The USSR (Communist) in 10 points:

1. Was a one party dictatorship. They had elections, but all of the candidates were Communist (what wa the point exactly?!!!)

2. Saw the rights of individuals as much less important than the good of society and therefore tightly controlled individuals’ lives.

3. Had censorship.4. Believed that other countries should be

run in the Communist way.5. Firmly believed that the role of the

Communist state was to encourage a worldwide Communist revolution.

6. Were bitterly opposed to Capitalism.7. Believved that everyone was EQUAL.8. Had an extensive Secret Police service

(KGB)

The USA (Capitalist) in 10 points:

1. Was a democracy, its government was chosen in free democratic elections.

2. It was capitalist. Business and property were privately owned.

3. For Americans being free of government control was more important than everyone being equal.

4. 4. Believed that other countries should be run in the American way.

5. Were bitterly opposed to Communism and were scared by the Communist desire for a revolution.

6. Saw their policy as ‘doing the right thing’ rather than serving the interest of the USA.

7. Believed that you got out what you put in, ie that everyone was an individual and not equal.

8. Believed in the freedom of speech.

Communism vs Capitalism

Causes of the Cold War

The Potsdam Conference July – August 1945:

- Truman, Stalin and Atlee.- A very different conference.- Stalin’s armies now occupied most of Eastern

Europe, Communist governments had been set up there.

- Roosevelt had died and the anti-Communist Truman was now President of America.

- 16th July had seen the USA test the atomic bomb. Truman informed Stalin (generally about it.

- Disagreement over whether to cripple Germany or not.

- Disagreement over the level of reparations (if any)

- Disagreement over what ‘sphere of influence meant’

2The Yalta Conference: Feb 1945:

- Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill

- Overall a positive conference.

- Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan once Germany surrendered.

- Agreement to hunt down war criminals responsible for the Holocaust.

- Free elections for countries liberated from Germany.

- Create the UN.- Eastern Europe to be

‘sphere of influence’

Stalin tightens his control:

Having got Communist governments in Eastern Europe, Stalin now wanted to tighten his control in each country. As a result he set up:

- The Communist Information Bureau (Cominform) in 1947 to co-ordinate the work of the Communist parties of Eastern Europe. Leaders were often brought to Moscow to be ‘briefed’ (checked for loyalty!

- Yugoslavia’s Tito escaped this close control and was expelled from Cominform in 1948!

Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ Speech

- By 1946 Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania all had Communist governments.

- Churchill described the border between the Soviet Controlled countries and the west as an ‘Iron Curtain’. The Name stuck.

Start of the Cold War

Germany surrenders 7th May

1945

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1

Greece:

When the Germans retreated from Greece in 1944 there were two rival groups seeking control: the

monarchists and the Communists. Britain sent troops to support the monarchists. The USSR complained to the UN who did nothing. The Communists then tried

to take control by force. Britain couldn’t afford to keep going so bowed out on 24th Feb 1947. Truman (USA) stepped in), they paid the British to stay in. By

1950 the monarchists were in control of Greece (just!).

The Truman Doctrine:

1. USA will send money, equipment and advice to any country under threat from Communism.

2. Eastern Europe was written off – this was now considered Communist.

3. Some believed that Containment should include the use of US troops.

The Marshall Plan:

1.Truman believed that Communism thrived in poverty and hardship.

2.He sent General Marshall to Europe to assess the situation – he found a ruined economy.

3. $11.5 billion was owed by Europe to the USA in war debts. In 1947 Britain saw all electricity turned off for a period each day to deal with coal shortages!

4.$11 billion was ploughed into Europe by America. Countries of Eastern Europe were banned from applying by Stalin.

5.Congress wasn’t convinced at first…

Czechoslovakia:

- Some Americans hadn’t supported the Marshall plan – they didn’t want to waste all of that money.

- Their attitude changed however when in March 1948 the Soviets purged anti Communist leaders in Czechoslovakia. Masaryk, who was pro American was found dead below his open window. The Soviets said that he had jumped….hmmmm Congress immediately granted the money!

Building up to the blockade:

East Germany:

1. Unfortunately, life in East Germany was not so good.

2. Berlin was in East Germany, but it was also divided equally since it was such a prestigious city.

3. Stalin decided to respond to this Western success by blockading Berlin in the hope that he could drive the West out, thus securing his own propaganda triumph.

The allies had divided Germany into 4 parts at Potsdam, but in 1946 the USA, France and Britain had united their zones to create West Germany. In 1948 they reformed the currency and there were signs of a West Germany recovery.

The American Response:

1. The USA knew that if they tried to use tanks to ram the blockades of the rail or roads then it would be used as an act of war by the USSR.

2. However, they were not prepared to give up. They saw Berlin as a test case, if they gave in to Stalin here then who knows what they would ask for.

3. Truman wanted to show Stalin that he was serious.

4. As a result the allies decided to air lift supplies into Berlin. This was extremely dangerous (Stalin could choose to shoot them down) and extremely expensive (it cost a lot more to fly a plane and you could get far less on it!)

5. June 1948 saw the start of the blockade, and during the height of the crisis 1 plane was landing every 30 seconds in Berlin.

6. There were shortages, but in May 1949 Stalin decided to lift the blockade. The USA had ‘won’ and communications were reopened.

