Cold War Dynamics and Ideologies

Origins of the Cold War

• The Cold War was a period of tense relations and fierce competition between nations, but without direct confrontation.
• It lasted from 1945 to 1991 and involved the superpowers, the USA and the USSR.
• The superpowers divided Europe into two spheres of influence: Eastern Europe was controlled by the USSR, while Western Europe was controlled by the USA.
• These geopolitical divisions were the result of complex factors, ideological differences, and wartime alliances.

Concepts to Define

• Bipolar Superpower World: The world was dominated by two major powers, the USA and the USSR.
• Ideologies: Competing ideas about how society should be run, notably democracy (USA) and communism (USSR).
• Domino Theory: The fear that the spread of communism in one country would lead to communist takeovers in neighboring countries.
• Satellite States: Countries controlled by the USSR but having nominally independent governments.
• Iron Curtain: The political, military, and ideological barrier separating Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War.
• Espionage: Secret spying activities by both the USA and the USSR to gather intelligence on each other.
• Dollar Imperialism: The practice of using economic influence to exert control over other countries (in the context of the USA).
• Containment: US foreign policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.
• Buffer Zones: Area of land that serves to separate two rival countries or groups of countries, helping prevent direct conflict
• Brinkmanship: The practice of pushing dangerous situations to the brink of conflict to achieve a favorable outcome.

In a Nutshell

• A Cold War is a tense situation of competition without direct warfare.
• The division of Europe and the world post-World War II into two opposing ideological spheres resulted in a period of intense tension and rivalry.

Causes of the Cold War

• World War II itself: The rift between the USA and the USSR widened during World War II.
• Stalin's encroachment on Eastern Europe: The USSR occupied Eastern European countries and placed communist governments in these regions following the war.
• Allied occupation of Germany: Disputes over the occupation of Germany and its division into four zones added to the tensions.
• Nuclear weapons: The development of nuclear weapons increased the suspicion and rivalry between the two superpowers, leading to an arms race.

The Teheran Conference

• A 1943 meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin to coordinate war strategy against Germany and Japan.
• The Western Allies' commitment to a second front in Europe led to Stalin's belief he controlled the Eastern Front, increasing post-war tensions.

Yalta Conference

• A 1945 meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin to determine the future of Europe.
• Agreements about future governments in Eastern Europe, free elections in liberated territories, and the division of Germany were made.
• Issues about spheres of influence and the Polish border remained unresolved. A disagreement about reparations and the Polish border, however, stalled a full resolution on these matters. 

Spheres of Influence

• Established in Europe during the Cold War.
• Communist regimes established, referred to as "satellite states."
• Rival ideologies (e.g., communism vs. capitalism) fueled suspicion and increased tensions.
• Leadership rivalry (e.g., Truman vs. Stalin) played a key role.

Misperceptions and Mirror Imaging

• Significant misinterpretations and misjudgements of each other's actions.
• "Mirror imaging" refers to the tendency of each side to view the other based on their own values and assumptions.

Bipolar Superpower World

• The traditional powers were weakened after World War II.
• The USA and the USSR emerged as dominant world powers.
• The nuclear arms race was a key by-product of this bipolar world.

Competing Ideologies

• Ideology refers to a set of ideas representing how a society should be run.
• The Cold War was substantially a clash between opposing ideologies, which were largely represented by the democratic ideals of the US and the communist ideology of the USSR.

The Ideological Struggle

• This struggle between Soviet and Western blocs centered on spreading their respective ideologies.
• Methods included espionage, arms race, and ideological competition (e.g., proxy wars) to secure political influence in third world countries.

Communism vs. Democracy

• Communism (USSR) and Democracy (USA/West) represent opposing social and economic models.
• Communism involves one-party rule, a centrally-planned economy, and prioritizes community needs over individual rights.
• Democracy supports citizen participation, a market-based economy, and protects individual rights and freedoms.

