A timeline of the Cold War from its origins through to the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Ending may or may not follow.

1. The Cold War
1945-1979

2. Origins of the
conflict
1914-1945

3. Communism V Capitalism
• Communism:
• ‘each according to
their needs’.
• Government controls
means of production.
• Capitalism:
• Varying amounts of
wealth, some have
more than others.
• Industry is privatised.

4. Russian withdrawal from WWI
• The Bolshevik
Government
surrendered to Germany
in early 1918 despite the
allies wanting the
Russians to continue
fighting to prevent the
freeing up of the
German Army on the
Eastern Front.
• Their surrender was on
early sign that relations
between the Soviet
Union and the West
would not be easy.

5. Execution of Tsar Nicholas II
• When the Tsar was
executed King
George V (cousin and
friend of the Tsar)
refused to enter into
communications with
the Soviet
government.

6. Allied support in the Russian
Civil War (until 1920)
• The allied forces
supported the White
armies during the
civil war.
• This conflict focused
on the annihilation of
the Soviet
government so
would annoy the
Soviets and develop
distrust.

7. Comintern
• The Communist
International (Or third
international)
• Parties needed to
accept 21 conditions.
• It was dissolved by
Stalin in 1943.
• Replaced by
Cominform in 1947.
• Committed to the
‘overthrow of the
international
bourgeoisie.’

8. 1930s Politics
1934-1939

9. Appeasement
• During the 1930s Britain
and France appeased
Nazi Germany which
frustrated the USSR since
Hitler’s talk of
lebensraum to the East
would mean war
between the Reich and
Soviet Union.
• It appeared to Stalin that
the West were reluctant
to stop this because of
the appeasement.

10. Molotov Ribbentrop Pact
(1939)
• Communazi division
of Eastern Europe.
• The MR Pact shows
how Stalin was
pragmatic- he placed
security over
ideology in this
instance.

11. WWII
1939-1945

12. WWII
• Operation Barbarossa
(22.6.1941) came as a
surprise to Stalin who
had trusted Hitler.
• Barbarossa destroyed
the USSR and put in no
position to expand.
• It also served to fuel
Stalin’s paranoia of the
West.

13. WWII
• The Red Army waited
outside Warsaw
allowing the
Wehrmacht to
annihilate the 1944
uprising- asides from
waiting when they
could have helped
because the
communists liberated
Poland, rather than the
Polish, the communists
established a
government.

14. WWII
• Stalin was suspicious as to
why it took so long to open a
second front- the allies had
agreed to a landing before
June 1944.
• In May 1942 Roosevelt had
promised Molotov that they
would open a second front
before the end of the year.
• When Truman became
president he took a hard line
approach to Stalin refusing to
appease the Soviet leader.
• The Americans refused to give
details about their atomic
bomb (though that was to
anyone, not just the USSR)

15. Tehran Conference
• The Tehran conference was
held 28th November to
December 1st 1943.
• The big three disagreed
over whether the
communist government in
exile or non-communist
government in exile should
become the Polish
government upon the
liberation of Poland.
• Stalin wanted a Communist
Poland to prevent an
invasion like Operation
Barbarossa from happening
again to the USSR.

16. Tehran Conference
• It was agreed that Britain
and the US would open a
second front in France in
May 1944 with a follow
up operation in Southern
France. Stalin added he
would launch an
offensive at the same
time.
• It was agreed that the
Yugoslav Partisan
movement (a communist
group) would be
supported by the allies.

17. Liberation of Europe
1943-1945

18. Eastern ‘Liberation’
STAVKA

19. Poland 1944
• As the Red Army marched
through Poland they
destroyed the non-communist
resistance, the Polish Home
Army.
• The Soviet troops waited
outside Warsaw allowing the
uprising to be decimated by
the Wehrmacht and only
allowing allied support in mid-
September when it was too
late to make any difference.
• As the Russians advanced, the
NKVD, along with Polish
communists, shot or
imprisoned partisans from
the Home Army.

