1945-56

Question	Answer
1943- Tehran Conference (Nov)	• The Big Three met for the first time • Met to make plans for reconstruction of Europe after defeating Germany
1943- Tehran Conference (Nov) Agreements and disagreements.	• Agree that USSR can have sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, so wouldn’t be threatened by other countries. USA and UK have sphere of influence in Western Europe. • Disagree on Germany’s future. USSR: weaken Germany to stop war. USA/UK: Rebuild Germany- WWI was caused by her economic problems
1945 (End of WWII)- Yalta Conference (Feb)	• High point of Allied unity • Truman comes into power (April)
1945 (End of WWII)- Yalta Conference (Feb) Agreements and disagreements.	Agreed that: • USSR help USA defeat Japan once Hitler's gone • Poland to have Communist government Set up UN • Work for Democracy in Europe after WWII Disagreed on: • Meaning of ‘democracy’. USSR: Communism (represents the working people). • USA: Different political parties and elections
1945 (End of WWII)- Potsdam Conference (Jul) Agreements and disagreements.	Agreed to: • Destroy German militarism and Nazism • Ban Nazi party and prosecute Nazis as war criminals • Reduce size of Germany by ¼ • Divide GER into 4 zones Disagreed on: • Reparations vs. Rebuilding. COMPROMISE: Take reparations from own zones. • USSR – poorest zone. Allowed to take ¼ industrial equipment from Western zones. Paid with East German coal
1946 (Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech) Long Telegram (US) + Novikov’s Telegram (USSR)	• Truman received news from Moscow that Stalin wanted to destroy capitalism and was building up military power • Stalin received word from Novikov that USA wanted to dominate the world and were preparing for war
1947- Truman Doctrine (March)	• USA would help Greece and Turkey fight against Communism within their country • Announced policy of containment (stop Communism from spreading) • UNOFFICIAL END TO CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GRAND ALLIANCE; divided world into capitalists and communists
1947- Marshall Plan/Aid	• 13 billion dollars worth of food/vehicles/fuel given to Western European countries who agreed to reject Communism • Prevents countries from looking to Communism as the solution to their problems • Opens up new markets for American goods
1947- Cominform	• Reaction to Marshall Aid • Stalin believed US was trying to make Europe dependent on the dollar and weaken his control over Eastern Europe It: - Was an alliance of communist countries, to strengthen ties between them - Tightened Stalin’s control over them and restricted contact with the West, ensuring loyalty to USSR - Rejected Marshall Plan
1947- Bizonia (Dec)	• USA and UK decided to merge their zones
1948- Trizonia	• France agreed to merge her zone with Bizonia • JUNE – Deutschmark adopted to replace worthless Reichsmark
1948- Berlin Blockade (June) + Airlift (June + May ‘49)	- Difference in living standards between West & East Germany/Berlin were embarrassingly obvious because money was poured into rejuvenating the West, while resources (as reparations) were plundered from the East - Stalin worried that Trizonia was intended to become a separate West German state • Stalin ordered the blockade of all land, canal and rail links from Trizonia into Berlin, cutting off 2 million people living in the West
1948- Berlin Airlift	- USA airlifted supplies to affected areas in West Berlin, supplying them with 12,000 tons of food & fuel per day - B-29 bombers were readied, capable of carrying atom bombs to Britain
1949- Berlin Blockade called off (May)	• All land routes re-opened • Relationship between USSR and West worsened • Germany divided into German Federal Republic (Trizonia) and German Democratic Republic (Russian Zone)
1949- NATO	• Defensive military alliance between West European powers + Canada + USA, agreeing to help one another if attacked by Communists China joins Communism
1949- COMECON	• Formed as rival to Marshall Plan • Helped economic development of Eastern Europe • To prevent trade with West • To reduce influence of capitalism Beginning of Soviet Rule in Hungary
1950-53	Korean War.
1952	Korean War US Hydrogen-bomb- Capable of destroying Moscow
1953	Korean War Eisenhower comes into power (January) Stalin’s Death (March) USSR Hydrogen-bomb
1955	Warsaw Pact • Military alliance between Communists, agreeing to help one another if attacked by West Geneva Summit West Germany joins NATO • Made USSR very uncomfortable
1956- De-Stalinization	• Khrushchev removed Stalin’s policies over many Communist states • Khrushchev’s Secret Speech - Bitter attack on Stalin’s style of leadership, his harsh treatment and tight control of Eastern Europe - Encouraged some Eastern European countries to push for more freedom in the running of their own countries - Put leaders who’s adopted Stalin’s method of control under great opposition
1956- Riots in Poland	• Demonstrations against high prices • Result: Khrushchev allowed some reforms that gave Poles more freedom in the running of their country
1956- Hungarian Revolt- Why?	People were unhappy with strict Communism (under Rakosi’s rule) - Soviet troops still stationed in Hungary, ensuring loyalty, was a constant reminder of Soviet control over them and State Protection Group (AVO) carried out terror campaign against any government policy opposition. Torture used to suppress criticism of government, USSR or communism - Lack of freedom - censorship extended over radio, newspapers, TV, theatre, art, music; education controlled by Soviet Union, with Communist version of history taught in school (ties to West played down and relations with East emphasized); religion not allowed and practicing Catholics penalized; Hungarians were patriotic and proud of history/traditions, but unable to follow them - Low standard of living – food shortages blamed on Soviet collective farming method. Poorly paid employees. Consumer goods made in Hungary shipped off to USSR. - Khrushchev’s Secret Speech encouraged them to push for more freedom - Improvements in Poland gave them hope that the same thing can happen in Hungary
1956- Hungarian Revolt- What happened?	- 20 Oct Rioting in streets of Budapest. Freedom fighters and army fought against AVO (secret police). Demonstrators wanted Nagy to be new Prime Minister - 24 Oct Khrushchev allowed Nagy to become PM. Soviet tanks & troops sent to Budapest, but removed after a week, following approval of Nagy’s reforms - Nagy’s reforms – including non-Communists included in his cabinet - 29 Oct Nagy announced end of one-party rule, Soviet troops to be withdrawn and removal of Hungary from Warsaw Pact, but still wanted to keep Hungary communist and friendly with USSR
Soviet Reaction to Nagy	- Khrushchev did not like his later reforms * Did not want any of satellite states to leave Warsaw Pact – would endanger USSR’s control over other East European countries - 4 Nov 200,000 troops and 2,500 tanks sent to Budapest - Two weeks of fierce street fighting, 27,000+ Hungarians killed, Soviet control restored, Nagy sacked - Nagy executed after tricked into leaving Yugoslavian embassy in Budapest - West (and the UN) did not help Hungary because it was already a Communist country, and Britain + France were busy with the Suez Canal Crisis in Egypt • Worsened relationship between West and East, increasing tension - West accused of encouraging Nagy to break free of Soviet control - Failure of West to send military aid showed East Europe was still under USSR’s sphere of influence - Anti-communist attitudes grew in West, as they realized USSR was determined to keep a tight rein on satellite states, being brutal when necessary. West more determined to prevent Soviet expansion into Western Europe
Peaceful co-existence	• Idea introduced by Khrushchev, who thought nuclear weapons made war between superpowers unthinkable • Capitalism + Communism should accept the existence of each other rather than use force trying to destroy each other • Eased tension

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