak, so it doesn’t pose a threat
dismantling of E.DE to weaken
- these different economic view were relfected in:
o the Berlin Blockade (1948) – USSR
o currency reforms – USA
- different economic interests cause major tensions
How did actions of USSR & USA cause breakdown?
- still large dispute among historians
o despite different idologies Cold War was not inevitable
USSR
- Roosevelt avised at Yalta that he didn’t want to remain in occupation of DE for more
than 2y
- US also expected for USSR to remain in Bretton Woods and the new economic
structure
o Tony Judt – the mutual benefi ts to be had from an increase in international
commerce and fi nancial stability would eventually overcome national
traditions and political mistrust’
- US supprised to withdraw from Bretton Woods system
o yet they believed before incidents listed below that cooperation was possible
Stalin did not keep to the agreement made at Yalta regarding Poland.
He also did not keep to his agreement to allow free elections in the
other East European countries that the Red Army had liberated. Using
‘salami tactics’, all of these countries were under Communist control
by the end of 1948, which meant a Stalinist-style oneparty state with no
individual freedoms.
Thus his actions were perceived by the West as aggressive and
expansionist.
The Soviets exploited wartime agreements to retain a military presence
in northern Iran after the war until they were forced to leave in 1946.
The Berlin Blockade was ill-conceived and seen by the West as a
prelude to a possible attack on West Germany.
The establishment of Cominform was an attempt to control Communist
parties throughout Europe, which was also a sign that Stalin wanted to
spread Soviet-style Communism.
Stalin’s suspicious approach to the West meant that he interpreted all
actions as deliberate attempts to weaken the USSR. His policies inside
the Soviet Union indicate that he was not a leader who would support
compromise and conciliation; in fact, he promoted hostility to the West
within the USSR in order to get support for his policies.
- Churchill’s speech and Kennan’s Long Telegram that highlited Stalin’s intentions
o leading to Truman act of 1947 – containment of Communism
USA
- we can also argue that Stalin because it was US’s overreaction and the pursuit of
ideology and economic interest
- USSR experienced hostility since 1917 (Bolshevik Revolution)
- WW II. – huge causalties, economic impact
- est of Easter European communist countries
o serving as a Buffer Zone
- not supporting Greek Communist – fake accusations by USA
o yet breached the Percentage Agreement
recognized Greece as UK sphere of influence
- therefore we can see setting-up of Stalinist gov, Berline Blockade as the effect of Cold
War not cause, stemming from:
o The dropping of the atom bomb, which, it could be argued, was designed to
make clear to Stalin the military superiority of the US.
o The US’s determination to impose its own ideas for a new world order after
1945 through open markets, self-determination, democracy and collective
security
Increasingly, this was seen as ‘dollar diplomacy’ – the US imposing its
own values and advancing its own interests.
o The US’s failure to take account of Soviet anxiety and insecurity, which
stemmed from its previous encounters with the West and the immense losses
incurred during the war
The US failed to see that Stalin’s actions were not about spreading
Communism but were about defending the Soviet Union.
o Truman’s exaggeration of the threat of Communism in his speech to Congress
to gain support aid for Greece and Turkey.
o The US’s determination after 1947 to interpret all actions of the Soviet Union
as being ideological
this made the Americans ignore evidence to the contrary
seen particularly with regard to China becoming Communist
o USSR was blamed when it was clear (also to US offcials
on the ground in China in 1949) that Mao’s victory had
little to do with Stalin.
o Marshall Plan
seen by the Soviet Union as ‘Capitalist interference’
o The introduction of a new currency into Berlin
provocative, and indicated to Stalin that the West was trying to
establish an anti-Soviet state on his borders.
o The West’s establishment of NATO, which was an aggressive action against
the security of the Soviet Union
- USSR actions as an attempt to defend itself as anti-Soviet actions
o every action Stalin took in response to the West, to defend the USSR, was
seen by the West as further evidence of Soviet aggression
Role of suspicion and fear
FEAR
USA
- links to view that idology was the driver and that USA’s reactions were due to fear of
Communism
- although we can argue that Stalin’s actions were defense to USA, we can also argue
that actions take by the USA were the result of USA fearing the communism
examsionism if not contained
- Kennan’s long telegram put forward that USSR wanted to presue world revolution
o Red Scare
thereby increasin US actions
o thus when Czech Coup occured this was taken as the last straw to passing
Marshall Plan
Berlin Blockade seen as an act of expansion
Comintern as well
o 1949 – first Soviet atomic bomb increased the threat
1949 – start of nuclear and arms race
1949 – est NATO
o when China became communist and North Korea invaded South Korea, USA
scared of Asian expansion of USSR
USSR
- fear of dollar imperialism
o to win over E.EU states via financial aid
- USSR economically weakend and USA booming
- aggressive action according to USSR
o open trade policies
o Marshall Plan
o currency reforms in W.DE
o NATO
- fear of deliberate underminig of the USSR
o use of superior
- Gaddis – highlight that fear dictated Stalin’s actions and suspicious nature
Post-Revisionist
- between these ideas
- John Lewis Gaddis and Walter LaFeber
Post-Cold War historians
- after the fall down
o no censorship, ...
- Mastny – following Stalin’s role in origin of Cold War
European and Soviet Persepctives
Role of Europeans
- many gov in distress due to post-war era
- some argue that european elite played a role in Cold War
o locking USA to military and economic support
- UK – did a lot to raise the red threat
o Churchill’s speech
- arguing the undersetimation of US foreign policies
Soviet Perspective
- most historians W
o parallel
- in initial stages most convinced in dollar imperialism
- Molotov – Problems of Foreign Policy (book)
o accusuing US for wanting to take over the EU
o USSR wanting to find security
Korean War
1947
Official division of Korea on 38th parallel line
1949
Sept - USSR gets the A-bomb
Dec - Communist victory in Chinese Civil War
1950
April - US National Security Council produces NSC-68
June - North Korea invades South Korea
Sept - US troops land at Inchon
Nov - Chinese launch counter-offensive
Dec - UN troops fall back to 38th parallel
1951
Feb - UN condemns China as aggressor in Korea
April - Eisenhower dismisses MacArthur July Truce talks start in Korea
Sept - USA and Japan sign mutual security pact
Oct - Greece and Turkey join NATO
1952
March - USSR proposes a neutral Germany
Nov - Eisenhower elected US president 1953
March - Death of Stalin
July - Military armistice to end Korean hostilities signed
US Foreign Policy – 1949-1950
- with the emergence of NATO, US was optimistic in eradicating communist expansion
o Truman Doctrine & NATO
- NATO’s power rested on atomic power
o no other expenses, demobilized army
USSR had not
o thuse ach had its own advantage
USSR – Atomic Bomb – 8.1949
- USA’s advantage shattered after the announcement
China falls under Communism
- US had given little support in Chinese Civil War (1945-1949) to natonalists Chiang
Kai-shek and under Mao Zedong’s guerrilla warfare fell into communism
- White Paper report states that USA couldn’t change the outcome of the war
o Kai-shek was unpopular with Chinese
rather a nationalist collapse than communist win
o percieved differently from Moscow
Secretaryof State, Acheson: ‚inadequacy of American aid‘
in 1949 the American experts in Asia believed that they had
done what they could in China
Red Scare, McCarthyism, Anti-Communist crusade in America
- Red Scare exasturbated by McCarthy, proposing that communist sympathizers were
placed into powerful position in USA
o leading into purges and show trials affecting every level of society
o some executed
- 1950’s strong anti-communist beliefs
- Mc Carthy, calling for purges of State Department
o e.g. all American liberals were comsymps
- Truman called „soft on communists“
- this led to reviewing of White Paper and claimed Mao under full influence of Moscow
o all but two of the State Department advisers on China who had said that the
Guomindang was ‘not worth saving’ lost their job
- also cause reviewing of US Foreign & defence policies as the result of Chinese win
and USSR’s atomic bomb
o possiblity to be engaged in 2 front and atomic war
- Truman refused to recoginize the new Chinese gov
NSC-68: ‘Total Commitment’
- report of US National Security Council of 1950
o La Feber – ‚one of key documents of Cold War‘
- warned how every communist activity is linked to Moscow
o all dev had a global scheme and were the result of USSR expansion
monolithic
o warning about indefinitie period and danger calling US gov to be ready at all
times
o increasing military strength
o it encouraged military and economic aid to be given to any country perceived
by the USA to be resisting Communism
- criziczed for being not concrete
North Korea invades South Korea – 1950
- Truman had difficult elections (Democratic Party)
o wanted to recognize China, commitment in Asia and post-pone NSC-68
- 25.5.1950 – 90,000 N.Korean troops launched attack
o seen as expansionism
mirror the USA’s monolithic belief of single communist bloc
o thouth that the lack of action would seem as a failure of defence
underminig USA‘ credibility, encouraging communist domino effect
- similar containemnt approach
- drawing UN into the conflict
- 27.6.1950 -China has gained a separate seat at the Security Council (similairly
boycotting as USSR)
- 1.7.1950 – US troops arrived
o soon joined by 15 UN commanders
Why did North Korea attach South Korea – 1950?
