# data[].attributes.body
Stalin afraid that Germany would become stronger = threat to USSR

Wanted to force Allies out of Berlin

West Germany may be strong and capitalist

Action: Block food supply to West Berlin by blocking road and railway links between Germany

USSR vs. West Germany => Differing visions for Germany

Communist vs. Capitalist/Democratic

Objectives

Force Western Powers out of West Berlin

Prop plans to form West Germany

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Impact of Berlin Blockade on the Cold War

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Impact of Berlin Blockade on the Cold War

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USA’s response: Berlin Airlift for 1 year

until May 1949

Stalin: Humiliated

USA sees USSR’s act as aggressive + Trying to spread communism

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Military division of Eu into 2 competing blocs

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Military division of Eu into 2 competing blocs

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April 1949: NATO => Alliance between Western Eu countries

If attacked by other countries

May 1955: Warsaw Pact => Alliance between Eastern Eu countries

Reaction to NATO

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Aims and actions of the USA in Eu after WWII

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Aims and actions of the USA in Eu after WWII

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Took over Western Eu => Everyone be capitalist + Democratic

USA POV: Stalin spread communism in Eu

Loss of trading market

Heightened suspicions and tensions

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Aims and actions of USSR in Eu after WWII

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Aims and actions of USSR in Eu after WWII

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Collective security in Eastern Eu => Sphere of Influence

Rigged elections + Salami Tactics

Buffer against invasion from the West

Still kept promise from Yalta Conference on existence of elections

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Kennan from USSR (last time)

USSR hostile towards West Eu

Due to conflicting ideologies

USSR’s goal: Expansionist policy to spread communism

Kennan suggests Policy of Containment => prevent spread of communism

Reinforced Truman’s concern about USSR being a threat to democracy/capitalism

Changed/Abolished policy of isolationism

Increased mistrust and tensions => Worsened relationships between both countries

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Made by Churchill

Lack of interaction and contact between both spheres

Division between Western and Eastern Eu

Reinforced Truman’s desire to take strong action (containment) against USSR

USSR: Perceived Churchill (Western Eu) as hostile

Trying to be aggressive

Worsened tensions

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USA provided economic and military aid

To any country threatened by communism

eg. Greece and Turkey => Britain no longer able to support to anti-communists

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How Truman Doctrine worsened relations between USA and USSR

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How Truman Doctrine worsened relations between USA and USSR

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Impact of USSR: Perceived USA as hostile

Sees USA as trying to stop communism

Led to formation of Cominform

Cominform: Interaction w/ West discouraged

Implement Pro-Soviet communist policies

Coordinate policies of Soviet satellite states

Strengthened divisions between USA and USSR

Increased rivalries and tensions between both blocs

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Economic aid (US $13 bn.) to countries in Eu => help them to recover

Aim: Build prosperous Western Eu to resist communism

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How Marshall Plan worsened relations between USA and USSR

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How Marshall Plan worsened relations between USA and USSR

# data[].attributes.body
Strengthened division of Eu into 2 distinct spheres => Pro-US and pro-USSR

USSR created Comecon against Marshall Plan (Impact on USSR)

Provide economic aid to satellite states

Coordinate economic policies of Soviet satellite states

Trade w/ USSR and among themselves

USSR seemed weaker

See as ploy to make countries dependent on USA

Way to increase capitalism

Impact on Western Eu

Helped economies to recover

Gratitude towards USA

More likely to be pro-US

Boosted US economy

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Reason for power vacuum in Eu after WWII

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Reason for power vacuum in Eu after WWII

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Power vacuum = A situation when a government has no identifiable central authority

After WWII, Eu in chaos, destruction and famine

All governments in Eu crumbled

No power

No country in position to make major post-war decisions

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How USA and USSR had the capability to step into the power vacuum and compete for the influence

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How USA and USSR had the capability to step into the power vacuum and compete for the influence

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Most European countries hardly able to rebuild themselves w/o external help

USA and USSR could compete for dominant role in reconstructing Eu

Increase political and economic influence in Eu

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Fight for power and influence => Increased tensions and distrust

Broke alliance which was formed during the war

Actions taken by both countries led to misinterpretations of each other’s intention in Eu

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Disagreements between USA and USSR at the Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)

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Disagreements between USA and USSR at the Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)

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Cannot decide on how to divide Germany + Berlin

Don’t know what to do about Poland

USA: Europe’s economy to be revitalised and democratic institutions to be strengthened

USSR: SU’s desire to secure sphere of influence in Eastern Eu (security)

Truman was unhappy with Russian intentions. Stalin wanted to cripple Germany, Truman did not want to repeat the mistakes of Versailles. They disagreed over reparations

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How it deepened the distrust between both countries

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How it deepened the distrust between both countries

# data[].attributes.body
Due to ideological differences, tensions and distrust increase

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President Truman’s opinions on communism

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President Truman’s opinions on communism

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Against communism

Presence of communism => (supposed) to undermine survival of democratic states

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How President Truman’s use of atomic bomb on Japan affected USA-USSR relations (Feb. to July 1945) 

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How President Truman’s use of atomic bomb on Japan affected USA-USSR relations (Feb. to July 1945) 

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USA use of atomic bomb = USA nuclear monopoly

No need USSR to defeat Japan

Germany defeated (No common enemy)

Soviet troops occupied most of Eastern Eu

Stalin POV: Betrayed because of Truman => Supposed to be allies

For not telling USSR about USA’s development of atomic bomb

USSR suspicious of USA’s intentions

USSR Sped up development of own nuclear weapons

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Relationship between the Allied powers and USSR during WWII

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Relationship between the Allied powers and USSR during WWII

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Tensed and Distrustful

USSR suspicious of USA’s actions

Against them? Siding with them?

USSR (Stalin) unsure of real intentions

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Perceived Delay in Opening a Second Front 

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Perceived Delay in Opening a Second Front 

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Second Front => France – Germany invading them

Germany conquered most of Eu

USSR was targeted by Germany

Nearly defeated

Delay for 3 years: 1941 - 1944

Impact on relationship between Allies and USSR => Worsened

USSR POV: Allies wanted to weaken USSR and Germany so that Allies will suffer fewer losses

Contribution to Cold War => Contributed to USSR’s suspicion/distrust of USA’s motives/actions

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Political Rivalry

Between USA and USSR

Occurred after WWII => Surrender of Nazi Germany (1945)

Occurred due to hostility between both superpowers

The alliance between USA + Britain and USSR started to break apart

Superpowers = Countries that have great world influence

Based on ideological, political and economic strength/power

USSR => Eastern Eu

USA => Western Eu

Occurred (officially) from 1947 to 1948

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Ideological differences between USA and USSR

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Ideological differences between USA and USSR

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USA

Capitalist; Democratic

Freedom for everyone

Economy: Profit-Driven, Market Economy, Private ownership

USSR

Communist

No freedom = Slavery

Economy: Command Economy; Government controlled

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How did ideological differences contribute to Cold War?

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How did ideological differences contribute to Cold War?

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Led to mutual distrust and suspicions of each other’s actions

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Example of conflict due to ideological difference

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Example of conflict due to ideological difference

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Potsdam Conference (July to Aug. 1945 => After defeat of Germany)

Exact amount of reparations Germany was to pay => disagreed

Stalin (USSR) wanted severe reparations

USA and UK against severe reparations => scared to Germany turning to communism

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Tensions and Distrust

Defeat of Germany

No common enemy

Development of Atomic Bomb

USA => Nuclear Monopoly

Less need to compromise with USSR

Able to apply to greater leverage

USSR => Betrayed; USA did not inform/update USSR about any of this