University of Texas at Austin Intro to the Cold War Origins of the Cold War

Origins of the Cold War This chapter deals primarily with the conclusion of WWII and what circumstances in This time led to the emergence of the Cold War. Returning from the War, the Soviet Union was Exhausted, both in its economics and its population. The war had been fought at a great cost, And the soldiers were paying for it Instead of returning to prosperity at home, soldiers are Greeted with poverty, injury, and destruction. Despite the fleeting emergence of an idealism And romanticism, the Russian people quickly turn to the source they perceive as most likely to Provide them with stability : Stalin's popularity grows to an unprecedented level. Stalin Himself becomes possessed by the idea of à "soviet imperialism," setting his sight on influence In the Balkans and Eastern Europe. The resurgence of a nationalist movement among ethnic Russians con tributes to this ; they see the USSR as the inheritor of the great Russian empire. Through a series of purges and deportations, Stalin begins to put pressure on surrounding Countries. His chief motivation in all of this is to build a buffer zone that will insulate the USSR From the direct influence of capitalist countries. These countries in eastern Europe are not Stable, but through tactics such as dismantling old class systems, redistributing land, Nationalizing industry, and suppressing resistance, Stalin 's influence begins to grow. Stalin seeks to avoid premature conflict with the US. Though his view is colored by the Leninist assumption that the triumph of communism is inevitable, Stalin does not want to Provoke an outright conflict with more powerful counterparts. Though the two superpowers Begin to grow increasingly dissatisfied with each other, outright conflict does not emerge. The Dropping of the atomic bomb irreversibly afiects relations ; as Stalin embarks on a crash Building campaign, he begins to trust hisAmerican comrades less and less and his paranoia Begins more powerfillly manifesting itselfi After Stalin's proposal of the Soviets' participation in the occupation of japan got rejected by The Americans, Stalin was convinced that the West would take on an ofiensive and Expansionist strategy in the post-war period. (The idea that the American diplomacy after Hiroshima became "atomic diplomacy") Stalin believed that in order to squeeze out more Gains from the Americans, the Soviets should not make any compromise and he instructed Molotov to stick to the policy of tenacity and steadfastness. The London Conference in September, 1945 thus ended in deadlock. Between 1945 and 1948, the Soviets engaged Themselves into several conflicts with the west regarding issues in Central Europe, China, as Well as Turkey and Iran. Stalin's failure to withdraw his troops from Iran after the withdrawal Deadline led to the Iranian crisis. This coincided with the time of an anti-Soviet shift in US. Foreign policy and military circles. George Kennan sent out the famous "long telegram" Pointing out the necessity to containing Soviet expansionism. The support of Iran in 1946 Marked the transition from a passive to an active policy for the postwar US. The Soviets faced diplomatic isolation since then. They ultimately compromised and withdraw from Iran before The UN hearing. The author argued that it's mainly the ideological factor that drove Stalin to start the cold War. Based on the assumption that the imperialist western powers would remain selfish and Quarrelsome, he believed that the Soviet Union could get away with its expansionism. At the Same time, opinions in the American elite circles began to lean towards the idea of promoting A global role for the US and creating an 'American century." Domestically, Stalin was questioning the loyalty of his close subordinates. As the isolationist Attitude prevailed in the bureaucracy, those who advocated the Soviet-American cooperation Got purged. At the same time, Stalin began to take measures to develop heavy industry to Prepare himself for another potential war against the West The Soviet people were once Again suffering from feminine and poverty. For Stalin, the growing confrontation with the West gave him à justification for the Russification of Soviet elites and bureaucracy and the consolidation of Soviet society with the Help ofstrong nationalist themes and a rigid ethnic hierarchy. He carried out the ethnic Cleansing of the jews. He controlled and directed the state propaganda in such a way that the majority of Soviet population was deeply convinced of the aggressive hostiligl of the Western Imperialism against the Soviets and the necessigr of con tainment Stalin's response to the Allies' consolidation of Western Germany after London Meetings during the winter of 1 947-8. 0 Began to organize West German federal state thatwould receive economic Aid through the Marshall Plan Stalin initiated blockade in an attempt to kick Western presence (French, British, And Americans] out of Berlin. 0 Hoped to kick them out or force them to renegotiate their London Agreements Stalin thought this would work because he had succeeded with this tactic in February 1948, when the Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. Allies respond with airlift- deliver thousands of tons of supplies a day without which West Berliners couldn't have survived. Blockade failed miserably O 1. Strengthened West Germans' ties to the US : "[the blockade] helped to Forge à new friendship and anti-Communist alliance between the West Germans and the Allies, particularly the Americans" (76-7). ' American and British presence in West Germany gained popular Legitimacy O 2. Also facilitated the formation of NATO (April, 1949). ° USSR lifted the blockade after brief talks in May 1949. 