20. Romania 1944
• The Romanian King
negotiated an armistice with
the Soviets on 12th
September and Romania was
occupied by the Red Army. An
Allied Control Commission in
Romania was formed,
dominated by the Soviets.
• A coalition government of
Communists, Socialists,
Liberals and the Ploughman’s
front was created. In the
winter of 1944/45 the
Communists and their allies
formed the National
Democratic Front and
encouraged the seizure of
farms and Factories.

21. Romania 1944
• In March 1945 Stalin
orchestrated a coup
which resulted in a
Communist
dominated National
Democratic Front
Government.

22. Bulgaria 1944
• When the Red Army arrived they
found a Communist revolution
already underway.
• The ruling class was purged and
over 10000 people were
executed. The Unions and Police
were infiltrated and the farms
were seized by peasants. In
autumn 1944 Stalin tried to
pursue a moderate policy, where
the Bulgarian Communists would
tolerate some political
opposition.
• This was not always easy as some
local communists, sometimes
backed by ACC Soviet officials
wanted to gain power regardless
of diplomatic consequences.

23. Hungary 1944
• The Hungarians tried to
negotiate an armistice with
Britain and the USA to avoid
an occupation by the Soviets.
In September 1944 Admiral
Horthy appealed for a
ceasefire with the Russians
but was imprisoned by the
Nazis who put the arrow cross
party in charge.
• In December the Red Army
arrived on the outskirts of
Budapest. The Communist
party was too weak to have a
dominant role in politics so
had to cooperate with the
social democrats and other
middle class parties.

24. Hungary 1944
• In the December
1945 election the
Communists only got
17% of the vote but
they had three key
positions in the
provisional
government.

25. Czechoslovakia 1944
• Czechoslovakia was the
friendliest to the USSR since they
felt betrayed by the Munich
agreement of 1938. Stalin still
annexed Ruthenia despite an
alliance with the USSR.
• Through winter 1944-1945 the
balance of power shifted from
the democratic parties and the
government in exile to the Czech
Communist party under Klement
Gottwald.
• Stalin forced Gottwald to accept
Benes as president and Benes
adopted a conciliatory policy and
cooperated with the communists,
allowing a harmony that Stalin
could not achieve in Poland.

26. Yugoslavia 1944
• Soviet forces linked up with
Partisan forces under Joseph Tito
and attacked Belgrade on 14th
October. The Partisans fought not
just the Wehrmacht and Waffen
SS but other, non-communist
partisan groups.
• When an area was occupied they
formed liberation committees
which took orders from Tito
rather than the government in
exile.
• In 1944 the British supported Tito
over other Partisan groups. Tito
went on to liberate Albania in
November. Stalin did however
make it clear in January 1945
that Moscow would control
foreign policy.

27. Western Liberation
SHAEF

28. 1944 Greece
• Following the liberation
in October the British
ordered the disbanding
of the Communist
partisans- Elas.
• A revolt (encouraged by
Tito) broke out in
December in Athens.
• Stalin stopped Tito from
reinforcing the
communists and the
British defeated the
communists to no
objection from Stalin.

29. Italy 1943-44
• Italy was occupied by the
British and Americans who
refused Soviet
involvement.
• Stalin gave the Communist
party in Italy under Palmiro
Togliatti instructions to not
launch an uprising but to
enter the democratic
process.
• Togliatti managed this and
became minister for justice
in the new Italian
government.

30. France 1944
• In August 1944 De Gaulle
established an independent
government with the intention of
building a French led western
European bloc.
• To counter the predominance of
the Anglo Americans De Gaulle
signed a treaty with Russia,
signing the Franco-Soviet Treaty
in December 1944.
• The French communists became
a major force in French politics as
they had been involved in the
resistance. Thorez (head of the
communists) was ordered to
support the soviet-French
alliance and create a left wing
coalition with the socialists.

