9.3 - The Cold War

Post-War Conferences and Agreements

• Allied Conferences: Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States met in a series of three conferences during World War II to negotiate what post-war Europe would look like after their victory. One of the key agreements made during these conferences was that Eastern European nations would be allowed to choose their leaders and governments through democratic elections.

• Stalin’s Reluctance: While this agreement was favorable to the United States and Britain, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was not enthusiastic about allowing democratic elections in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, the agreement was made, and the Allies continued fighting the war.

The League of Nations and Its Replacement

• League of Nations’ Failure: After World War I, the League of Nations was established as an international body meant to resolve conflicts through diplomacy rather than war. However, the outbreak of World War II demonstrated that the League had failed in its mission.

• Creation of the United Nations: Recognizing the League’s shortcomings, the Allied powers agreed to create a new international body called the United Nations. This new organization was intended to be more effective in maintaining global peace and security.

The United Nations and the Cold War

• Goals of the United Nations: The United Nations was established to succeed where the League of Nations had failed, with the primary goal of preventing another international war. Despite this, the creation of the UN did not prevent the onset of the Cold War.

• Stalin’s Actions in Eastern Europe: After World War II, Stalin went back on the agreement made with the Allied powers and did not allow Eastern European nations to have democratic elections. Instead, the Soviet Union absorbed these nations into what became known as the Soviet Bloc. These satellite nations adopted communism, and their economies were structured to serve the Soviet Union.

• Soviet Bloc as a Buffer Zone: From Stalin’s perspective, these states acted as a buffer zone between Western Europe and the Soviet Union, which he saw as necessary for Soviet security. This move, however, heightened suspicion and mutual distrust between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Division of Post-War Germany

• Germany’s Division: After the war, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the Soviets, French, British, and Americans. Although this division was meant to be temporary, East Germany, under Soviet control, quickly became another communist state.

• Soviet Strategy: The Soviets wanted to keep Germany weak to prevent any future threats, particularly given the devastation Germany had caused in Russia during both World Wars.

• Western Strategy: The United States, on the other hand, favored a strong Germany to ensure a stable Europe. This fundamental difference in approach led Stalin to tighten his grip on East Germany, further escalating tensions.

The Iron Curtain and Growing Tensions

• Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech: The division between democratic Western Europe and communist Eastern Europe became so pronounced that former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously declared that an "iron curtain" had descended across the continent. This marked the complete ideological and political division in Europe.

• Prelude to the Cold War: These events laid the groundwork for the Cold War, a period of intense ideological and geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Understanding this division is key to comprehending the United States' policy of containment, which we’ll explore next.

Truman Doctrine and the Cold War

Truman Doctrine:

• The Truman Doctrine was a significant policy aimed at containing Communism during the Cold War.

• It declared that any country threatened by Communism could expect financial and military support from the United States.

• The first major test of the Truman Doctrine occurred during the Greek Civil War, where Communist forces fought against anti-Communist forces.

• Initially, Britain supported the anti-Communist forces, but due to its own internal issues, it had to withdraw support.

• The United States, under the Truman Doctrine, stepped in to provide financial aid to the anti-Communist forces to prevent Greece from falling to Communism.

• The victory of the anti-Communist forces in Greece further intensified the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Nature of the Cold War:

• The Cold War was not an armed conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union but rather a period of intense political and military tension.

• It was called a "cold" war because, while both nations were in direct opposition and could have gone to war at any moment, they ultimately did not engage in direct armed conflict.

• Despite the lack of direct military engagement, the Cold War was waged in several ways:

1. Propaganda:

• The Cold War involved significant propaganda efforts on both sides.

• The United States broadcasted messages of freedom and democracy into Soviet territories through Radio Free Europe.

• In response, Soviet propaganda emphasized the greed of capitalism and highlighted racial tensions in the United States, questioning the value of democracy.

2. Covert Actions:

• Espionage and covert operations were central to the Cold War.

• The United States created the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to handle clandestine operations.

• The United Kingdom had its Secret Intelligence Service, while the Soviet Union operated the KGB.

• These agencies conducted espionage to gather intelligence, especially on the buildup of weapons and to plan the next steps in the Cold War.

3. Arms Race:

• The Cold War saw a significant arms race, particularly in the development of nuclear weapons.

• The United States had developed and used the first nuclear bombs during World War II, which devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

• The Soviet Union, feeling threatened by the U.S.'s nuclear capability, quickly began developing its own nuclear technology.

• In 1949, the Soviet Union successfully tested its first atomic bomb, prompting the United States to develop even more powerful weapons, such as the hydrogen bomb.

The Arms Race and Proxy Wars

Arms Race:

• The hydrogen bomb, developed by both the United States and the Soviet Union, had a destructive capacity thousands of times greater than the atomic bomb.

• Despite the massive destructive power, it was unlikely that either superpower would use these bombs against each other due to the concept of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), where both sides would face total annihilation.

• However, the competition to develop and stockpile more advanced weapons became a defining feature of the Cold War, reflecting the intense rivalry between the two superpowers.

Proxy Wars:

• The Cold War was also characterized by a series of proxy wars, where the United States and the Soviet Union supported opposing sides in smaller conflicts around the world, allowing them to indirectly confront each other without engaging in direct combat.

• One of the most significant proxy wars was the Korean War.

Korean War:

• After Japan's defeat in World War II, Korea, previously a Japanese colony, was divided along the 38th parallel.

• The Soviet Union occupied the northern part of Korea, establishing a Communist government, while the United States occupied the southern part, supporting a more democratic government.

• In 1949, both Soviet and U.S. forces withdrew from Korea, leaving behind two separate states: Communist North Korea and Democratic South Korea.

• In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, leading to immediate involvement from the United States and the Soviet Union, who provided military and financial support to their respective allies.

• The war saw significant shifts in territorial control, but ultimately, it ended with Korea remaining divided at the 38th parallel, the same boundary as before the conflict.

Vietnam War and Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Vietnam War:

• The Vietnam War was another major proxy conflict during the Cold War, similar to the Korean War.

• After World War II, Vietnam was divided into North and South, with a U.S.-friendly government in the South and a Communist government in the North.

• The conflict began with the South Vietnamese, supported by the United States, fighting against North Vietnam, which was backed by China and the Soviet Union.

• The war resulted in millions of casualties on both sides and, much like the Korean War, ended in a stalemate, with no decisive victory.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan:

• In 1979, the Soviet Union faced challenges in Afghanistan, where anti-Communist guerrillas were attempting to overthrow the Communist government.

• The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the Communist regime.

• The United States did not send troops but provided substantial military aid to the anti-Communist forces, contributing to a prolonged and costly conflict.

• The war dragged on for years, with the Soviet Union eventually withdrawing in 1989, marking the end of their involvement in Afghanistan.

• These proxy wars demonstrate how the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in indirect conflict during the Cold War, fighting through other nations' battles without direct confrontation.