agreed hat the Soviets could have a ‘sphere of influence’ in Eastern Europe. This
became a major issue of assertion at Potsdam. And lastly, Russia would gain the
Sakhalin Island and some parts of Manchuria if Stalin promised to participate in
the war against Japan. However, there was difficulty over the status of Poland,
as ‘the Russian armies swept through Poland, driving the Germans back,
they had had set up a communist government in Lublin.’ (Lowe) Despite the fact
that a Polish government was in London. As a result, it was agreed that some
members of the London government should be allowed to join the Lublin
government and Russia would be given a strip of Eastern Poland, “which they
had already occupied in 1939.” But, an agreement opposing Stalin’s demand of
Poland, should be given to all German territory east of the Oder and Neisse
rivers was not reached. The pretense at this conference was a public agreement
and compromise. All seemed well but behind the scenes tension was growing.
On July 1945, the three Allied leaders, Joseph Stalin, Harry S. Truman
(replacing Roosevelt), and Clement Attlee (replacing Churchill) met at the
Potsdam Conference, after the surrender of Germany to decide the post-war
peace. Potsdam was similar to the Treaty of Versailles.
The United States had a new president, Harry S. Truman who was anti-
Stalin and Britain had a new prime - minister Clement Attlee who was anti-
communist, and allowed ‘no nonsense attitude.’ The relations had deteriorated
and the atmosphere had changed.
The war with Germany had finished and no agreement was reached about
its future. The main point was whether the four zones would be allowed to join
together to form a united Germany again. Germany was to be neutralized, and
the Nazi party leaders would be tried as war criminals. As well as, Germany
would have to pay reparations that were to go to the USSR, which would be
allowed to take non-food goods for their own zone and 10% of the industrial
equipment of the western zones was added part of reparation.
Another problem was Poland, Truman and Attlee were both irritated
‘because Germany east of the Oder-Neisse Line had been occupied by Russian
troops and was being run by the pro-communist Polish government, which
expelled five million Germans living in the area; this had not been agreed at
Yalta.” (Lowe 126) Stalin had tried to protect Russia, but this was not seen
through the eyes of Attlee and Truman. Furthermore, Truman believed that
Stalin’s occupation of Eastern Europe would lead to him taking over the rest of
Europe. The west had accused Stalin of not allowing free elections as promised
at Yalta in Bulgaria and Romania. However, the Russian made similar allegations
about Greece. Also, at Potsdam Truman had informed Stalin that the United
States had the atomic bomb, and it had been tested successfully. Thus, the
USSR was no longer in need to defeat the Japanese. The United States would
make decisions alone regarding Japan. As a result, the United States did make
its own decisions, in August 1945 an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and
Hiroshima. It was seen one of the most monumental acts. The bomb became
Truman’s most possessive possessions, Truman believed it would make Russia
more manageable in Europe.
A major disagreement arose, as Russia wanted to injure Germany while
the USA wanted to rebuild it. Stalin wanted compensation for the destruction
suffered by the USSR, and Truman opposed. Stalin would not agree to the idea
of merging all the zones. The United States, France and Britain adamantly
agreed that Germany would be disarmed, democratized, and denazified.
Overall the west became more and more irritated and scared of Moscow.
While in the east Stalin had manipulated and terrorized the birth of communism.
He upset the west.
Besides the Yalta and Postdam Conference other events contribute to the
role in the origin of the Cold War. In 1917, Lenin introduced Communism to the
USSR. This caused suspicion, fear to the western nations, and in return isolation
to the USSR. The fear of loss of rights, freedom and wealth pondered the minds
of Western nations. Between the 1920’s and 1930’s the USSR remained
isolated from the rest of the world. In these two decades of fear, suspicion and
tension from the capitalistic countries grew. In 1939, ‘a common evil’ the Nazi’s
brought the USSR, Britain, USA, and France together. They became an alliance
with the determination to defeat the Nazis. During this, tension was shelved
aside and the Nazis were slaughtering the Russian.
The two monumental policies of the 20th century, known as the Truman
Doctrine and Marshall Plan. The Truman Doctrine came across from the event in
Greece, when the Communists were trying to overthrow the monarchy and as a
result, British troops helped to liberate Greece from Germany. Great Britain felt
the urge to support against the Communist, which were receiving aid from
Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. However, the Communists were defeated by
1949 and Greece received large amounts of aid. The goal of the Truman
Doctrine was ‘ that the USA did not intend to return to isolation as she had after
the First World War; she was committed to a policy of containing communism,
not just in Europe, but throughout the world, including Korea and Vietnam. ‘
(Lowe) However, Truman said, ‘Support people who are resisting subjugation, by
armed minorities or outside pressures instead of saying “ Contain communism –
Keep it where it already is.”
