Development of the Cold War
8th Grade Informational Reading Texts
Once the Allies had defeated the Axis Powers, the differences between the United States (and Britain) and their Soviet allies became apparent. Stalin was still afraid of the West while the leaders of the United States and other western countries continued to fear communism. This leads to the question, who was responsible for starting the Cold War between the United States and the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)? Both countries took steps that were unwise and could be misinterpreted by the other side. Thus it should not be a surprise that two countries with two such different systems came into conflict.
Eastern Europe was the first area where disagreement arose. Both the United States and Great Britain felt the liberated nations of Eastern Europe should freely determine their own governments. Stalin, fearful that the Eastern European countries would be anti-communist if they were allowed to hold free elections, was against the idea of allowing these countries to determine their own governmental system. Having freed Eastern Europe from the control of Nazi Germany, the Soviet army remained in control of the areas they had conquered.
Civil war in Greece created another area of conflict between the superpowers. The Communist People's Liberation Army and anticommunist forces supported by Great Britain were fighting each other for control of the country in 1946. However, Britain had its own problems and was forced to withdraw support from Greece.
President Harry S. Truman of the U.S. was concerned by the withdrawal of Britain from Greece as well as the possibility of Soviet expansion into the eastern Mediterranean. Because of this, in 1947, he responded with the Truman Doctrine. This stated that the U.S. would provide money to countries if they were threatened by communism. If the Russians were not stopped in Greece, according to Truman administration beliefs, then the U.S would be faced with the spread of communism throughout the world.
the Truman Doctrine was followed in 1947 by the European Recovery Program. A proposal thought up by General George C. Marshall, the U.S. Secretary of State, it is more commonly referred to as the Marshall Plan. The program was designed to restore European prosperity and stability. It included $13 billion in aid for the economic recovery of Europe. Underlying the plan was the belief that Communist aggression was successful in countries where there were economic problems.
The plan was not meant to shut out the Soviets or their economic and politically dependent allies. In fact, they were invited to join but refused to do so. The Soviets believed the Marshall Plan guaranteed "American loans in return for the relinquishing by the European states of their economic and later also their political independence." In other words, the Soviets believed it was an attempt to buy support.
The Soviets responded by creating the Council for Mutual Assistance (COMECON) for the economic cooperation of the states in Eastern Europe. However, this was largely a failure because of the inability of the Soviet Union to provide large amounts of financial aid.
By the late 1940s, the split in Europe between the U.S. and the Soviets had become a fact of life. In July 1947, George Keenan, the U.S. ambassador to the USSR, argued for a policy to contain communism within its existing boundaries and prevent it from spreading further. Thus containment became a policy of the U.S.
Germany's fate became a source of contention between the Russians and the West. When the war was over the Allies divided Germany into four zones, each one occupied by one of the Allies--the United States, the USSR, France, and Britain. Berlin, located deep inside the Soviet occupation zone, was also divided between the four allies.
The foreign ministers of the four occupying powers continually met in an attempt to arrive at a final settlement with Germany. However, they had little success and by February of 1948, the three western powers began to make plans to unify their sections of Germany and create a West German government.
Of course, the Russians opposed this idea. In an attempt to prevent the creation of this state they implemented a blockade of West Berlin. Soviet forces did not allow trucks, trains or barges to enter the city's three Western zones. Food and supplies could no longer get through to the millions of people in these areas.
This meant the Western allies faced a dilemma. No one wanted to start World War III; especially so close after the end of the Second World War. However, something had to be done to keep the citizens of West Berlin alive. The solution was to fly in supplies using British and American Air forces--The Berlin Airlift.
Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing to the Berliners up to 8,893 tons of necessities each day, such as fuel and food. As neither side wanted a war, the Soviets did not disrupt the airlift.
By the spring of 1949, the airlift was clearly succeeding, and by April it was delivering more cargo than had previously been transported into the city by rail. On 12 May 1949, the USSR lifted the blockade of West Berlin. The Berlin Blockade served to highlight the competing ideological and economic visions for postwar Europe.