Feelings of Mistrust

• The 1917 October Revolution in Russia created distrust between the USA and the USSR.
• The West was apprehensive about communist expansion and the potential end of capitalism and democracy, particularly after communism came to power in Russia.
• The West's intervention in the Russian Civil War added to these tensions; the USA and other Western nations felt betrayed by the USSR's actions.
• Post-World War II power imbalances between the superpowers increased the fear of expansionist policies.

Wartime Alliances Broke Down

• The wartime alliance between the USA, USSR, and Britain was temporary and broke down after the war due to disagreements over post-war geopolitical issues.
• Differing goals concerning Germany, Eastern Europe, and the global order further complicated the relations between the superpowers. 

The Potsdam Agreement

• Agreements regarding the occupation of Germany were finalized post-WW2.
• Reparations were established, emphasizing the significant economic disparities between the two sides.
• The new borders of Poland were confirmed. 
• Key disagreements and misunderstandings between the superpowers highlighted the developing Cold War. 

Significance of the Potsdam Agreement

• The mistrust highlighted the breakdown of their wartime alliance, signaling a beginning of the Cold War.

Cold War Goals for USA

• Promote open markets for US goods to prevent recessions.
• Promote democracy throughout the world, particularly in Asia and Africa.
• Stop the spread of communism (domino theory).

Cold War Goals for USSR

• Create greater security for the USSR (tensions from World War II and purges).
• Establish defensible borders to safeguard against a strong Germany.
• Encourage friendly governments on its borders.
• Spread communism around the world.

How Did the Cold War Affect Europe?

• Europe was divided into two blocs (NATO, Warsaw Pact).
• Germany was divided to reflect the political divisions of the Cold War.
• The Marshall Plan (USA) provided economic relief (aid, loans, and goods) to help rebuild Europe and contain the spread of communism.

Europe Was Divided

• The two superpowers divided Europe post-WW2 based on political and ideological differences.
• USSR established Communist governments, creating a "satellite state" network.
• Western nations viewed these actions as aggressive and suspicious.

Soviet Satellite States

• Countries like Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia under communist influence.

Domino Theory

• The fear that the spread of communism in one country would lead to communist takeovers in neighboring countries.
• This theory shaped US foreign policy during the Cold War.

Truman Doctrine

• It was announced to contain the spread of communism, specifically in Greece and Turkey, by providing financial support.

Attempt to Work Together

• There were initial efforts to coordinate, but these failed due to differences and mistrust. 

The Marshall Plan

• Introduced to help rebuild Europe from the damages of World War II.
• Primarily sought to strengthen Western European economies, aiding the nations' prosperity and their resistance to communism, thus containing its global spread.

Currency Reform

• Initial currency was the Reichsmark.
• The West implemented the Deutchmark, which led to the Berlin Crisis.
• The USSR introduced their own Deutchmark . 

Germany Was Divided

• The USA was committed to supporting West Berlin, fearing Soviet expansion if they did not.
• The Berlin Blockade occurred to restrict West Berlin's supplies. 
• Resulted in an airlift to demonstrate opposition to communist expansion.

The Berlin Crisis

• The division of Berlin among the four occupying powers in the context of the Cold War.
• The USSR's blockade of West Berlin, intended to force Western powers to abandon the city, was countered by the airlift to deliver supplies to the Western sectors of Berlin for over a year.
• The Berlin Blockade was lifted in 1949 with the subsequent acknowledgement of an inability to forcibly assert Soviet control in the divided city.
• The crisis led to the establishment of NATO.

Formation of NATO

• The Berlin Crisis contributed heavily to the formation of NATO.
• A military alliance created during the Cold War to defend against Soviet expansion.

NATO and Warsaw Pact

• These alliances were fundamental expressions of the division of Europe into opposing spheres of influence in the context of the Cold War.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• Created in 1949, the military alliance of Western nations formed to oppose Soviet influence.
• Involved several countries including the USA, Britain, and France.

Warsaw Pact

• A military alliance created in 1955 bringing together Eastern European communist states, dominated by the USSR.