- „hot war“, only conflict of Cold War (confrontation)
Background
- Japan annexed Korea – 1910
o still occupied parts of Korea
o Korean nationalists of 1945 (including many communists)
- USSR & US took part in erradicatin JP inflence
- sepparation on 38th parallel line
o N – USSR
o S – USA
- agreement upon provision gov
o short-term supervision, leading to full independence
- difficulties:
o As the Cold War developed, the USA and the USSR became less willing to co-
operate.
o Despite the Moscow Agreement, separate administrations emerged on either
side of the 38th parallel
S – the US military government put forward as leader the elderly
Syngman Rhee, a rebel who had fought against the Japanese and spent
much of his life in exile
N – Soviets supported the Communists and backed a faction headed by
Kim Il Sung, a young Russian-trained Korean Communist who had
been a guerrilla fighter against the Japanese.
Although were very different, they had much in common:
both were Korean nationalists,
both wanted to end the division of Korea
each saw himself as the leader of a united Korea.
- election have decided into the division
o ROK – Republic of Korea – Syngman Rhee – 5.1948
o DPRK – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – Kim Il Sung – 9.1948
- USA supported Syngman Rhee (economic and military aid)
o withdraw troops mid-1949
- USSR troops withdraw 1948
- US considered EU as the most important in the Cold War, but decided to maintain a
line of off-shore strong points, stretching from Japan to the Philippines, rather than
involve themselves in expensive military commitments on the mainland
o made clear in Dean Acheson’s ‘perimeter’ speech of 1.1950, in which both
South Korea and Taiwan were publicly excluded from the American defensive
perimeter in the Western Pacific
Southeast Asia
- monolithic thinking of USA involved whole SE.Asia into the conflict
- harder for nationalist movements to restorefrom in the post-collonial era
o However, it was only in Vietnam that the USA, the USSR, and China became
directly involved in the fighting
Effects of Korean War on Cold War
- globalization of the superpower rivalry and confrontation
o spreading conflicts – proxy wars
- greater military commitments, exponentially increasing expenses (US – 10% of GNP,
1950‘s)
- EU – also increse, helping to economically develop
o USSR – 2.8mil troops (1950) > 5.8mil troops (1955)
- Khrushchev – decreased the number of troops yet still invested into atomic armaments
- Warren I Cohen – ‚Arming the North Koreans and agreeing to the invasion of South
Korea proved to be Stalin’s most disastrous Cold War gamble. It postponed a thaw in
relations with the United States for twenty years. It intensifi ed a confrontation that
continued for forty years at enormous cost to the major antagonists. The war shifted
the balance of forces within the United States, allowing them to divert the attention
and energies of the American people from needed reform to the hunt of Communists at
home and abroad ‘
USA & Containment in Asia
- although US spy plans have shown that there was no missile gap
o to sooth the US fear Eisenhower had established NASA (1958)
o promotion of science and education
International situation
- Orthodox
o A hotline was established between the USSR and USA to make immediate
telephone communication easier.
o Both sides realized the danger of nuclear war. Two important treaties were
signed following the crisis: the Limited Test-Ban Treaty of August 1963,
which forbade nuclear tests in the atmosphere, space or underwater (not signed
by France and China); and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968,
which prevented signatories from transferring weapons, or knowledge of how
to make them, to non-nuclear powers
these treaties didn‘t prevent arms race intensifying the Missile Crisis
o the world was more stabile due to no challenges in their sphere of influence
Sino-Soviet Relations
- ideological difference wasn’t the only reason why Stalin didn‘t support CCP in
Chinese Civil War:
o feared Mao as a rival for the leadership of the Communist world
o did not want the Cold War to spread to Asia
o knew that Jiang’s GMD would recognize Soviet claims to the disputed border
territory along frontiers in Manchuria and Xinjiang
o underestimated the CCP and believed the GMD to be the stronger party. He
urged the CCP to unite with the GMD, even in the late 1940s, when CCP
victory was looking inevitable
- Mao seen Stalin’s policies as self-interested rather than true revolutionar doctrine
o Stalin saw Mao as another Tito
Sino-Soviet Treaty of Alliance
- 1950 – Sino-Soviet Treaty of Alliance
o USSR became more keen on est realtions after win of CCP
- USSR were superior to China (thought)
o soon clear thet USSR wanted to expolit China
- 200 Soviet engineers and planners – 1950’s
o 50 plans
o Traditional building were put don in order to build Soviet style buildings
The USSR, the PRC, and the Korean War, 1950–1953
- when US troops came close to Chinese border Staln encouraged PRC to snd troops to
battle
- USSR wanted for China to pay back for all the supplies given
Sino-Soviet Relations after 1953
- although Mao respected USSR there were tensions
o Stalin prolonged the end of war to exhaust PRC
- accroding to Lynch, there was hpe and relaxation of tensiosn after the death of Stalin
The Split
- 3 main potenstials of K for better relationships
o The ‘Secret Speech’ by Khrushchev in Moscow on 24 February 1956 attacking
Stalin’s crimes against the party, including comments about the ‘cult of
personality’, which Mao saw as an attack on his own style of leadership.
o The crushing of the Hungarian Uprising in October/November 1956. Mao saw
this, and Soviet problems in East Germany and Poland, as failures by the
USSR to contain reactionary forces
o Khrushchev’s doctrine of ‘peaceful co-existence’ with the West, which implied
that global revolution could be achieved by means other than armed struggle.
Mao saw this as ideological heresy.