31. Liberation relation to the Cold
War
• The “Liberation” of Eastern
Europe was seen as Soviet
expansionism by the west.
• Stalin paranoia and
pragmatic actions implied
he was more concerned for
the USSR’s security than
expanding.
• Also the exclusion of Stalin
from the occupation of
Italy meant that he could
exclude the western allies
from Eastern Europe.

32. Percentages Agreement
• Stalin approved the note
with a tick.
• The percentages concerned
spheres of influence in
Eastern Europe.
• Churchill suggested the
USSR would have 90%
influence in Romania and
75% in Bulgaria whilst the
UK would have 90%
influence in Greece and
each would have 50%
influence in Hungary and
Yugoslavia.

33. Percentage Agreement
• What actually happened
was that Romania, Bulgaria
and Hungary became one
party communist countries
under the influence of
Moscow, Yugoslavia
became an independent
one party communist state
and Greece fell into a civil
war in which the British
supported the government
but the USSR did not
support the communists.
• It was agreed at the fourth
Moscow conference in
1944.

34. Yalta Conference
• Yalta was the second
post-war conference.
• The big 3 agreed to
accept nothing less than
Germany’s unconditional
surrender.
• Stalin agreed to enter
the war against Japan.
• A committee of
dismemberment of
Germany was formed.
• The big 3 agreed on the
establishing of ‘free and
fair’ elections.

35. The Atomic Bomb
• The US attempted to use the
bomb to intimidate the USSR but
his didn’t work and only served
to annoy Stalin.
• Roosevelt didn’t tell the soviets
about the bomb.
• Truman mentioned the bomb at
Potsdam though the extent to
which this was ‘atomic
diplomacy’ is debated.
• Some believe Truman dropped
the bomb as a demonstration to
the USSR.
• The bomb may have changed
Truman’s attitude- He switched
pro-soviet advisors like Davies to
anti-communist advisors like
Stimson or Byrnes.

36. Changes in leadership
• Towards the end of WWII
Churchill was replaced by
Clement Attlee as PM.
• Truman became president
when Roosevelt died.
• Truman was more anti soviet
than Roosevelt because he
did not want to appear to be
appeasing Stalin.
• Attlee failed to play a major
part in confronting Stalin.
• It is argued Truman tried to
use atomic diplomacy at
Potsdam though this is
disputed.

37. The Aims of the Big 3
in 1945

38. USSR Aims
• The USSR wanted to secure its
western borders, retaining
territories it got under the
Molotov Ribbentrop pact.
• Stalin was primarily interested
in the USSRs security; he
‘equated land with’ security
according to J L Gaddis.
• The USSR had been invaded
twice by Germany through
Poland.
• Reparations from Germany, as
war costs and to prevent
Germany from becoming a
major power.

39. USSR Aims
• Stalin wanted to
create pro Soviet
regimes in Eastern
Europe.
• He also wanted
reintegrate the Baltic
states into the USSR.

40. USA Aims
• The USA wanted access
to raw materials.
• They wanted the
freedom to trade and
export around the world.
• The USA wanted the
creation of a UN.
• The UN would have a
security council.
• The USA wanted to
continue the wartime
alliance into the post-
war period.

41. UK Aims
• Great Britain wanted
to preserve the
British Empire.
• They wanted to have
a friendly
relationship with the
USA and USSR.
• Britain wanted to
stop Soviet
expansion.

42. Potsdam Conference
• Held in 17th July- 2nd August
1945.
• Germany would be divided
into four occupation zones
along with Berlin.
• Stalin held the advantage over
newcomers to foreign
diplomacy- Truman and
Attlee.
• German borders would be
redrawn and the populations
outside Germany expelled.
• Some historians argue
Truman attempted to use
atomic diplomacy.