In June 1947, the Marshall Plan, an extension of Truman Doctrine was
established. The policy was as George Marshall stated, “ is directed not against
any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos.’
(Lowe) The major aim was political, ‘communism was less likely to gain control
in a prosperous western Europe.” (Lowe) While the minor aim ‘was to promote
the economic recovery of Europe thus ensuring markets for American export.’
(Lowe) ‘During the next four years over 13000 million dollars of Marshall aid was
given to Europe. The money was divided amongst nations for industrial and
agricultural recovery .’ As a result Western Europe recovered.
The two policies, Truman Doctrine and Marshall aid provided economic
aid stabilizing the governments in Western Europe. It rejuvenated the agricultural
and industrial economies. Between 1945-1949 there was a major difference in
economic, social and political plans in Western Europe.
However the USSR retaliated and in response to Marshall Plan
established Cominform. Cominform was Moscow’s pledge to support the
communist parties around the world. In other words, all Soviet states, within
Eastern Europe and other communist nations, for example the French and Italian
communist parties would be a member of Cominform. It had a similar motif as
the American established Marshall Plan, Moscow would provide economic aid.
But, Cominform members could only trade with other cominform members. This
was a way for Stalin to have a tighter grip on the satellite states. Interestingly,
Yugoslavia objected and barred from Cominform, although remained communist.
In February 1948, Czechoslovakia fell to communism and embraced
cominform. In May 1948, the Communists were going to lose the elections as
the Czech people were not happy with their government not accepting aid. The
USSR started an armed coup. As a result, all non-communist politicians decided
to resign. However, the elections still took place and the communists
unsurprisingly won.
Between June 24, 1948 and May 11, 1949 the Berlin Blockade took
place. ‘It was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. It was
another event between the superpowers. During the multinational occupation of
post – WWII Germany, the USSR blocked three Western power’ railroads and
street access to western parts of Berlin, that they had been controlling. The main
aim was to force the western powers to allow the USSR controlled regions to
start supplying Berlin with aid, thereby giving them nominal control over Berlin.
The USA and the USSR had different views for what they were going to
do to Germany. The USSR had already disagreed with Britain and the USA at
Postdam regarding this. Stalin wanted to destroy Germany, they had already
stripped East Germany of its wealth and machinery. While Britain and the USA
wanted to rebuild Germany’s industry to become wealthy trading partners. The
difference in aims was one of the underlying causes of the Berlin Blockade. The
policy of the USA and the USSR towards Germany was poles apart that conflict
was bound to break out.
The causes of underlying conflict in Berlin in 1948, was firstly, in 1947
when Britain and the USA joined their two zones together, calling the new zone
‘Bizonia.’ Stalin realized that Britain and the USA was beginning to create a more
stronger Germany. The level of fear and anger grew.
On June 1, 1948 the USA and Britain announce that they want a new
German currency to be created, replacing the devalued Reichsmark. The USSR
refused to accept the proposal, with the hope to continue the German depression
in keeping with their policy of a weak Germany. However, the three Western
powers, continued on the idea of their new currency. On June 21, 1948 the new
Deutsche Mark was introduced. The USSR still refused to honor the currency,
Stalin felt that by introducing a new currency the USA and Britain had been trying
to destabilize the eastern German economy.
The new currency, Deutsche Mark and the Marshall Plan appeared to revitalize
Germany against the wishes of the USSR. In response the Russians
immediately, closed all railways, and roads between West Berlin and West
Germany. “Their aim was to force the West to withdraw from West Berlin by
reducing it to starvation point” (Lowe). The Russian had dealt with enough. The
Western powers, decided to fly over supplies, with the assumption that the
Russians would not shoot down the transported aid. This was a massive gamble.
Although “Truman has sent a fleet of B-29 bombers to be positioned on British
airfields.” (Lowe) Over the next eleven months a total o 2 million tons of aid was
airlifted to the blocked city. On May 1949 Stalin removed the blockade and
communication was restored. As a result Stalin had lost major propaganda.
Although this eased the cold war. It allowed the western powers to manage their
defences by forming NATO. It created no visible compromise of Germany to
reunite.