The Berlin Blockade

Remember:

- By 1948 most of Eastern Europe had fallen under the influence of the USSR.- In 1949 China had become Communist under the leadership of Mao Zedong.- In 1949 Stalin announced that the USSR had developed its own atomic bomb.- 1950 had seen Communist North Korea invade the USA’s ally South Korea. The US had

pushed them back to their original boarders, but could do no more.- Communism appeared to be unstoppable…- Truman believed in ‘containment’ which involved creating a network of allies (NATO,

SEATO and CENTO) and arms, America spent billions on their military including 12 B52 bombers which were kept armed with nuclear weapons and in the hair 24 hours a day.

It was the Soviets who developed the first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) on 15th May 1957 which allowed them to launch a missile into space and bring it down on a specific location in the US. This gave them the advantage in missile technology.

The US weren’t far behind in terms of missile technology, developing their own ICBMs by 1959. These Atlas and Minuteman missiles were just as quick and accurate and the USA soon had far more of them than the USSR. The US then developed Polaris missiles (fired from submarines) which were virtually undetectable.

The USA also had medium range amissiles based in

Both American and Soviet citizens feared a nuclear attack and were brought up aware of the dangers. American students practiced ‘duck and cover’ drills (see left) for example.

The Background to Cuba

Cuba and Batista:

Cuba is just 160 km from Florida and was considered in the

‘backyard’ of the USA. As such, the Americans supported the

unpopular and corrupt Cuban leader General Batista. They

supported him because he was opposed to Communism.

Fidel Castro:

He led the opposition to Batista and, after a 3 year guerrilla campaign Castro overthrew

Batista. He was a clever leader who won over the majority of Cubans.

USA Response:

Originally the USA decided to support Castro, but relations quickly

worsened. Thousands of Cuban exiles fled to the USA and put pressure on the government and Castro started nationalising America businesses.

President Eisenhower authorised the CIA to look into ways of overthrowing

Castro in 1960.

The Bay of Pigs:

The 1960 election led to a surprise result and a new young leader taking

power in January 1961 – JFK. He picked up Eisenhower’s plans and

signed them off. April 1961 saw CIA backed Cuban exiles land in Cuba, they were met by 20,000 Cuban

troops. All were killed or captured within days.

The Results:

1. The half-hearted invasion suggested to the USSR that the USA was unwilling to get directly involved in Cuba.

2. It pushed Castro to look for support elsewhere, he found the Soviets willing to buy Cuban sugar.3. It made Kennedy look weak.

Creating the Crisis

Soviet Support of Cuba:

- In May 1962 the Soviet Union publically acknowledged that it was supplying Cuba with arms.

- By July 1962 Cuba had the best equipped army in Latin America.

- By September they had thousands of Soviet missiles, radar vans, jet fighters and 5,000 technicians.

- America was worried.

- September 11th

saw Kennedy warn the USSR that the USA would prevent by ‘whatever means necessary’ Cuba’s becoming a nuclear base for the USSR.

Sunday 14 th October 1962:

U” spy plane takes detailed photos that show the USSR was creating nuclear missile bases in Cuba. Reports were quickly confirmed that 20 Soviet ships

were on their way to Cuba.

16th October 1962:

President Kennedy is informed of the missile build up. Ex Comm is formed.

20th October 1962:

Kennedy decides on a blockade of Cuba

22nd October 1962:

Kennedy announces the blockade and calls on the USSR to remove its missiles.

23rd October 1962:

Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev saying that the Soviet ships will not observe the blockade. Khrushchev does not admit the presence of

missiles on Cuba.

24th October 1962:

Blockade begins (800km zone). Suddenly the 20 closest Soviet ships stop or turn around.

26th October 1962:

President Kennedy receives a long personal letter from Khrushchev claiming that the missiles are defensive, but offering to remove the missiles if the

USA promised not to invade Cuba.

27th October 1962:

Khrushchev sends a second letter changing his demands – he now wants the US missiles in Turkey withdrawn. A U2 pilot is also shot down – Kennedy is

advised to attack Cuba.

28th October 1962:

Kennedy replies to Khrushchev’s first letter, ignoring the second. However, he agrees to secretly remove the US missiles in Cuba at a later date.

Khrushchev accepts.

The Events of the Crisis

Success for America (Kennedy):

1. Kennedy had stood up to Khrushchev successfully. He now looked ‘tough’ on Communism, since he had got the missiles removed without giving anything publically in return.

2. Kennedy was able to stand up to his own hard liners (in his government) and to prove to them that you could deal with Communism without resorting to military force.

3. Kennedy and Khrushchev had avoided a nuclear war through diplomacy, and the credit for this should go to both of them. A hotline (telephone line) was now established between Washington and Moscow in order to avoid this from happening again.

4. Khrushchev was forced from power shortly afterwards (1964) and it seems likely that this was as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Success for the USSR (Khrushchev):

1. Khrushchev got Kennedy to promise not to invade Cuba, which meant that Cuba would remain Communist for the foreseeable future.

2. Khrushchev could publically claim to be the peacemaker since he made the first move towards a compromise.

3. Khrushchev got the USA to remove their missiles from Turkey. Unfortunately Khrushchev had promised to keep this secret and could not use it for propaganda purposes.

The Result for Cuba:

1. Castro was upset that Khrushchev had cut a deal with America, but had little choice but to accept it.

2. Cuba stayed Communist and highly armed, but lost its nuclear deterrent.3. Castro kept control of America companies and still controls them today

(or Cuba does on his behalf!)

Remember that you’ll need at least a couple of points

for each side to get 9/10 in a 10 mark question.

Results of the Crisis