Cold War Origins: US-Soviet Tensions 1945-1950

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1. Discuss the Origins of the Cold War

Why did the US and the Soviet Union disagree so drastically on the formulation of the postwar world from 1945-1950? What were some of the main issues that divided the world into “two camps?”

The Cold War lasted from 1946, following the collapse of the anti-Hitler coalition and the establishment of an exclusive zone of Soviet influence in Central Europe, to the disintegration of the Soviet satellite states in 1989 and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Throughout this period, the confrontation between the two superpowers was fought on multiple fronts: military, ideological, psychological, and economic. The most important element was a technological arms race, including the reinforcement and development of space technology.

Key Events and Speeches

The beginning of the "Cold War" is often considered to be marked by a speech given by Winston Churchill in 1946, in which he stated:

From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow.

Another signal marking the start of this period was the speech of US Secretary of State James Byrnes in 1946. He talked about a permanent US presence in Germany, which was to be gradually granted independence. He also touched upon the issue of the Oder-Neisse line, stating that the line should be decided by a peace conference.

The Truman Doctrine and Containment

In 1947, during a speech at Princeton, US President Harry Truman introduced the principle of "containment," known as the Truman Doctrine. It was based on the theory of the division of the world into American and Soviet zones, with the US responsible for maintaining the principles of capitalism on a global scale.

Actions Taken by the United States

Actions taken by the United States to implement this doctrine included:

  • The use of atomic monopoly for propaganda.
  • The organization of military pacts (NATO, ANZUS).
  • Building a network of US military bases around the borders of the USSR and satellite states.
  • Economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism.
  • Assistance in the reconstruction of Western Europe in the form of the Marshall Plan.
  • Support to countries that had contradicted the expansion of the communist bloc (Korean War).

The "Roll-Back" Doctrine

In view of the Maoist victory in China, the doctrine of containment was considered too passive and ineffective. It was replaced with the "Roll-Back" Doctrine, aiming to push back communism to Soviet borders. The main element of this doctrine was "the policy of balancing on the edge of war" through the threat of massive nuclear retaliation in case of a local conflict. The "Roll-Back" Doctrine was the military counterpart of the repulsion doctrine.

Climax and End of the Cold War

The climax of the Cold War was the Korean conflict. Both the US and the USSR had changed leaders. President Dwight D. Eisenhower promised during the election campaign to end the conflict. Nikita Khrushchev, the new leader of the CPSU, brought together leaders in Geneva: the United States, Great Britain, France, and the USSR. He changed his position on the two competing blocs, stating that the rivalry between them did not necessarily lead to war. In practice, this marked a significant shift in the Cold War dynamic.

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