- PRC saw USSR as departing from Marxism and was dominated by revisionists
o 1955 Geneva Summit and the Austrian State Treaty of 1955 – example
Conference of communist parties – 1957
- attended by Mao
- hope for Tito to attend
- Mao calling K out to a abandon revisionism
o declared that international revolution could not be supported by working
alongside ‘class enemies’ - W Capitalists
- Deng Xiaoping – chief spokesperson
o exceptional in putting forward the PRC’s ideological stance, and ultimately he
was very embarrassing for the Soviets
o putting forward that proletarian world revoluton was to only happen if
capitalism as violently crushed
K’s visit in Beijing – 1958
- trying to ease the tensions
- embarasing
o pool discussion, no air conditioning
- Deng attacked Soviet policy
o the Soviets had betrayed the international Communist movement
o the Soviets were guilty of viewing themselves as the only true Marxist–
Leninists
o the Soviets had sent spies posing as technical advisers into China.
Soviet reaction
- dencouncing Mao as having unorthodox concepts and applications
- announced by Soviet media
- Mao determined strike back
o Mao wanted to aid any country that was communist yet dissented from
Moscow’s lead
o Albania
1961
Khrushchev made a speech that year, during the Moscow Congress of
the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, attacking the Albanian
regime for its ‘Stalinist’ doctrines and backward ways. The PRC
observer at the Congress walked out in protest. China interpreted this
speech as an attack on their system as well.
PRC offered to replce the aid from USSR
led to the final severance of diplomatic relations between the
Soviets and the Chinese Communists, after more than ten years
of growing hostility
The Sino-Indian War, 1962
- fight on Indian border
- 1950 – PRC invaded Tibet
o areas viewed as Chinese
- the brutality of PRC’s actions arose international condemnation
- India sensitve towards troops occupying near border
- it’s speculated that Mao wanted a war with India, mainly over
o China didn’t recognize border with India draw by British Colonial period and
wanted to renegotiate
India didn’t want to
- 5.1962 – preparing war with India
o nuclear test sside withing the reach of India
- 10.10.1962 – war between Chinese People’s Liberation Army X Indian Military
- Soviet’s neutral but given MIG Fighters to India
- 20.10.1962 – end of war
o Chinese taken up the disputed area
o although PRC won, it waa temered by the fact that US was ableto gain
sensitive intelligence and access to bases in India
Sino-American Relations
Background
- USA given material assistence to CCP to fight agains common enemy – JP
- CCP and GMD – civil war
o US pumped material assistance and advice to Jiang’s ‘antiCommunist’ forces
US hoping GMD would win
- 10.1949 – when China became communist, USA didn’t want to recognize communist
gov
o indested USA supported the fled gov of GMD in Taiwan
- Taiwan – key area of discussion fo USR & PRC
- other areas of discussion
o Korean, Japan, Tibet
- Mao started developing cnucelar weapons g´fater firt Taiwan crisis (1954-1955)
- disputed sover underlying ideology
Tibet – 1950
- PLA invaded Tibet
o Mao considered as domestic concern
o PRC seen ti as a consolidaiton of power
reunificaiton of former Chinese territories
- brutality
- USA percievedas an expansionism
- Dalai Lama (Tibetian spiritual leader)
o calling it a cultural genocide
- period of détente started in 1968 and ended with Reagan coming to power in 1980
o détente – relaxation of tensions
word used to describe attempts of USA & USSR to become more stable
and co-operative and other super-power relationships
- after 1980, détente replaced with Second Cold War
Timeline of détente
1968 - Richard Nixon elected US president
1969 - Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed by over 100 countries
1970 - SALT talks open in Vienna
1971 - Treaty to denuclearize the seabed signed by 74 countries
-Nixon accepts invitation to visit China
-UN admits China to membership (Taiwan expelled)
1972 - Nixon visits China
-Nixon visits USSR for summit with Leonid Brezhnev
- SALT I signed East Germany and West Germany sign Basic Treaty
1973 - Washington Summit between Nixon and Brezhnev
- Yom Kippur War
1974 - Moscow Summit between Nixon and Brezhnev
- Nixon resigns over Watergate; Gerald Ford becomes president
- Vladivostok Summit between Ford and Brezhnev
1975 - Helsinki Final Act signed by 35 countries
1976 - Jimmy Carter elected as US president
1978 - Carter warns USSR against involvement in domestic affairs of other countries
1979 - USA and China open diplomatic relations
- Shah flees Iran
- Carter and Brezhnev sign SALT II agreement in Vienna
- US Embassy in Tehran seized and diplomats taken hostage
- USA announces plans to deploy cruise missiles
- Soviet forces invade Afghanistan
1980 - US Senate suspends SALT II debate
-Ronald Reagan elected US president
1981 - US hostages released by Iran
1982 - Death of Brezhnev; Yuri Andropov becomes Soviet leader
1983 - Reagan explains Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
- USSR shoots down Korean Airlines flight 007 over its airspace
- First cruise missiles arrive in Europe
1984 - Death of Andropov; Konstantin Chernenko becomes Soviet leader
- Reagan re-elected US president
- key event that pused superpowers into imporvement was the threat of nuclear war
- after confrontations of Berlin & Kuba
o by 1969 – nuclear parity
- also personal reasons:
o USSR
USSR’s economy stagnating
in order to improve its living standard it had to produce
consumer goods able to import to W
deterroriating relationship with PRC
Sino-Soviet Split – 1969 – war
o USA
need a way to end Vietnam War
need for realistic foreign policy
pursuit of realpolitik
via using détente they wante to put pressure on PRC, USSR to end the
Vietnam War
it would also eliminate the arm expences
Reasons for PRC-USA rapprochement
- PRC x USSR – by late 1960’s very low relations
- PRC afraid of isolation
o USA repproachment as an opportunity and cuased concerns in USSR
- for USA, better relations with PRC was part of realpolitik
o Kissinger’s aim to restore fluidity to international politics, moving away from
obsession with Vietnam
o also knew that it would give them upper hand when negotiating with USSR
What were the reasons for improved East– West relations in Europe?
- events of 1968 shown political instability
o Prague Spring, student strikes in FR
- chancellor Brandt (FGR) believed that to improve conditions between the 2
Germanys, it was necessary to easen the conditions on whole of continenet
o Ostpolitik - policy of encouraging the opening of channels between East and
West
- USSR impetus for improvement
o formal treaty about acceptance of new borders hadn’t been signed
wanting to win W acceptance of current territorial sit. in E.EU
Successes of détante
Arms agreement between USA x USSR – SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty)- 1972
- after Cuban Missile Crisis
o multiple arms control agreements
- 1972
- covering 3 areas:
o The ABM Treaty: ABMs (Anti-Ballistic Missiles)
allowing only two sites – each site containing no more than hundred
missiles
this limitation was key for ensuring the continued emphasis on MAD
(mutually assured destruction) and thus the deterrence of nuclear war
o The Interim Treaty:
limits on the numbers of ICBMs (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles)
and SLBMs (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles).
o The Basic Principles Agreement:
rules for the conduct of nuclear war and development of weapons, and
committed the two sides to work together to prevent conflict and
promote peaceful co-existence.
1973 – Agreement on the Prevention of Nuclear War, which
said that if a nuclear conflict looked imminent, both sides would
‘… immediately enter into urgent consultations with each other
and make every effort to avert this risk’.
