Cold War Ideologies and Aims

Ideological Differences: US vs. USSR

• The US championed capitalism, democracy, and freedom of speech, while the USSR advocated for communism, a one-party state, and a state-controlled economy.
• The US favored open trade and private ownership, contrasting with the USSR's aim to spread socialism and state control of production.
• These opposing ideologies led each side to perceive the other as a threat, with the US fearing communist revolutions and the USSR fearing capitalist exploitation.

Conflicting War Aims and Ambitions

• The USSR aimed to secure its borders by establishing a "buffer zone" of controlled Eastern European states and sought reparations from Germany to rebuild its economy.
• The US pursued free trade, democracy, self-determination for nations and access to global markets while opposing Soviet expansion.
• Great Britain aimed to preserve its empire, especially key interests such as the Suez Canal, aimed to curb Soviet influence, and supported free elections in Eastern Europe.
• Divergent goals amongst these nations complicated cooperation and heightened suspicion.

Intensification of Rivalry Through European Liberation

• As the Allies pushed back Nazi Germany, the USSR liberated Eastern Europe, leading to the installation of pro-Soviet governments.
• The U.S. and Britain liberated Western Europe, fostering greater freedom and democracy.
• Poland became a point of contention, with the USSR desiring a pro-Soviet government for security, while the West advocated for free elections.
• Stalin's inaction during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, where he allowed the Nazis to crush the Polish resistance, fueled distrust from the West.
• Broken promises regarding free elections heightened Western fears of Stalin's aggressive communist expansion.

Key Terms Explained

• Communism: A system where the government owns property and resources, aiming for a classless society with shared wealth.
• Proletariat: The working class, while the bourgeoisie refers to the middle/upper class who own businesses; communism promotes the proletariat overthrowing the bourgeoisie.
• Capitalism: A system promoting individual and business ownership of property and money, fostering competition for profits.
• Marxism-Leninism: Lenin's adaptation of communism, emphasizing revolution led by a party to establish a workers' state and spread communism globally.
• Fourteen Points: U.S. President Wilson's plan for peace post-WWI, advocating for free trade and self-determination, opposed by the USSR due to its support for capitalism.
• Self-determination: The right of people to choose their own government, supported by the U.S. but selectively by the USSR to favor pro-communist outcomes.
• Collective Security: Countries cooperating to protect each other and prevent war.
• Comintern: The USSR's organization to spread communism internationally, active from 1919 to 1943.
• The Grand Alliance (The Big Three): Temporary WWII alliance of the U.S., Britain, and USSR against Nazi Germany.
• Atlantic Charter: 1941 agreement between the U.S. and Britain promoting self-rule and free trade, which became the basis for the UN.
• Allied Control Commissions: Groups of Allied powers governing defeated Axis powers like Germany and Austria.
• Provisional Government: Temporary governments set up after conflict, often influenced by Stalin to become communist governments.
• Soviet Bloc: Eastern European countries under USSR control with communist governments.
• Yalta Conference: Meeting between the Big Three in Feb 1945, agreeing on dividing Germany and creating the UN, with many promises later broken.
• Four-Power Control: The division of Germany and Berlin into zones controlled by the US, UK, USSR, and France after WWII.

Ideological Differences as a Cause

• Ideological differences served as a primary cause of the Cold War.
• The US advocated Capitalism, private property, individual rights, and democracy.
• The USSR followed communism, government ownership, one-party rule and a classless society.
• This stark ideological contrast fueled mutual fear and suspicion.
• The US feared communist expansion, while the USSR aimed to spread communism for self-protection, believing capitalism could lead to war.
• The worldviews made cooperation almost impossible, even during WWII.

Conflicting Aims of the USSR, US, and Great Britain

• The USSR desired control over Eastern Europe as a buffer zone and reparations to rebuild after WWII.
• The USSR wanted to install pro-Soviet governments and be recognized as a major power.
• The United States pursued democracy, self-determination, and free trade and wanted Germany to recover economically to prevent the spread of communism.
• The US sought to prevent soviet expansion and supported the creation of the UN.
• Great Britain aimed to protect its empire, feared Soviet power in the Balkans, supported democratic governments, and aimed to maintain its global status.

The Intensified Rivalry after the Lliberation of Europe

• Liberation led to increased tension, and the USSR installed pro-Soviet regimes after liberating Eastern Europe.
• The west liberated Western Europe, supporting free elections and democratic governments.
• Disagreements over Poland heightened the tension, as Stalin sought control while the West pushed for free elections.
• Stalin's army allowed the Nazis to crush a polish resistance, building more mistrust.
• Meetings such as the Yalta conference saw deals made and promises broken, especially about free elections.

