Origins of the Cold War

I. Cold War

A. Definition: An indirect conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States over ideological differences.

B. Russian Revolution:

1. Czar Nicholas II and World War I: unpopular, steps down. He and family are executed.

2. Bolshevik Revolution: revolt ed by Vladimir Lenin overthrew the provisional Russian Government.

3. Civil War (1917-1922): Won by the Reds, Lenin takes over, installs a communist system in the new United Soviet Socialist Republic (U.S.S.R.) also known as the Soviet Union.

Cold War/Russian Revolution

C. Capitalism vs Communism

Capitalism: An economic system in which businesses are privately owned and compete for their own economic gain, where prices, production, and the distribution of goods are determined mainly by competition in a free market.

Communism: A doctrine based on the Socialist Theory of Karl Marx; a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls the means of production. The collective, or state ownership of business will provide for the needs of the whole.

Capitalism vs Communism

D. United States vs. U.S.S.R. (pre-World War II)

1. Lenin speaks of spreading Communism around the world. 2. Treaty of Versailles: a. Bolsheviks, despite being allied with Great Britain and France, broker a separate peace with Germany in 1917, a year before the war ended.

b. mired in Civil War, the allies do not invite Russia to the peace conference. 1.) looses part of Russia to create Poland 2.) Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are carved out of Russia. c. U.S. and Great Britain send troops to fight for the “Whites” and against the “Reds” led by Lenin. d. The “Reds” win.

Russian Civil War

3. Non-recognition: a. U.S. refused to recognize the U.S.S.R.

b. FDR finally recognizes the Soviet Union in 1933

4. Uneasy alliance: a. Hitler’s Germany rises to power in the 1930s.

b. German-Russo non-aggression pact (1939): agreement to carve up Poland and regain

territory lost in the Treaty of Versailles without war between the two.

c. September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland. World War I begins!

d. Soviet Union invades Poland two weeks later followed by invasions of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Uneasy alliance

e. 1940: Germany invades the Soviet Union

f. December 7, 1941: Japanese invade Pearl Harbor. U.S. declares war the next day.

g. December 10, 1941: Germany, allied with Italy an Japan, declares war on the United States. h. The United States and the Soviet Union now have a common enemy in Adolph Hitler’s Germany.

Vladimir Lenin (d. 1924)

Josef Stalin (1924-1953)

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend”

Beginning of WW II

Uneasy Allies

E. United States vs. U.S.S.R. during World War II

1. Heavy toll: Soviets suffer great losses and destruction during the German advance.

b. Soviet Deaths: 29 million dead (military and civilian)

2. Big 3: Josef Stalin, Winston Churchill, and FDR

3. Second Front: a. Stalin wanted the allies to open a second front in France to take the pressure off his people – Churchill, FDR choose to invade Africa and Italy first.

5. Wartime Meetings: Tehran (1943), Yalta (Feb. 1945), and Potsdam (July 1945)

4. Invasion of France, June 1944.

Atlantic Charter

A. What is the Atlantic Charter and it’s principle features?

Churchill and Roosevelt meet to set down common principles in national policy that they base their hopes for a better future in the world.

*** 60 Countries sign it ***

- rights of countries to choose own government; self government restored to those deprived in WWII.

- freedom of the seas

- full collaboration among states for economic benefits to all countries

II. Atlantic Charter

Polish Objections to the Atlantic Charter

1. Will the displaced peoples have a voice?

2. What will the territorial boundaries be?

3. Self-Determination through Democracy.

The Poles want the Germans out!

4. Poles want a voice.

B. Polish Objections to the Atlantic Charter

Post War Goals – Great Britain

Winston Churchill

- Keeping Britain’s stature in the world as a Colonial power

- Containing Communism while Spreading Democracy

- Keep Germany on the side of the western allies (democracy)

III. Post War Goals of the Big 3

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

- Spreading Democracy

- strong trade ties with Europe – Freedom of the seas

- Avoid mistakes of WWI – Collective Security; the formation of the United Nations.

- Saw himself as the fulcrum in the alliance of the Big 3.

Post War Goals – United States

Josef Stalin

- Creating their own sense of collective security

Post War Goals – Soviet Union

A sphere of influence favorable to Communism

• a territorial buffer zone to thwart future invasion

• an ideological sphere of countries with similar ideals about government.

- No more German democracies; annihilation of Germany.

Soviet Mistrust of the U.S.1. Limited Diplomacy with the west.

2. Theodore Roosevelt intervening in the war with Japan in 1906.

3. Capitalism vs. Communism

4. U.S., G.B. sent troops during Russian civil war in 19205. U.S. policy of non-recognition (1922-33)

6. Intense anti-Russian sentiment in the 1920s (Red Scare)

7. U.S. failure to open a second front in Europe during WWII.

Soviet Mistrust of the U.S. 2

8. German reunification

9. Overtures by Patton to “finish the job”

10. Failure to include the Soviets (making of the A-bomb)

11. Failure to provide loans to the Russians

12. U.S. build up after the war.

7. Poland.

Henry Wallace

-Nuclear Weapons are cheap and easy. They won’t keep the peace, but cause more conflict.

-Russians have deep rooted fears – some caused by the United States.

- Suggestions

FDR VP (1941-44), Truman Secretary of Commerce

1. Should “appease” the Soviets with a treaty.

ex.) give access to nuclear energy, give up Eastern Europe.

2. Lessen the Rhetoric

3. Don’t be so unilateral – work with the United Nations

Henry Wallace

Quotes

“The Russians obviously see themselves as fighting for their own existence in a hostile world.” - Henry Wallace

“(The Russians are)…a malignant parasite that feeds on diseased tissue.

- George F. Kennan (U.S. Embassy, Moscow)

Kennan’s Long Telegram

1. Soviet goal to undermine military and

political potential of western powers

2. Violent efforts will be made to weaken

the colonies of western powers.

3. Remove all governments that stand in the way of Soviet Purpose

4. Work to destroy all forms of independence and western morale

5. Set western powers against each other.

6. Soviet efforts will be negative and destructive in character,

designed to tear down (democracies).

George F. Kennan

February 22, 1946

(stationed at U.S. Embassy in Moscow, 1944-46)

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Sources_of_Soviet_Conduct

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Long_Telegram

Containment Policy

• Truman Doctrine

• Marshall Plan

• NSC-68

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• Crisis in Greece and Turkey

Cold War EuropeCold War Europe

A Divided GermanyA Divided Germany

Berlin AirliftBerlin AirliftJune 25, 1948: Soviets announce they will no longer supply western zone with food and electrical power.

They also deny land access to West Berlin. In effect, the Soviets were blockading West Berlin.

West Berliners were in need of supplies. Life was hard as a result of this blockade.

The United States, Great Britain, and France were forced into action…

All trees in the city were chopped down and used for fuel and scavenged garbage for food.

“Operation VittlesOperation Vittles” Allied response was a massive 15 month relief effort.

Average: 8,000 tons/day

Planes would take off from allied West Germany and fly into West Berlin. A plane would land every three minutes

United States efforts:

A total of 189,963 flights that carried 1,783,573 tons of food, coal, and other supplies.

The Blockade ended May 11, 1949

The airlift ended Sept. 30, 1949

Propaganda