- Mason – ‚began process of institutionalized arms control‘
- cooperation – Nixon’s visit – 1972
o Brezhnev – Washington – 1973
- crizticism of SALT as doing limited in terms of arm contron
o mainly MIRV
SALT II – 1979
- started in 1974 and signed in 1979
o a limit on the number of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles (ICBMs, SLBMs,
and heavy bombers) for each side
o a ban on the testing or deployment of new types of ICBMs, heavy mobile
ICBMs, and rapid reload systems
- most extensive arms agreement
Agreements between Germanys & USSR
- by early 1970’s:
o The Moscow Treaty
8.1970
USSR, PL, FRG
recognized the border between East Germany and West Germany and
also formally accepted the post-World War Two border in the East with
Poland
o The Final Quadripartite Protocol
1972
major victory for Willy Brandt
agreed to the maintenance of the ‘status quo’ in Berlin, confirming that
the West had a legal basis for its access routes to the city
W Berlin had greater security.
o The Basic Treaty
1972
signed by East Germany and West Germany. It accepted the existence
of two Germanys. West Germany now recognized East Germany and
agreed to increase trade links between the two countries
- these reduced tensions in EU
o criticized by some USA
giving legal recognition to USSR over E.EU
Agreements between the United States and China
- significant areas of improvement USA x PRC:
o The USA dropped its objections to China taking its seat on the Security
Council. Therefore, mainland China (the PRC) replaced Taiwan.
o Trade and travel restrictions between the two countries were lifted.
o Sporting events between the two countries took place, the most famous being
the visit of the US table-tennis team to Beijing (so-called ping-pong
diplomacy).
o Nixon visited China – the first American president to do so.
- these spurred deterrioration of USSR & PRC relations
o upperhand over USSR together
- triangular diplomacy
o USR & PRC relation gave more leverage and bargaining power in arms
agreement in USSR
- USA – still supporting Taiwan and stood firm in its independence
Helsinki Agreement
- high point of détente
- 1972 – Nixon agreed to take part in European Security Conference
o held in Helsinki, 1973
- 33 countries producing The Final Act on 1.8.1975, taking form of baskets
o Basket 1: Security basket
followed Willy Brandt’s Ostpolitik negotiations with the Soviet Union
and recognized that Europe’s frontiers were ‘inviolable’(that is, they
could not be altered by force)
both East Germany and West Germany were now recognized by both
sides of the Cold War divide
o Basket 2: Co-operation basket
called for closer ties and collaboration in economic, scientific, and
cultural fields
o Basket 3: Human rights basket
all of the signatories agreed to respect human rights and individual
freedoms, such as freedom of thought, conscience, or religion, and
freedom of travel
- USSR attitude controversial to Basket 3
o W hoping to undermine USSR’đ control in satellite states
setting up organisation to look over this
o however for Berzhnev the 1 and 2 Baskets were more important
Why did détente between the USA and the USSR come under pressure?
Political factors undermining détante
- USA though that arms agreement were benefitting USSR
o USSR building up a strategic based of ICBMs
o SALT I was effectively allowing the USSR to win the Cold War
- actions in Middle East & Africa as continuing expansionism
o Yom Kippur War 10.1973
USA suspected that the USSR known in advance about Egypt’s
surprise attack on Israel
agreement mentioned earlier, which the USA and the USSR had signed
promising to inform each other of any conflict that might threaten
world peace, the attack on Israel and its aftermath, in the words of
Anatoly Dobrynin, ‘definitely damaged the trust between the leadership
of both countries’
o Civil war in Angola
supporting the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
(MPLA) with military aid
USSR aid, along with aid given by Cuba, was key to the success
of the MPLA
o Ethiopia against Somalia in 1977
scale of intervention was worrying to the USA
seemed that the Soviets were involved expansionism in key areas
it was more a case of the Soviets randomly assisting Marxist
rebels throughout the world
o Dobrynin notes, this policy was a kind of ‘ideological
bondage’ which did not in fact benefit the Soviet Union
in the long term
- dissilusionment over the Basket 3 – presented by Carter (1976)
o e.g. allowing new trading agreements only if the Soviet Union would allow
Soviet Jews to emigrate
- Soviet Criticism of détente
o When Israel struck back in the 1973 war, trapping Egypt’s Third Army, the
Soviets tried to negotiate a solution with the US within a détente framework
(UN Security Council) to agree to a joint ceasefire.
The Israelis ignored this, however, and Soviet attempts to get the USA
to force Israel to abide by the ceasefire failed.
o USSR still believed that USA was in support of 3rd World anti-communist
regimes
Economic factors undermining détente
- both seen economic benefit
o USA economy started recoverin in 1970’s
o Oil price crisis of 1973, when OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries) launched an oil embargo against Israel’s allies in the
Yom Kippur War, W economies wanted to secure their economies
finding new sources of energy and setting up the G7
group of the main world economies, to work at creating
economic stability at the international level
1974-1978 - oil price stabilized, laying foundation for further
economic growth, thus removing economic motivations for
détente from the US’s side
- USA’s economy in decline
- USSR – inefficiency in central planning, rise of interest rates
o disastrous impact on economy
o 1950’s – 7% growth
o 1970’s – 3% growth
- Jackson–Vanik Amendment 1974
o significant restrictions on US–Soviet trade
o USSR thus pulled out of trade deals which would have given it the access it
needed to US technology
o thaw also due to USA’s pressure to persue Basket 3
- economic imbalance benefiting USA
o further USA hed less economic interest in détante
- the importance of safe guarding oil
o USA realizing their importance thus preventing any Soviet expansion
joepardizing it
Why did détente collapse?
- struggling to survive by late 1970’s
o collapsed completly by Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 1979
- this seemed as proof of Soviet intenations
o USSR considered as a peace threat
o determination to spread their influence beyond their borders
- Carter refused to sign SALT II
- stopping all electronic export to USSR
- forbiding Olympic participation in Moscow of 190
- also pledged to increase defence spending
- Carter Doctrine
o committing USA to intervention if the Soviets threatened Western interests in
the Persian Gulf
Was détente a fail?
- post-revisionist – Bowker/Williams
o détente was a necessary strategy to deal with the international situation and to
find methods of managing competition ‘in a way which prevented them from
degenerating into hostilities’
- Right-wing historians interpret détente as a weak policy that allowed the USSR to to
strengthen itself and gain access to Western technology at the expense of American
interests.
o Pipes, who views détente as nothing more than a ‘trick’ on the part of the
Soviets. The collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s is seen as a result of
hardline policies towards the Soviet Union. Détente had failed because it had
helped to keep the Soviet Union going.
Second Cold War
- election of Reagan – wave of anti-communism
- believed detente has been a failure
o that it was ised by USSR to presure their aims of world revolution
- anti-Soviet policies:
o Defence spending was increased by 13 per cent in 1982 and over 8 per cent in
each of the following two years. This was the largest peacetime build-up in US
history.
o New nuclear weapons were developed, including the stealth bomber and
Trident submarines.
o A new Strategic Defense Initiative was announced in 1983 (‘Star Wars’). This
was a research programme for setting up a space-based laser system that would
intercept and strike Soviet missiles. It undermined the whole idea of MAD
(mutually assured destruction – the ‘balance of terror’), which had acted as a
deterrence against either side using nuclear weapons.
o The Reagan Doctrine was announced. This gave assistance to anti-Communist
insurgents as well as anti-Communist governments – for example, the Contras,
a right-wing guerrilla group fighting against the left-wing government of the
Sandinistas in Nicaragua. The USA also supported an unpopular right-wing
government in El Salvador against a growing popular revolt by the left and, in
1983, US forces invaded the Caribbean island of Grenada and deposed its left-
wing government. In addition, aid was stepped up to the Mujahidin in
Afghanistan.
o The US deployed Intermediate Range Missiles (IRMs) in Western Europe to
counter the Soviet SS-20s.
o Reagan restricted trade with the Soviet Union, limiting Soviet access to US
technology as well as access to US oil and gas.
o He used aggressive language towards the Soviets, calling them an ‘evil empire’
and ‘the focus of evil in the modern world’.
