Europe divided into two influences:

Eastern- USSR (Communism): Few political rights, religious beliefs not tolerated with one-party rule.
Western- USA (Capitalism): Free with religion or political beliefs, with multi-party elections.

ANTECEDENTS

 Russian revolution (17’): In the past USA and Britain took part in the war against communists, and this led
to fears of a future attacks from capitalists.
 Nazi Soviet Pact (39’): USA suspected that Russia would want this pact to expand and talked about the
need for a revolution between communism and capitalism in the future.
 German invasion of USSR (41’): After this war, Russia had intentions to defeat Nazism.
 Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt at Tehran- Iran (43’): These three met to invade France, but this led to
disagreement and USSR was given little money to spend.
 Potsdam and Yalta Conferences (45’): USSR, USA, UK disagreed in many things such as the future
government of Poland and that Stalin (USSR) wanted Germany’s industries. But they agreed in other
things such as the fact that each country had to take reparations, no one could make decisions about
Germany without their approval, and put a Council to deal with defeated countries. Also, Truman and
Stalin, in secret, tested an atomic weapon with the Manhattan Project.

Post-war World: In 1944, Churchill (UK) met Stalin (USSR) to discuss the spheres of influences (territory
where one country has a political/economical control) and decided to assign them in South-eastern
Europe. In 1945, these two, and Roosevelt (USA) met at Yalta, USSR. Then they met again in Potsdam, near
Berlin. Later, Roosevelt died, and his successor was Harry Truman.

Cold War 1947-1989

Containment Policy from Truman Doctrine: his policy of containment consisted in a commitment called
“The Truman Doctrine” to help any threatened country and the creation of the “Marshall Aid” (European
recovery programme) to steady the economy of Europe and prevent the growth of communism.

Stalin’s response: He was not comfortable with this policy, so he established the COMINFORM to ensure
all the communist parties of eastern and western Europe followed the USSR communism.

Berlin Blockade: Stalin wanted to block west Berling, by air crafting, and moving it eastwards.
CONSEQUENCES: It led to political, economic, military, and territorial division of Europe for 40 years.
Berlin would be divided into 4 zones, the Soviet Union took reparation payments from Germany, and
wartime powers agreed to denazify and demilitarize Germany.

 North Atlantic Treaty Organization/ NATO (49’): Western military alliance against Soviet Union. The
nations were: USA, UK, Canada, France, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands,
and Luxemburg. West Germany joined in 55’ provided that it didn’t possess any kind of weapon.
 West Berlin was not German’s, but East Berlin did, and it was its capital. In 1949 the Council of Mutual
Economic Assistance (COMECON) was created to direct the national economies of the Soviet bloc. In this
year, Soviet Union defeated the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan), developed a model for the post-
war world, and turned into Cold War. Before 1950, USA wanted better relations with western states and
supported the development of the European Coal and Steel Community.
 The Warsaw Pact (55’): Eight communist countries agreed in Poland to unify their armed forces in
response to West Germany’s rearmament and its incorporation with the NATO. The nations were: Albania,
Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Soviet Union (this one dominated).
Who is to blame for the Cold War: USA OR USSR?

Ways to blame Stalin: “USSR couldn’t coexist its own system of government throughout the world.” The
creation of COMECON ensured that each country followed the Soviet model of economic policy. Also, The
COMINFORM ensured his intentions to weaken capitalist society through communist parties.
Ways to defend Stalin: “Stalin’s actions were purely defensive in nature”. Western Allies delayed opening
a second front in the west to weaken Soviet Union. Also, USA kept details of the Manhattan Project (US
research project to develop an atomic bomb).

Ways to blame USA: Marshall Aid was to provide US goods and capitalism; Truman was also very
aggressive; the Potsdam agreement was to put capitalism across the whole Germany.

Ways to defend USA: Western countries were free to decide their political/ economical choice, the
Truman Doctrine was defensive, and it took two years to respond to the Soviet policies in eastern Europe.