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Origins of the Cold War, 1919-1952

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Origins of the Cold War, 1919-1952 A Cold War may be defined “as a conflict so Lenin in 1919: The Soviet Union is “surrounded Significant, antagonistic differences existed in Stalin was aware of the American atomic bomb volatile, so hostile, that adversaries will go to any by a hostile capitalist encirclement.” the political and economic systems of western project (he had spies at Los Alamos) in spite of extreme, short of open warfare, to achieve their democracies and the Soviet Union: American efforts to keep it quiet. own aims.” Term coined by Walter Lippmann Comintern Capitalism (west) v. socialism (Russia) Truman tells Stalin the Americans have a Short for ‘Communist International’, 1919 Free trade (west) v. economic self- major new weapon, with no details. In relation to American history, it was a state It advocated for Communist-style sufficiency (Russia) America drops the bombs on Japan 88 days of conflict, tension and competition which revolutions abroad. This is seen as threat Profit motive economy (west) v. good for before the Russians were committed to enter existed between the United States and the to the United States and the west. the state motivation (Russia) the war in the Pacific. Soviet Union and their allies. Private enterprise (west) v. state planning Americans make sure Russians see full This rivalry was expressed through military The first Red Scare in the United States, 1919 (Russia) evidence of destructive force of the bombs. coalitions, propaganda, espionage, weapons This led many Americans to view the development, proxy wars, industrial advances Soviet ideology as a threat. The atheistic nature of the Soviet Union is a Post-war (1945) American and England believe and competitive technological development concern for many Americans. they will be at war with the Soviet Union in a Operation Trust, 1921-1926 short period of time, and keep many of their The Cold War’s origins may be best viewed as an A Soviet counterintelligence and espionage 1938 and 1939, Stalin fears an attack by the troops in Europe for this reason. accumulation of distrust vis-à-vis one another. program designed to manipulate the west; Nazis. His efforts to solidify a military defense As framed by political scientist George Kennan, uncovered by British spy Sydney Reilly. treaty with the America, Britain and France are Creation of international organizations (NATO, its origins may be viewed in the following eras: rebuffed. UN) with clear western influence threaten Russia 1917-1929 Building mistrust and animosity 1922 The Treaty of Rapallo He takes this as evidence that the west 1930-1938 Views of internal events lead to Between Germany and the Soviet Union, it wants to see the Soviet Union destroyed. 1947 events design global response framework: assumptions/judgments which widen divide. renounces all territorial and financial Absent any other ally, Stalin signs the non- Marshall Plan, 1947 1939-1945 World War II era claims put forth in the Treaty of Brest- Aggression Pack with Germany. US gives money to European countries 1945-1950 Atomic era and escalation Litovsk (which had ended World War I). The west views this as proof the Soviets to rebuild, so long as they embrace By 1950, the Cold War is fully and culturally US, France and Britain take offense. are as bad as they always believed. capitalism, democracy and trade with the entrenched in both America and Russia. United States. By 1925, Stalin viewed the world in a bipolar World War II, Stalin pleads for the west to launch ‘Molotov Plan’ or ‘Comecon’ (the Soviet sense, with Soviet communism in opposition a western-front offensive to alleviate the pressure response to the Marshall Plan.) Origins of the Cold War, against the materialistic west. and resultant loses on the Russian eastern front. Soviet offer money and trade with 1917-1950 The west does not rush; D-Day delayed years. eastern Europe, but not with Germany, Several events reinforce the tensions: Stalin interprets this delay as evidence that the which Stalin feared if it were to reunite. The west had long feared the expansion of 1926, Soviet Union funded the British west wants to see Russians suffer. National Security Act of 1947 Tsarist Russia, even pre-1905 workers strike; This led Britain to break On 1945 assault of Berlin, western forces ring Creates United States bureaucracies of diplomatic relations with Russia the city, allowing the Soviets to charge in, CIA, NSC, and united many agencies