- these renewed tensions were not easened by USSR, where Brezhnev died in 1982 and
was succeded by Andropov and then Chernenko in 1984, dying in 1985
- cimax of this occured when USSR shot down the Korean plane
o USSR claimed it was a CIA spy plane
o causing a lot of outrage
- this radically changed with emergence of Gorbachev as permier of Soviet Union
(1985)
Soviet containment 1945–1980
The impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis: mutually assured destruction (MAD)
- during CMS the tensions have peaked
- McNamara changed his policy to cause as much casualties
o known as MAD
if there was no one after, there’s no one to win
- proposed by B. Brodie in 1946
- both came to this concept and developed even more weapons but also wanted an
agreement to manage them
- thereby CMS was followed by:
o the Test-Ban Treaty in 1963, which stopped nuclear weapons testing in the
atmosphere
o the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968, which required nations
possessing nuclear weapons not to pass on relevant information or technology
to non-nuclear countries
o the Strategic Arms Limitation Interim Agreement in 1972, which restricted
the number of land- and sea-based ballistic missiles
- Eisenhower’s idea of open skies where satellites reconnaissance would be used to
minimalizethe probability for suprise attack
- The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972 also banned defences against long-range
missiles. This was to ensure that MAD remained the key strategy. If defences were
allowed, then one or both superpowers might believe that they stood a chance of using
nuclear weapons and this would take away the ‘stability’ that came from MAD
The impact of Reagan and Gorbachev
- Reagan changed this stability
o steppin up arms race (biggest arsenal in US history)
new advances (neutron bomb)
- SDI/Star Wars concerned the USSR
- dev of space-based missiles that could intervene any time
o undermining MAD, giving USA firststrike capability
- USSR’s economy on verge of collapse
o couldn’t compete with USA and it’s nucelear advance
- some historians believe that it was the threat of SDI that led directly to the success of
arms talks between Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and President Reagan
- change of Soviet premier G has also altered this course
o agrued that nuclear war was not possible, security must therefore be gained by
political rather than military means, and that negotiation and co-operation were
as important as the continued build-up of the military
- ‘reasonable suffciency’ - which meant that the Soviet Union should have only enough
weapons to defend itself, rather than enough to launch a pre-emptive strike or fight a
preventative war
o change in the Sotiet mindset and good relationship between Gorbachev and
Reagan - leading to end of rams race
The role of conventional weapons
- due to not ability of use of nuclear weapons, convetional had to be used
o central military strength
- Korean War & Vietnam War fought with conventional weapons
- USSR leading position
- mid-1970s, the Warsaw Pact countries had nearly twice as many men and three times
as many tanks in Europe as their counterparts in NATO
Space Race
- following the success in 1950’s K, claimed that the ‘economy, science, culture and the
creative genius of people in all areas of life develop better and faster under
Communism’
- part of military superiority and technology race
- Sputnik
o causing USA’s hysteria, not just because the USSR had beaten the US, but
because it could launch ballistic missiles that could reach the US
- satellites important for surveillance of the other side’s military installations
- succeded by first person in space
o Y. Gagarin – 12.4.1961
- US peak -Appolo 11 – 20.7.1969 – moonlanding
- key event symbolizing détente was the 41972 agreement on a co-operative Apollo–
Soyuz Test Project
o resulting in the 7.1975 meeting of a US astronaut crew with a Soviet
cosmonaut crew while orbiting the earth
Confrontation and reconciliation: The collapse of the Soviet
Union and the end of the Cold War
What was the impact of Mikhail Gorbachev?
- USSR’s legacy remained in authoritarian, single-party leadership, economically
focusing on military hardware, rather than housing, food, consumer goods and health
care
- G came into politburo with a fresh mindset
- introduction of glastnost (principle that every area of the regime should be open to
public scrutiny) & perestroika (restructuring the economy)
o radical change
o greater democratization
- trying to make it more productiove and responsive
o part of it was the reduction of economy spending
- decided to abondenthe arms race and negotiated reduction of arms with USA
- Mason – ‘He called for a new thinking in international a- airs, and he said that there
could be ‘no winners’ in a nuclear war. Gorbachev declared the world to be
interdependent and likened all its people ‘to climbers roped together on the
mountainside’
- Cherobyl disaster only hightened the awareness of nuclear destruction
- Reagan was also interested in disarmament
o put forward to USSR an arms control proposal – ‘zero option’
elimination of all intermediate-range missiles in Europe
o G was prepared to discuss this option
- leading to summits regrading arms control:
o Geneva Summit, 11.1985
no substantial progress
establishment of personal rapport and agreement that ‘a nuclear war
cannot be won and must not be fought’.
o Reykjavik Summit, 10.1986
without agreement, mainly due to disagreement over SDI
G said that SDI should be ‘confined to the laboratory’
R refused to make any concessions
However, the talks also covered the most sweeping arms control
proposals in history, and Gorbachev declared that it had ‘been
an intellectual breakthrough’ in relations between the United
States and the Soviet Union
o Washington Summit, 12.1987
agreement was reached.
An Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty (INF Treaty) was
signed, agreed to abolish weapons: land-based missiles of intermediate
and shorter range
first step in reducing the nuclear powers
agreement was also reached for the first time on inspection of the
destruction of missiles
o Moscow Summit, 5.1988
disagreement over SDI, but arms reductions negotiations continued
Standing in Red Square, Reagan confessed that he now no longer
believed in the ‘evil empire’
What was the role of Ronald Reagan?
- G willingness to tackle nuclea issue, new style politics
o as significant factors of end of Cold War
- somehistorians argue that Reagan’s approach in 1980’s crucial in pushing USSR to
negotiate
- Reagan victory school is critical of détente approach to USSR relations
o P. Glynn – ‚The Jimmy Carter–Cyrus Vance approach of rewarding the
Soviet build-up with one-sided arms control treaties, opening Moscow’s
access to Western capital markets and technologies, and condoning Soviet
imperial expansion was perfectly designed to preserve the Brezhnev-style
approach, delivering the Soviets from any need to re-evaluate (as they did
under Gorbachev) or change their policies. Had the Carter–Vance approach
been continued … the Cold War and the life of the Soviet Union would almost
certainly have been prolonged. ‘
- M. McGuire
o Reagan played important role, but this role was more connected to his views
on eliminating nuclear weapons
which helped at negotiation summits to convince Gorbachev of the
possibilities of halting the nuclear arms race
Reagan’s character and willingness to engage with Gorbachev was also
important
Long-term factors in the ending of the Cold War
What was the role of the Soviet economy?
- by the death of Brezhnev in 1983, USSR’s economy wa salready in eocnomic and
political crisis
- USSR had enormous expenses on foreign policy
o despite the arms treaties, USSR still wanted to reach pairity with USA
- mid-1980’s – 25% GDP spent on military
o USA – 4-6%
- support of Soviet bloc, satellite states and sphere of ifluence was costly (billions)
- Brezhnev’s era as as periosd of stagnation
o reisous lack of consumer goods, domestic economy
still based on command economy
o falling behind and industrial output declining
- most agricultural workers lived in poverty
o grain imported
- labor morale low – high abstenteeism, alcoholism
- G inherited seriously hapered economy
- 1967-1980 – annual growth declinedfrom 5.2% to 2%
o also hit by fall of oil and gas prices
- thus G was forced to take the actions that he did in both internal reform and
negotiations with the W
- given situation in USSR, some historians argue (in direct contradiction with the
historians of the ‘Reagan victory school’) that keeping the Cold War going through
containment and détente played a role in bringing about the end of the Cold War
rather than prolonging it
Gorbachev’s informs – Impact
- internal reforms were significant in collapse
o perestroik & glasnost
- economic reforms ecouraging private ownership – leading to large chaos
o The Law on Co-operatives of 1987
permitted private ownership of businesses in the service,
manufacturing, and foreign trade sectors. Workers were allowed to
leave collective farms.
o The Enterprise Law in July 1987
transferred decision-making from the central ministries to the
enterprises and managers in state-owned companies, who were now
given much more power.
o The Law on Joint Ventures
allowed foreign ownership of companies.