43. Russian control in Eastern
Europe
• By 1949 all Eastern
European countries with
the exception of Yugoslavia
were Stalinist regimes.
• These countries were
usually dual police states
with a regular police force
and a secret police- eg.
Volkspolizei and Stasi in the
DRG and the ‘Civic Militia’
and Esbecja in Poland.
• Newspapers were
controlled by the
government- eg. The Neues
Deutschland was the state
newspaper for the DRG.

45. The Division of Germany
• Germany was divided into
four occupation zones
following the surrender of
Nazi Germany.
• In the Soviet sector the
USSR took reparations
rather than reuniting
Germany (in revenge and
for security concerns).
• 3.6million Germans were
expelled by the Polish from
former parts of Germany
that had become part
Poland.

46. The situation in Europe in
1945
• In 1945 Europe had
been divided into west
and east- the Red
Army had occupied
Eastern Europe whilst
SHAEF had liberated
Western Europe.
• Many civilians had
been displaced.
• Some felt that war
between the USA and
USSR in Europe was
likely.

47. Bolshoi Theatre speech 1946
• Stalin said that war
between west and
east was inevitable
because of the
"capitalist
development of the
world economy”.
• The speech is often
seen as the start of
the cold war.

48. Kennan’s Long Telegram
• 8000 word telegram detailing
the soviet Outlook.
• The telegram was split into
five parts: Post war Outlook,
Origins, official soviet
projection, unofficial soviet
projection and deductions
from a US standpoint.
• The telegram said that the US
and USSR were incompatible.
• The telegram explained that
the USSR considered itself in a
constant state of war with
Capitalism.
• Encouraged Truman to take a
hard line approach.

49. Iron Curtain Speech
• March 5th 1946
• Given at Fulton
University.
• Claimed that Europe had
been divided by an ‘iron
curtain’ with Communist
East one side and
capitalist West the other.
• Soviets accused Churchill
of being a ‘warmonger’.
• Truman was present at
the speech.

50. The Truman Doctrine
• American foreign policy
to prevent Soviet
expansion.
• Announce on March 12th
1947 to Congress by
Truman.
• He pledged to contain
the soviet threat to
Greece and Turkey.
• The Doctrine pledged to
help any country under
threat of communism.
• It led to the 1949
formation of NATO.

51. The Marshall Plan
• A package to aid Western
Europe.
• The US gave $13bn to help
rebuild Western Europe
following WWII.
• The plan began in 1948 and
continued for four years.
• The goals included
rebuilding war devastated
regions and dismantling
trade barriers.
• The final goal was to stop
the spread of communism.

52. Czech Crisis 1948
• Known as ‘Victorious
February’ to Communists.
• The Communists seized
power in a coup backed by
the Soviet Union.
• The crisis helped speed up
the Marshall Plan
• The crisis was met with
shock as the last
democracy in Eastern
Europe fell (for the second
time in ten years).
• The fall of the last
democracy completed the
Soviet Eastern Bloc.

53. Berlin Blockade
24th June 1948- 12th May 1949

54. Causes
• Germany was divided
into four temporary
occupation zones, the
western ones benefitted
from Marshal Aid but the
East had been stripped
of resources by the
USSR.
• The UK/US zones
delayed reparations to
feed themselves, by
1948 the economic gap
was embarrassing for the
USSR.

55. Causes
• Talks in December 1947
talks on administration
broke up with no
agreement.
• In June 1948 the
deutsche mark was
introduced in the West
German area to provide
stability.
• For fear of the East
German zone being
swamped by devalued
Reichsmarks the Vozhd
set up the Ostmark.

56. Events
• 24th June 1948: Closure of all
road, canal and electrical links
to West Berlin.
• June/July: The USAAF and RAF
start flying supplies into
Berlin.
• July/August 1948: Arrival of
60 B29 Super fortresses-
though none of the 35 silver-
plate variants (It was a bluff).
• 1st August: The Soviet
authorities offer free food to
anyone who registered their
ration card in East Berlin.
• The blockade was lifted 12th
May 1949.