In 1917, Britain, US and Russia had been allies 1927, Stalin declared that any possibility thereby enduring more causalities. into a Department of Defense. for a half year in World War I until the Russian of “coexistence with the capitalist Truman Doctrine, 1947 Bolshevik Revolution, after which the Russians countries is receding into the past” Yalta Conference 1945 Containment of Soviet influence negotiated an independent peace with the Central 1928, In the Shakhty show-trial, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet to discuss Supports economic restoration of Powers. suggestions of a conspiracy involving post-war Europe reorganization. Western Europe through the Marshall This separate peace contributes to American French and British efforts to overthrow Despite some points of agreement (and Plan and Military containment through mistrust of the Russians, as it left the other Stalin are asserted, and believed! much disagreement), Stalin grudgingly NATO. powers to fight the Central Powers alone. Propaganda informs the Russian citizenry. accepted the premise of the United Nations. 1932-1933, Russian-induced famine in the He disliked the notion of the UN encouraging Soviet ‘blockade’ of Berlin, and the allied airlift President Wilson’s ‘Fourteen Points’ Ukraine leads to 8+ millions deaths. The democracy, and of the number of war-torn in response. June 1948 - May 1949 His vision for a post-war world directly conflicted west looks on with horror. western powers granted authority there. with many of the Soviet Union’s policies. 1936-1937, Moscow show-trials included He sought acceptance to the UN of all 16 1948, US recovers documents informing about allegations of British, French, Japanese Soviet republics (it would give the Soviets the Nazi-Soviet relations of 1939-1940 US attempts to influence Russian Civil War. and German espionage. more of a voting voice), but 14 were US troops sent to northern Russia in 1918 to 1936-1938, Western countries viewed the denied. Stalin remains upset. July 1948 – Executive Order 9981 assist the Russian White Army (pro-Tsar) Great Purges in Russia with disdain. The desegregated the US Armed Forces against the Russian Red Army (pro-Lenin Initially, half a million Russians were 1945, Soviets are accused by the west of and pro-Communism). executed. interference in the affairs of Romania, Bulgaria 1950, National Security Council resolution 68 The US remains in Russia until about 1923. and Hungary, which the Soviet Union denies. shifted American foreign policy from passive to (The British and French also involved) The United States refuses to recognize the active containment of the Soviet Union. This lead to solidifying suspicion among Soviet Union diplomatically until 1933. Stalin perceives American intimidation efforts It specifies the belief that Russia planned the Soviet leadership of the nefarious This delay is viewed as a sign of disrespect world domination. intentions of the capitalist world. and disdain. Division of Berlin and Germany Name: ______________________________ Period: _____ Date: __________________ Brainstorm review – Cold War 1 Please answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper, and attach this as the coversheet to what you turn in. 1. Define Cold War. 14. How were Stalin’s efforts to get protection through an alliance pre-WWII a contributing factor in the emerging Cold War? 2. What two main countries was the Cold War between? 15. In what ways did the west’s conduct during WWII contribute 3. Looking on the brainstorm study sheet, what is the first sentence to Stalin’s anger? written in italicized lettering? 16. Stalin unhappily accepted the concept of the United nations. 4. How did the end of World War I contribute to America’s mistrust of What did he want (which was not agreed to?) the Russians? 17. What was the Marshall Plan? 5. How did Wilson’s Fourteen Points upset the Soviets? 18. What was the Molotov Plan? 6. What was the role of the US in the Russian civil war in 1918? (please be detailed) 19. What was the National Security Act of 1947? 7. Why did the west feel threatened by Comintern? 20. What was the Truman Doctrine? 8. How does the Treaty of Rapallo in 1922 relate to the east-west 21. What of significance happened in 1948? tensions? 22. What did Executive Order 9981 do? 9. Why is it significant that the US failed to recognize the Russians diplomatically until 1933? 23. What did National Security Council resolution 68 do? 10-13. Identify four ways in which the east and west were different. a. b. c. d. .
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