- no effective system that would take care of market economy
o liberalization coincided with a fall in the world’s oil prices
1991 – economic growth had dropped to −15%
- glasnost – floodgate for criticism
o both old & current policies
old – criticized for failing to compete capitalism
new – failure to solve country’s problem
What was the role of ideological challenge and people power in ending the Cold War?
- late 1980’s resurgence in nationalist movement in satellite states because:
o deterioration of living standards
as in the Soviet Union, the state-controlled industries in the satellite
states were ineffcient in quality and quantity
consumer goods short supply (food, clothes, housing)
E.Germany and CSR, on the borders of W.Europe, could see
images of Capitalist living on W.German television, and it
looked decidedly superior to what they were experiencing in the
East
economic slow-down of the Soviet Union further impacted on
the satellite states
o growing disillusion with the Communist Party
corrupt – leaders interested in preserving their own privileges than in
making life better for the workers
1980s – the regimes of E.Europe were led by men who had no interest
in reform, and were out of touch with the people they ruled
They maintained their positions through a repressive police network.
o implications of G reforms of glasnost and perestroika. Gorbachev also made it
clear that he was unwilling to use force to maintain control over the satellite
states
- 7.12.1988 – UN speech of G
o announcinf the USSR would cout by half of its troops to Warsaw Pact
o suggesting the force is not a tool of foreign policy, emphasizing freedom
clear signal for E.EU
o denouncing Brezhnev Doctrine
o satellite states could determine their own internal affairs
sometime called Sinatra Doctrine
o Reynolds wanted to humanity to took precendence
‚Unlike Khrushchev in 1956, Brezhnev in 1968, or the Chinese
Communist regime that very year in Tiananmen Square, he refused to
sanction the use of force when reform got out of hand and turned into
revolution ‘
- thus 1989 series of revolution in satellite states
- collapse begun in 5.1989
o HU Prime Minister M. Németh
gov could not afford to maintain the automatized border control along
the boundary against Austria
belief that it was no longer necessary, since Hus were allowed to travel
many escaped to W
Events in PL
- Solidarity supressed in 1981 by Jaruzelski
o declared martial law
- still strong support and with economic stagnation, which the government failed to
solve, and support from the Catholic Church
- in response to G reforms
o Solidarity was legalized in 1988
o attempt to introduce reforms was made
- Solidarity was first free elections in 1989
- Jaruzelski remianed president, but leader of Solidarity of Walesa became prime
minister
- Communist Party defeated by a huge popular vote
o the first in the Eastern bloc since the 1940s not to be controlled by
Communists
- G didn’t intervene
o absence of internal or external support, the Polish Communist Party collapsed
Events of E.Germany
- Honecker, hardline communist, in power since 1971
o although the most successful still below W
- Honecker used sport for focus for national identity
o still wanting reunified DE
- Evidence of the insecurity felt by Honecker’s regime was the extremely repressive
nature of the East German secret police, the Stasi.
o kept files on 5.5 million people
o regime was unpopular, Honecker hated
o mid-1980s – growing pressure on the government to remove him
- Honecker wanted to consolidate power
o open criticism and demand for reforms
- many E.DE escaped trhough HU
- coming back to Berlin War (prior)
- ‘New Forum’ groups that decided to stay and resist rather than flee to the West
- Honecker wanted to use force to consolidate power
o G didn’t want to intervene if full-scale revolt
- demonstrations in E.DE cities continued to grow and a new leader, E. Krenz, put in
Politburo
o 9.11.1989 – the easing of travel and emigration restrictions
not actually intended to signify an immediate opening of the
checkpoints through the Berlin Wall, the lack of clarity in the ofcial
statement meant that thousands of East Berliners immediately
descended on the checkpoints
- guards had no option than to open the barrier
- Berlin Wall ceased to be the symbol of Cold War division
- 1990 – free elections
o parties in favour of unification won a majority of seats
- East and West Germany were finally reunited on 3 October 1990.
The end of the USSR
- abroad G was admired for his policies
- 1990 – Gawarded Nobel Price
o the unability to economically improve the situation decreased his popluarity
- situation in E.EU cause other states of USSR to call for independence
- 1991 – disintegration of USSR
o 8.1991 - Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania claimed their
independence, as did the other republics that had been part of the USSR
- this break-up intensified hostility towards G in USSR
- 8.1991 - n attempted coup by Communist hardliners against G
o defeated by Boris Yeltsin, who was already president of Russia at this time and
an opponent of Gorbachev due to his much more radical views on how to deal
with the economyy, the structure of the Soviet Union, and the position of the
Communist Party
- Although G was restored as a result of Yeltsin standing up to the hardliners, he had
now lost authority
o humiliated by Yeltsin
o 25.12.1991 G resigned as president of the USSR
o Commonwealth of Independent States was established and the Soviet Union
formally ceased to exist
What was the impact of the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War?
- huge impact on international politics, economic situation due to many countries
depended on USSR’s aid
- USA percieve themselves as wiinners
o unipolar politics – with USA the only country capable of having having
military allience with
- capitalism triumphed
o communism - Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, China
China and Vietnam, changes in economic controls allowed free-market
forces to have an impact
- Cuba – economic crisis due to lack of Soviet economic aid and US trade embargo
- Africa – supported by USSR
o economically suffered
- other states that had been the focus of superpower conflict and fighting, such as
Afghanistan, conflict continued:
o Westad - ‚Indeed, many of the Third World countries that had been the focus
of excessive superpower interest in the 1970s and 1980s were dubbed ‘failed
states’ in the 1990s as civil strife continued unabated and often with relatively
little attention from the rest of the world. ‘
The impact of Cold War tensions on the United Nations
Association Principles
- setting up of peace-lowing states together
- dispute over USSR x USA – as not interiely peace-loving
o example, between 1946 and 1961 the Soviet Union used its veto 96 times to
block the memberships of Ceylon, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, and Spain. The USA
and its Western allies did likewise over the memberships of Albania, Bulgaria,
Hungary, and Romania
The American perspective and expectations
- superpowers had different expectations
- former isolationists had no practical experience as leaders in peacetime
- belief that the international collective represented by the UN would support US values
o UN was to promote only moderate and constructive change
o revolutionary and violent change was to be suppressed
foundation for peace would be built on fostering US-style economic
objectives in a global free market
The Soviet perspective and expectations
- USSR in contrast set out UN to promote their ideological beliefs
o opposing to US model
- seeing US as only to prevent great war
- aimed to encourage revolutionar change
o also wanted to reatin power
- from their perspective economic and social change couldn’t be based on global free
marekt
- suspicious of UN Charter & International Court of Justice
o as some clauses appeared to support capitalism
- viewing its role as marginal
The impact of the emergence of Cold War tension on the UN
- Cold War would have an impact on actions of UN
- Senator William Fulbright commented about the first years of the UN, it was ‘a
history of retreat from false hopes and of adjustment to the reality of a divided world’
- although peacemaking the main aim it was difficult
o due to its main superpowers being against
impeding UN’s actions
- UN didn’t intervene in 1945-1949 in USSR nor with Truman Doctrine
- no UN alternative of US aid to shift Soviet sphere of influence
- during first Cold War crisis of Berlin Blockade the UN was powerless
o Whittaker suggests, by the end of the 1940s it was clear that ‘Europe’s
collective security depended then on a pull-back from the brink by major
contestants without any prospect of UN intervention’
- this suggest that UN’s pursuit of peacemaking were hapered by the superpower
rivalries
- points to UN being marginalized in 1940’s due to its lack of intervention
o only way of avoiding irrelevance was ‘mediation principle’
‘peacekeeping’ would give the United Nations a role in the Cold War
The UN and the global Cold War: the 1950s
- poised to take global dimension with increasing hostility
o international relations were increasingly determined by individual countries
aligning with one or other of the superpowers thus hampering their importance
- NSC-68 proclaimed USSR as ‘slave society’ and claimed that communism must be
resited with force
o addition of McCarthyism – UN working of USSR (spying on USA)
despite USA having superiority
- Truman, 1948 - ‘The United Nations is a God-given vehicle through which the United
States can build up a community of powers … to resist Soviet aggression and maintain
our historic interests.’