Then, in September of 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany, also known as West Germany, was created. The capital city was Bonn. A month later the Soviets responded by creating the German Democratic Republic in East Germany with East Berlin as its capital.
Eastern Europe was the first area where disagreement arose. Both the United States and Great Britain felt the liberated nations of Eastern Europe should freely determine their own governments. Stalin, fearful that the Eastern European countries would be anti-communist if they were allowed to hold free elections, was against the idea of allowing these countries to determine their own governmental system. Having freed Eastern Europe from the control of Nazi Germany, the Soviet army remained in control of the areas they had conquered.
Civil war in Greece created another area of conflict between the superpowers. The Communist People's Liberation Army and anticommunist forces supported by Great Britain were fighting each other for control of the country in 1946. However, Britain had its own problems and was forced to withdraw support from Greece.
President Harry S. Truman of the U.S. was concerned by the withdrawal of Britain from Greece as well as the possibility of Soviet expansion into the eastern Mediterranean. Because of this, in 1947, he responded with the Truman Doctrine. This stated that the U.S. would provide money to countries if they were threatened by communism. If the Russians were not stopped in Greece, according to Truman administration beliefs, then the U.S would be faced with the spread of communism throughout the world.
the Truman Doctrine was followed in 1947 by the European Recovery Program. A proposal thought up by General George C. Marshall, the U.S. Secretary of State, it is more commonly referred to as the Marshall Plan. The program was designed to restore European prosperity and stability. It included $13 billion in aid for the economic recovery of Europe. Underlying the plan was the belief that Communist aggression was successful in countries where there were economic problems.
The plan was not meant to shut out the Soviets or their economic and politically dependent allies. In fact, they were invited to join but refused to do so. The Soviets believed the Marshall Plan guaranteed "American loans in return for the relinquishing by the European states of their economic and later also their political independence." In other words, the Soviets believed it was an attempt to buy support.
The Soviets responded by creating the Council for Mutual Assistance (COMECON) for the economic cooperation of the states in Eastern Europe. However, this was largely a failure because of the inability of the Soviet Union to provide large amounts of financial aid.
By the late 1940s, the split in Europe between the U.S. and the Soviets had become a fact of life. In July 1947, George Keenan, the U.S. ambassador to the USSR, argued for a policy to contain communism within its existing boundaries and prevent it from spreading further. Thus containment became a policy of the U.S.
Germany's fate became a source of contention between the Russians and the West. When the war was over the Allies divided Germany into four zones, each one occupied by one of the Allies--the United States, the USSR, France, and Britain. Berlin, located deep inside the Soviet occupation zone, was also divided between the four allies.
The foreign ministers of the four occupying powers continually met in an attempt to arrive at a final settlement with Germany. However, they had little success and by February of 1948, the three western powers began to make plans to unify their sections of Germany and create a West German government.
Of course, the Russians opposed this idea. In an attempt to prevent the creation of this state they implemented a blockade of West Berlin. Soviet forces did not allow trucks, trains or barges to enter the city's three Western zones. Food and supplies could no longer get through to the millions of people in these areas.
This meant the Western allies faced a dilemma. No one wanted to start World War III; especially so close after the end of the Second World War. However, something had to be done to keep the citizens of West Berlin alive. The solution was to fly in supplies using British and American Air forces--The Berlin Airlift.
Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing to the Berliners up to 8,893 tons of necessities each day, such as fuel and food. As neither side wanted a war, the Soviets did not disrupt the airlift.
By the spring of 1949, the airlift was clearly succeeding, and by April it was delivering more cargo than had previously been transported into the city by rail. On 12 May 1949, the USSR lifted the blockade of West Berlin. The Berlin Blockade served to highlight the competing ideological and economic visions for postwar Europe.
Then, in September of 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany, also known as West Germany, was created. The capital city was Bonn. A month later the Soviets responded by creating the German Democratic Republic in East Germany with East Berlin as its capital.