Communism Explained

• Communism is an economic system based on government control of property and resources with its goal being shared wealth; largely practiced by the USSR.
• Proletariat are the working class, the Bourgeoisie are the rich upper class, under communism the Proletariat overthrow the Bourgeoisie.
• Capitalism is an economic system where business are privately owned and people are free to make profits based on supply and demand.
• Marxism-Leninism, created by Lenin, enforces a vanguard party leading a revolution to bring equality.
• The U.S. president Woodrow Wilson sought a plan for peace in his Fourteen Points, a plan that involved self-determination, the USSR dismissed it.
• Self-determination is the idea that a nation controls its own government; Stalin was very selective with this idea.
• Collective security involves cooperation to protect against threats, supported by the UN.
• The Comintern was a Soviet organization that spread communism.
• The WWII alliance between the US, USSR, and Britain was known as the Grand Alliance.
• Free trade and government freedom were emphasized with the Atlantic Charter in the US and Britains agreement.
• Allied Control Commissions dictated defeated Axis countries.
• Provisional Governments allowed Stalin to have temporary influence to turn governments communist.
• The Soviet Block, created after WWII, involved countries under Soviet influence.
• Post war Europe was planned at the Yalta conference.

Key Vocab

• Germany was divided into zones of occupation after the war.
• The Soviet Union was the first communist state
• Lenin opposed Wilson's 14 points because it promoted democracy.
• The Grand Alliance was formed to defeat Nazi Germany.
• The Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam conferences saw the first signs of tension in Europe.
• Kennan's Long Telegram urged the US to adopt a containment policy toward the USSR.
• Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech symbolized the start of the Cold War.
• The Truman Doctrine justified the domino effect and offered aid to countries resisting communism.
• Europe was rebuild with the Marshall Plan, the USSR refused to give aid.
• Germany divided and the Berlin Blockade led to the Berlin Airlift, a massive success.
• The Fall of Communism included the annexation of several countries; secret police were used in Hungary, communists executed those who opposed in Bulgaria and Romania.
• Views on the Atomic Bomb vary among historians, but most agree it was necessary to scare the USSR.

1917–1923: Early Tensions

• 1917: Bolshevik Revolution – Communists take power in Russia.
• 1918–1921: Russian Civil War – US, UK, France, Japan support anti-communist “White Army” → USSR sees this as betrayal.
• 1919: Comintern formed – USSR’s plan to spread global communism.
• 1920: Polish-Soviet War – USSR defeated; Treaty of Riga signed.

1930s: Growing Suspicion

• 1934: USSR joins League of Nations – wants to stop Hitler.
• 1938: USSR not invited to Munich Conference – Stalin feels isolated.
• 1939: Nazi-Soviet Pact signed – USSR & Germany secretly agree to divide Poland.

1941–1945: The Grand Alliance

• June 1941: Germany invades USSR → USSR joins Allies.
• Aug 1941: Atlantic Charter – US & UK outline vision for post-war world (freedom, self-determination).
• Nov–Dec 1943: Tehran Conference – Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill meet; plan D-Day, discuss Poland.
• Feb 1945: Yalta Conference – Agree to divide Germany, USSR promises free elections in Eastern Europe.
• May 1945: Germany surrenders → WWII in Europe ends.
• July–Aug 1945: Potsdam Conference – Tensions rise. Truman doesn’t tell Stalin about A-bomb.

1945–1946: Cold War Begins

• Aug 1945: US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki.
• Sept 1945: Stalin tightens control in Eastern Europe.
• Feb 1946: Kennan’s Long Telegram → US should contain USSR.
• March 1946: Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech – says USSR controls Eastern Europe.

1947: New US Policy

• Jan 1947: Creation of Bizonia (US + UK zones of Germany combined).
• March 1947: Truman Doctrine – US promises to help nations resist communism.
• June 1947: Marshall Plan – US offers $13 billion in aid to Europe (USSR and its allies refuse it).

1948–1949: Germany Divides

• June 1948: Berlin Blockade – USSR blocks access to West Berlin.
• June 1948–May 1949: Berlin Airlift – US & UK fly in 2.3 million tons of supplies.
• May 1949: Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) created (West Germany).
• Oct 1949: German Democratic Republic (GDR) created (East Germany).
• Europe now officially divided into two blocs.

IB Cold War Practice Test

• Churchill warned that the USSR took control of Eastern Europe and resisted democracy and freedom. The “Iron Curtain” separated them.
• The origin focuses on a speech by Winston Churchill, a British Prime Minister, in the US in 1946.
• First-hand insight of Soviet actions are very visible.
• It clearly shows the beginning of the public in the cold war.
• Churchill was anti-communist, it may be very biased.
• Does not justify why the USSR acted.
• Atomic bomb did not have an impact on the USSR, Stalin became more influenced to expand Soviet influence, claimed Gaddis.
• This was written by John Lewis Gaddis in 2005.
• It is written with hindsight and access to more sources after the Cold War.

Analysis of Sources

• The Soviet cartoon claims that the Marshall Plan not true help, but a way for the U.S. to imperialize and control Europe economically and politically.
• It was designed as propaganda, not fact.
• In the British cartoon, Stalin is secretly controlling Eastern Europe and deceiving the West. It supports Churchill’s “iron curtain.”

Short Answer Questions

• Ideological conflict – Capitalism vs. Communism.
• The US began the containment policy
• Marshall Plan contributed to the divide.
• The Berlin Blockade increased hostilities, the US flew in supplies.