The Cold War

Causes of the Cold War
1. Russian Civil War
2. Opposing ideologies
  1. Capitalism vs. Communism
3. Fear and mistrust
4. Post war conferences and broken promises
5. Eastern bloc countries/buffer zone/satellite states
6. US use of atomic bomb
7. Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
8. Iron Curtain Speech
9. Demise of common enemy (Hitler)
US were to blame
1. 1947 - Truman Doctrine
  1. Truman said he would protect countries under the threat of communism by sending money (richer they are, more they favour capitalism)
2. Co-operated with Russia during WWII rather than taking a stand
3. 1945 - Atomic bombs were a statement of power
4. 1918-1921 - US and British troops sent in to contain communism in Russian Civil War
  1. Created tensions
5. Roosevelt died and was replaced by Truman, who was inexperienced and less understanding
6. Should have been more understanding that Stalin wanted the Bloc countries to protect Russia - 1/6th of their population had been lost
7. Truman allowed Iron Curtain speech to be delivered
USSR were to blame
1. 1947 - Stalin gave BLOC countries official independence yet controlled and chose leaders
  1. Claimed they were his only protection against Germany
2. Trying to impose communism - America was acting on self-defence
  1. Wouldn't stop until a new leader came, which eventually happened
USSR and US
1. 1945 - Yalta conference: Roosevelt and Stalin couldn't come to a compromise
  1. Stalin lied about giving the BLOC countries a democratic vote
2. 1945 - agreements between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin as to what to do about Nazis and Germany
  1. America testing nuclear bombs
    1. So is Russia, just not as fast
  2. Stalin lied about government he said he'd set up in Poland with communists and capitallists
3. 1946 - Stalin and Truman suspicious of each other
  1. Hired spies from their embassies in each other's countries
  2. Truman allegedly planning world domination
  3. US preparing for war
4. Actions of defence misinterpreted as ones of aggression
Britain were to blame
1. 1946 - Iron Curtain speech depicting Russia and communism as evil