0 Agreement recognized permanent Western political rights in Berlin and Agreed to the division of the city. 0 Roughly a week later ; Western zones became Federal Republic of Germany (ERG). Sino—Soviet 'I‘r‘eaty paved the way for Stalin's authorization of the invasion of South Korea in order to reunijy the country. He changed his mind because : 0 1. Victory of communists in China 0 2. Soviet acquisition of the A-bomb O 3. Establishment of NATO and general deterioration of relations with the West 0 4. Perceived weakening in Washington's military ambitions in Asia (Secretary of State Dean Acheson's speech in january 1 95 0) ° Stalin's plan : wanted the US to intervene so that the US would eventually have to Face China who would side with Sung and the North Koreans O This would distract the US from Europe and the German Question 0 American rnilitaryforce- US had the best airpower in the world and he Needed to catch up with technology. ° Korean War made it clear that it would be impossible to reach an agreement on Germany During November 1958, Khrushchev made an unsuccessful attempt to turn all of Berlin Into an independent demilitarized "free cigr", giving the United States, Great Britain, and France a six-rnonth ultimatum to withdraw their troops from the sectors they still occupied in West Berlin, or he would transfer control of Western access rights to the East Germans. Khrushchev earlier explained to Mao Zedong that "Berlin is the testicles of the West. Every Time I want to make the West scream, I squeeze on Berlin/'32") NATO formally rejected the Ultimatum in mid-December and Khrushchev withdrew it in return for a Geneva conference on The German questionflm More broadly one hallmark of the 19505 was the beginning of European integration—a Fundamental by-product of the Cold War that Truman and Eisenhower promoted politically Economically and militarily but which later administrations viewed arnbivalently fearful that An independent Europe would forge a separate détente with the Soviet Union, which would Use this to exacerbate Western disunity-msl (Wikipedia) Leads to the edification of Berlin Wall. - july 1953 Truman orders work on H-bornb. - First Soviet Hydrogen test on August 125" 1953 boost of optimism and believed they Had become the leaders in nuclear arms race. - fan Feb 1 954 Secretary of State Dulles proclaims his rhetoric of "massive retaliation" to Firll volume. New tests 15 mega ton bomb 3 times stronger than expected. Eisenhower Admits that a nuclear war could endanger civilization 3 month after his "atoms for Peace " proposal. - SU realizes that US is ahead. SU scientists explore the principle of radiation Compression. Atomic minister asks for a response for the atoms for peace proposal. Modern Atomic practice (H bomb) will lead to the devastation of warring countries" - Malenkov speech reflects nuclear fears. Molotov and Khrushchev attack the speech According to Molotov another war : final victory over imperialism. Khrushchev, despite His public stand, is extremely troubled by thermonuclear power : Optimism leads him to Transform the fear into determinism. The fear of nuclear war did change Khrushchev's Belief in the revolutionary paradigm but he felt a mutual balance of fear Disadvantaged the US. - There was nevertheless a gap between realities of nuclear age and the party's Ideologies. "How was one supposed to match the danger of nuclear annihilation with The official ideological thesis that wars were begun by the imperialists" - presents an Ultimatum on Nov 1958. Either convert west Berlin into a free city Within 6 month or will act unilaterally and give control over western access to Berlin to The gov of the GDR — US and wetern powers refuse to accede to the ultimatum. - Second Berlin crisis long delayed conference may-august conference in Geneva - Finally K and Eisenhower meeting at Camp David. For K Eisenhower seemed to agree To resume the quest for a diplomatic resolution of the German question scheduled for Spring 1960. - 3 reasons for the Berlin Crisis : 1. Ensuring the existence of the GDR 2. Demonstrate the Efi’ectiveness of his new look in making the west containment. 3. He hoped for a victory That would unravel western imperialism globally. — In April 5 7. K told the presidium that SU should start a campaign to ban nucs. In feb 1960 he proposed to the presidium thatArnericans be ofi'ered the destruction of the Soviet ICBMs and nucs in exchange that they would eliminate bases on Soviet periphery And their strategic bombers (get rid of NATO SEATO and CENTO] - In September 1959 K arrived in the US. Speaks at the UN general assembly. Insecure Over US power and could not elicit from Eisenhower any concessions on West Berlin. - Dec 1959 Secret Memo to presidium members, K proposed a radical plan of reduction Of armed forces. No longer need mass army bc of nucs. This would give the USSR major Political, moral and economic advantages. - 3 reasons far the Berlin Crisis : 1. Ensuring the existence ofthe GDR. 2. Demonstrate the Efl‘ectiveness of his new look in making the west containment 3. He hoped for a victory That would unravel western imperialism globally. — In April 5 7. K told the presidium that SU should starta campaign to ban nucs. In feb 1960 he proposed to the presidium thatArnericans be offered the destruction of the Soviet ICBMs and nucs in exchange that they would eliminate bases on Soviet periphery And their strategic bombers (get rid of NATO SEATO and CENTO] - In September 1959 K arrived in the US. Speaks at the UN general assembly Insecure Over US power and could not elicit fi'om Eisenhower any concessions on West Berlin. - Dec 1959 Secret Memo to presidium members, K proposed a radical plan of reduction Of armed forces. No longer need mass army be of nucs. This would give the USSR major Political, moral and economic advantages. - K failed to persuade his marshals and generals but forced them to accept his New Look Soviet possession of nuclear weapons was to deter American strike not wage a nuc war. — Mao hailed in nov 1957 the nuclear missile of SU as a reason for communist forces to Be more aggressive against Western Imperialism Mao's secret animosity because of De-Stanilization. — K visits Mao in Beijing on july 31" 1958. - 23rdAugust 1958, the people's liberation army of the PRC starts shelling Quernoy (Ofiqshore island held by the Guomindang). Provocation that drew US and SU into a game of n uclear brinkrnanship. - june 20 1959 : cancelled Sino Soviet atomic cooperation.