1947: Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan: A shift from isolationism
- Choice between communism and democracy
- America had the responsibility to fight for freedom
- America would offer economic aid and military resources to help other countries
- Communism should be limited in the ‘containment’ policy
- Marshall plan offered $17 billion in economic aid to European countries, and established trade ties with the US
1947: Cominform established: USSR response to Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan, consolidated power by removing opposition in satellite states
1948: US, British and French parts of Germany rebuilt and consolidated with a new currency, as well as government assembly
Berlin Blockade & Airlift: West Berlin is blockaded by USSR and USA responds by sending resources in by air, lasts until 1949 due to fears the US would be able to take advantage of resources in West Germany for war, and station more troops inside Germany giving them further influence
1949: Comecon established: Answer to the Marshall Plan, organising economic recovery for countries under the Soviet sphere of influence, boycotting Western aid
1949: NATO – Official Military alliance to defend the West against communism
1953: De-Stalinisation, Khrushchev’s Secret Speech admitting Stalin’s tyranny
1955: Warsaw Pact in response to NATO
1956: Hungarian revolt against communist dictator Rakosi, Nagy appointed as leader with aims of leaving the Warsaw pact, seeking the UN for protection from USSR, creation of democracy with free elections and the end of communism in Hungary. USSR invades Hungary after this reported
Nagy is trialled and executed, and replaced by Kadar (pro USSR)
The Cold War Crises: Berlin, Cuba & Czechoslovakia
Berlin was divided as decided by the Potsdam conference, but many Eastern Germans chose to escape to the more prosperous Western Berlin, prompting Khrushchev to issue an ultimatum.
- 1958: Khrushchev issues ultimatum over Berlin
Four summits are held to negotiate this, eventually resulting in Khrushchev backing down when Kennedy is unwilling to accept this deal
(Previous negotiation attempts hampered by U2 Incident as well as general failure of diplomacy)
1961: Berlin Wall built, preventing Eastern Berlin residents from moving to West Berlin, stopping the refugee crisis and avoiding war while remaining strong
- Cuba was traditionally a pro-American country, and was deep in the USA’s sphere of influence.
1959: Cuban Revolution led by Castro, America responds with economic sanctions and this prompts Cuba to seek diplomatic relations with USSR
1961: CIA led assassination mission, ends in failure (Bay of Pigs incident), and Cuba seeks military support from USSR in the form of nuclear missile bases
1962: USSR begins sending nuclear missiles to Cuba
Beginning of the ‘Thirteen Days’
- US imposes naval blockade to prevent Soviet ships from entering, USSR declares that they will see this as an act of war
- US readies B2 bombers fitted with nuclear weapons in preparation for war
- Secret negotiations for Cuban missiles to be removed in exchange for removal of US missiles from Turkey
1963: ‘Hotline’ between USSR and USA set up, Limited Test Ban Treaty
- Czechoslovakia’s economy was crumbling due to ineffective Soviet control, with huge resentment over political oppression, prompting Dubcek to become leader of the Czechoslovakian Communist Party leader.
1968: Dubcek becomes leader of the Czech communist party
- ‘Socialism with a human face’, showing the positives of communism
- Relaxation of censorship
- Political criticism tolerated
- Czech parliament given more power
- ‘Market socialism’ – elements of capitalism in economy
Later on Brezhnev decides to invade in order to prevent situation from ‘becoming out of control’, setting out his aims in the Brezhnev Doctrine which stated that the USSR assumed responsibility for protecting Communism and removing any threats to it.
America and Europe respond by criticising the invasion, and Western European communists similarly are shocked by the invasion and distance themselves from Soviet Communism. Yugoslavia and Romania also distance themselves from USSR and form an alliance with China instead.
