Why did the Cold war start ?

?

Why did the Cold war start ?

Causes

  • Yalta and Potsdam conference 1945
  • Atomic Bomb by U.S 1945
  • Truman Doctrine 1947
  • Stalinisation of Eastern Europe e.g Czhecolovakian Crisis 1947
  • Marshal Aid 1947
  • Iron Curtain speech 1946
  • Cominforn 1947, Comecon 1949
  • NATO 1949
  • Trizonia
  • Berlin Blockade 1949
  • West and East split 1949
  • China turns communist 1949
  • Kenyans Long Telegram 1946
  • Molotov Long Telegram 1946

Effects

  • Led to the development of the Arms Race - U.S.S.R dente noted their Atomic Bomb in 1949
  • Atomic Bomb made U.S.S.R less trusting of U.S which was always a cause of tensions and a hindrance of diplomacy
  • Containment policy due to Kennan's Long telegram which was the focus of U.S policy for years
  • Molotov telegram led the U.S.S.R to see Marshall Plan as aggressive ( Dollar Imperialism) which led to the formation of Comecon denying Soviet Satellite states from receiving aid thus crippling their economy further and causing future uprisings
  • Stalisation of Eastern Europe made U.S think U.S.S.R wanted to dominate the world and this was worsened with China turning communist leading America to involve in Korean War
  • Iron Curtain speech reinforced the divide between communist east and capitalist west
  • Formation of Trizonia provoked Stalin thus leading to Berlin Blockade
  • Berlin Blockade led to the split of East and West Germany who were not to be united till the end of the Cold war and berlin remained a flashpoint for the rest of the cold war

Overall summary

There are three schools of thought for why the Cold War developed - Orthodox ( U.S.S.R), Revisionist (U.S.A) Post-Revisionist(BOTH)General subtopics as to why the Cold war developed are as follows :.U.S.S.R Aggression.U.S Aggression .Stalins Personality .Personality change between Truman and Roosevelt .Mutual Misunderstanding .Ideological Differences.Superpower Rivalry .Long Term Tensions .Conflicting National Interests 

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Cold War resources »