- USSR percieved UN as tool of W
o e.g. American refusal in 1949 to recognize Mao’s new People’s Republic as
the legitimate Chinese government
USSR boycotting UN as a result of Korean War
The impact of Cold War tensions on the UN’s first decade
- significant impacts:
o Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the Convention on Genocide (1948)
- still limited in terms of international crisis
- broadening Korean War
o violating UN princile mandate
- impact on Suez was limited
o due to main superpowers involved
- fails to act:
o Hungarian Uprising (1956)
o USA interference in internal affairs of sovereign states
- cover operations of US – Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954)
o overthrowing of gov
UN during 1960’s
- USA’s colonial domination
- Africa in battle between idologies
o former colonies and new states needed aid, making them valnurable
e.g. Congo
- throughout 1960’s UN persuing peacemaking
o usually in not strategic area to superpowers
o USA’s force to impose on Cuba
invasion of Bay of Pigs
lack of UN involement
The UN and détente, 1968–1979
- fear of mutual destructions between USA & USSR
o both more likely to look for agreement whenconflicts arose
- more willingness for UN cooperation
- 1960’s – change in UN
o shift from W dominated to non-aligned states
by end, USA was no-longer ideologically superior
- unmber of limites successes
o 1965 – UN involved in achieving a ceasefire in Kashmir (India x Pakistan)
o 1974 – Cyprus invaded by Turkey
- UN impotent in terms of superpower aggression
o 1968 – Prague Spring
- Security Council waned to take actions, yet vetoed by USSR
o USSR claimed that the CSR requested assistance - CSR denied
o UN was powerless
- UN powerless in Chile
o 10.1970 – elected Marxist government of S. Allende
CIA involved in covert attempts to undermine Allende in election
Nixon with use of CIA wanted to destabilize it for 3y
o 9.1973 – military coup
Allende dead
gov under anti-Communist General, A. Pinochet
UN impotent
The UN and the Second Cold War
- resumed tensions after détente, revealing again the superpower dependence
o unable to reach agreements on responses of Security Council
- could be argued that the UN’s key function of responding to potential conflict
situations, only possible when the Cold War was not played out in the Security
Council
- shifting UN’s function to protection of smaller nations from afression of biggere
nations and their spehres of influence
o only importance of UN
The UN and the end of the Cold War
- due to ineffectiveness of UN during Cold War many hoped for bigger influence post
o no longer held by opposing forces, crippling its ability
- launch of peacemaking missions
o mainly post 1988
- however the UN was still dominated by self-inerested states
The UN and the Cold War: Conclusion
- 1950’s – seen as W alliance system
- General Assembly dominated by W
- decolonization movement in 1960’s
o emergence of newly independent states shifted this balance
- Cold War more significant on the UN than the other way around
- times when states were able to stand up to the dominance of the superpowers
o Non-Alignment Movement – but even this did not really empower the UN as
an independent organization
- UN success dependant on superpowers
o sometimes only had to remain passive
- usually when it got involved it had negative impact upon USSR and USA relationship
o peacekeeping missions often aggravated the tensions between the Soviets and
the Americans
- generally accepted Cold War held UN hostage
o however, this perception may have been an exaggeration, as during the post-
Cold War era the UN has had similar problems in controlling the domination
of the USA, and has shown itself limited in achieving collective security
through military action
The impact of leaders on the course and development of 17 the
Cold War
- Molotov – ‘Roosevelt believed that Russians would come and bow down to America
and beg, since Russia is a poor country, without industry, without bread. But we
looked at it differently. For the people were ready for sacrifi ce and struggle.’
- key summary points:
Gorbachev
- He pursued a foreign policy based on co-operation rather than confrontation.
- He believed that negotiations should take place to reduce nuclear weapons and end the
arms race. His nuclear policy was now ‘reasonable suffciency’.
- His actions towards the West were conciliatory and reassuring: for example,
withdrawing Soviet troops from Afghanistan, agreeing to several face-to-face
meetings, and ultimately signing the INF Treaty.
- His actions within the Soviet Union inadvertently brought about the end of the Cold
War; his economic reforms caused the collapse of the Soviet Union from within.
- He abandoned the Brezhnev Doctrine and did not use force against the protests in the
USSR’s satellite states; this allowed the peaceful collapse of the satellite empire
Reagan
- His military spending of the early 1980s forced the Soviets to compete with the USA;
due to the economic weakness of the USSR, they could not keep up, and this was a
factor that forced Gorbachev to seek both internal economic reform and negotiation.
- Reagan’s policy of SDI undermined the concept of MAD and left the USSR
vulnerable. This again forced the USSR to the negotiating table.
- Reagan’s hardline approach to Soviet actions in Afghanistan made it di- cult for the
USSR to continue this war.
- Reagan also exposed the weaknesses of détente, which was a policy that favoured the
USSR.
- He was committed to anti-nuclearism.
- In negotiating with Gorbachev, he proved to be a good negotiator who was also
prepared to reverse his views on the ‘evils’ of Communism.
Sample essay title
Compare and contrast the roles of Reagan and Gorbachev in the course and development of
the Cold War.
Comparisons
- Both men saw the dangers of nuclear weapons – they even discussed the zero option
of getting rid of nuclear weapons altogether.
- Both men worked together in the various summits to come to an agreement on nuclear
weapons.
- Both were prepared to reverse their previous positions in order make compromises.
Contrasts
- Reagan started out with a very hardline position against the Soviet Union and by
increasing spending on weapons; Gorbachev started out by being conciliatory.
- Gorbachev’s actions were determined more by events within the USSR; he needed to
reduce spending on weapons. Reagan on the other hand was prepared to keep up
spending on the military if necessary.
- Gorbachev’s actions had a larger impact as they led to the collapse of the USSR and
thus, ultimately, the end of the Cold War (though some historians would argue that
this was still determined by Reagan’s actions).
Cuba
- embroiled in Cold War politics since Castro took on and started carrying out political,
economic and social reforms
- throughout he allied USSR and with Cuban Missile Crisis shown its independent path
- USA tried to get rid of him
Impact of Cold War tensions on the nature and direction of Cuba’s revolution
- Castro immediatelly adressed his five revolutionary laws that would become his
mainfesto:
o return power to the people
o give land rights for those holding or squatting on smaller plots
o allow workers to have a 30 per cent share of profits
o allow sugar plantation workers to have a 55 per cent share of profits
o bring an end to corruption
- promises of hospitals, pensions, public education, nationalization , ...
- after entering Havana in 1959, following the defeat of Batista after a guerrilla war, he
was ready to implement the fi ve revolutionary laws
- in context of Cold War these policies seemed suspicious to USA (as communist)
o e.g. Agrarian Reform Act of July 1959, which sought to break up the large
land holdings and redistribute them to the peasants
- Castro apprached USA with aid for revolution, but refuted due to communist nature
o getting rid of US monopolies and breaking up large estates (many American)
confirmed the US’s views
o USA – imposed economic embargoes on the country, reducing the amount of
sugar that was bought, before ultimately imposing a total blockade
Operation Mongoose involved the CIA carrying out acts of sabotage
against the Cuban economy
- Castro started calling revolution socialist only after US air raids (16.4.1961), in
prelude to Bay of Pigs
- From Bay of Pigs invasion through end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Castro openly
claimed he is Marxist
o Cuban military needed military support and commitment of USSR to protect
Cuban revolution from US
US failure at the Bay of Pigs increased nationalist sentiment in Cuba
perceived threat and ‘siege’ conditions imposed
enabling Castro to consolidate his control
The impact of the Cold War on Cuba’s economy
- Castro believed that Soviet command economy would be suitable
- with USA’s trade embargo, Castro co-operated with USSR
o similar approach to Stalin in 1930’s with isolation
- despite USSR’s investment the sugar producation fluctuated
o poor harvest of 1968-1969
- ‚battle of sugar‘ – increasing yields of sugard
- 1970’s economy increased bue to increased sugar prices
- still developed debt to USSR
o this led to them seek economic advice
7.1972 – joining COMECON
Castro went to Moscow to finalize 15y economic agreement with
Brezhnev
gave Cuba even more subsidies, including an increase in price
for sugar, deferment of debt, and $350 million of investment
- USSR determined to support Cuba
- as the tensions decreased, so did USSR’s interest
- economic relationship between Cuba and the USSR changed as Mikhail Gorbachev
introduced his wide-ranging reforms
- G wanted to reduce Soviet support
o cut subsidies
o informed that Cuba now has to pay in US dollars for USSR goods
- dramatic impact of the end of Cold War
o end of agreements
o cut oil supplies by 60 per cent by 1991 – gas, electricity, water shortages
o almost collapsed – -35% GDP by 1993
- 7.1993 - Castro responded by legalizing dollar
- permitted ‘self-employment’
- despite the real crisis in the economy, Cuba maintained much of his Cold War rhetoric
and his opposition to Capitalism
The impact of the Cold war on the nature of Castro’s government
- continued hostility of Cuba and US lead to important strengthening of power
o under the threat of imperialism, Cuba forced to take on laws
- Bay of Pigs, survival of US attacks hightened Castro’s appeal and nationalism
- importance of unity – due to threats and propaganda
Impact of Cold War tensions on Cuban Foreign Policy
- rivalry led to USSR dependence
- after Cuban Missile Crisis, Castro felt as a pawn in superpower game
o due to this he tried to follow more independent path
- Non-Alignment Movement
o due to importance of USSR’s aid forced to follow USSR’s policies
Latin America
- Cuban victory seen as victory over American imperialism
- his victory used to support other colonial countries
- wanted to export revolution
o Cuba as an example of the successes of guerilla war agains oppresive systems
- in line with Marxist–Leninist ideology in terms of fostering class struggle and
liberating the exploited masses
- Cuba trained revolutionary groups
- USA concerned over Cuban provocation
- where ever Cuba tried to intervene or start revolution USA would intervene
o Grenada – 1983 (Reagan)
Africa
- Castro as a proponenet of internationalism and anti-imperialism
o encouraging decolonization
- USSR & USA again supporting different rebel groups
- Castro sending troops
o e.g. Mozambique, Angola
- Angola strengthened Castro’s position
- 9.1979 – Castro was elected leader of the Non-Aligned Movement
Egypt
- G.A.Nasser – 1956
- affected by Cold War policies
- belief that he could pursue an independent course in the Cold War
o quickly drew suspicion from the US and more closely into an USSR alliance
Sample essay
Compare and contrast the causes, impacts, and signifi cance of the Berlin Crisis, 1958–1961
and the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962.
Similarities of causes
- It could be argued that both were initiated by the Soviet Union under Khrushchev.
- Both involved the consolidation/defence of superpower spheres of infl uence.
- Both crises were precipitated by US economic policies towards Cuba and Berlin.
- In both cases, Khrushchev was under pressure from the local Communist leadership –
Castro and Ulbricht – to take action.
- In both cases, the USSR presented its actions as defensive.
- There was a fear on both sides that, as tension escalated, it could lead to direct
confrontation.
Differences of causes
- Putting missiles in Cuba was Khrushchev’s idea, whereas with regard to Berlin,
Ulbricht seized the initiative to build a wall.
- Khrushchev’s bid to force the West out of Berlin, followed by the building of the wall,
was an attempt to save the economy of East Germany, so was a more passive and
defensive measure, whereas putting missiles in Cuba was more off ensive.
- The Berlin Crisis was an attempt to push the USA out of the Soviet sphere of infl
uence, whereas the Cuban crisis was an attempt by the Soviets to expand into the US
sphere of infl uence in the Americas region.
- The US reaction to the construction of the wall was to merely condemn it, whereas it
reacted strongly to the missiles going into Cuba and demanded their removal.
Similarities of impact
- Both brought the USA and USSR dangerously close to confl ict, especially after the
Vienna Summit (for Berlin) and after missiles were discovered (for Cuba).
- Both ultimately led to an easing of tension – though the arms race continued and
intensified.
- The handling of both crises was criticized by other Communist countries.
- It could be argued that the outcome of both crises was a failure for Khrushchev but a
victory for Kennedy.
- However, in both crises Khrushchev had gained something – the sealing of the escape
route via East Berlin and the dismantling of the missile bases in Turkey.
Differences of impact
- The Berlin Wall resolved the issue that had led to the crises – the USA was content to
let the wall remain and there was no longer pressure on the USSR over the human
exodus. Although the wall was embarrassing, the fact that Khrushchev was forced to
remove missiles from Cuba was deeply humiliating. The USSR lost a lot of credibility
because of the crisis.
- The issue of missiles in Cuba was more dangerous; having missiles only 90 miles off
the coast of the USA was an even greater issue for America than the question of
Berlin.
- The Cuban Missile Crisis was far more damaging for the USSR in terms of its
relationship with other Communist countries; the results were condemned by the PRC
and led to a period of hostility and resentment from Castro’s Cuba.
- Whereas the results of the Berlin Crisis led to the refocusing of superpower rivalry to
other regions, the Cuban Missile Crisis led to a more tangible period of rapprochement
as both sides wanted to prevent another crisis on this level. It led to the development
of more direct lines of communication and it led to arms talks.
Similarities of significance
- Both showed that the two sides were prepared to pull back from the brink to prevent a
nuclear war.
Differences of significance
- The Berlin Wall removed the issue of Germany – as a source of confl ict – from the
Cold War, but Cuba remained an ongoing problem for America.
- The Cuban Missile Crisis had a greater impact on the behaviour of the two
superpowers and ultimately helped lead to arms agreements and to détente.
- The Cuban Missile Crisis further developed the Sino-Soviet split.