57. Consequences
• The blockade contributed to
the creation of NATO in April.
• The blockade gave the west
the upper hand despite Stalin
detonating an atomic bomb in
1949.
• The blockade ended any
chance for a unified Germany
and in August 1949 the FGR
was set up.
• This was followed by the GDR
in October.
• The blockade deepened the
rift between the USSR and the
west even further.

58. Korean War
25th June 1950-27th July 1953

59. Causes
• Division along the 38th
Parallel became North and
South Korea.
• In the DPRK the new leader
Kim Il-Sung wanted to
invade the south to unify
Korea as a communist
nation.
• Initially Stalin was against
an invasion, believing it
was too soon. Several
factors changed this:
• The USSR detonated its
first atomic bomb in 1949.

60. Causes
• The US had fully pulled
out of South Korea.
• Soviet code breakers had
read messages indicating
the USA did not feel that
Korea was important
enough for nuclear
confrontation.
• Russia helped arm Sung.
• Stalin gave approval to
Sung to invade on April
13th 1950.
• Truman joined the war
as part of ‘containment’

61. Events
•The DPRK invaded South Korea on June 24th 1950.
•Truman ordered US support for the South
and gained UN support, June 27th 1950.
•The US landed at Inchon on September 15th 1950.
•Pyongyang was seized by UN forces on October 19th 1950
•China entered the war on November 4th 1950
•Negotiations began on July 1951
•The armistice was signed March 1953

62. End of the War
•Following the armistice
a DMZ was agreed.
•The DMZ ran along the
38th Parallel.
•Armistice called for
peace talks to be held.
•No actual treaty
signed- technically they
are still at war.
•North Korea claimed to
have won the war.

63. Consequences
• Demonstrated the
possibility for a proxy
war to be fought
between USA and
USSR.
• The war encouraged
the policy of
containment.
• Almost half POWs
didn’t return to
DPRK.

64. Consequences
• 54 000 US dead.
• 3000 Other nations dead.
• Mao called the campaign in
Korea a victory, the
volunteers returned as
heroes.
• 900,000 Chinese dead.
• 3 Million Koreans killed,
wounded or missing.
• 5 million Koreans
homeless.
• South Korea remained
outside Communist
influence.

65. The Early Arms Race
• The early arms race
consisted of one
power building a
nuclear bomb than
the other power
building a better
bomb and so on.

66. The Red Scare/ McCarthyism
• This was a period when the
US feared communist
espionage.
• Accusations were made
without any real evidence (a
practice that has become
known as McCarthyism.)
• Joseph McCarthy's
involvement with the on
going cultural phenomenon
that would bear his name
began with a speech he made
on Lincoln Day, February 9,
1950, to the Republican
Women's Club of Wheeling,
West Virginia.

67. The Red Scare/ McCarthyism
• He produced a piece of
paper which he claimed
contained a list of known
Communists working for
the State Department.
• McCarthy is usually quoted
as saying: "I have here in
my hand a list of 205—a list
of names that were made
known to the Secretary of
State as being members of
the Communist Party and
who nevertheless are still
working and shaping policy
in the State Department."

68. NSC 68
• NSC 68 rejected roll
back and pressed for
containment.
• Issued by NSC April
14th 1950.
• Called for significant
military spending in
peacetime.

69. Salami Tactics
• Eliminating
opposition bit by bit.

70. Post Stalin Thaw

71. Nikita Khrushchev
• He was party secretary
under Stalin
• Beria was arrested and
executed after the East
German revolt
•Presented himself as a
down to earth guy when
compared to Molotov who
was a bureaucrat
•He began to isolate Molotov
by transforming the country
economically and politically
•He started to process of ‘de-
Stalinization’ in the USSR.

72. Nikita Khrushchev
• Khrushchev implemented
destalinization when he assumed the
leadership, this policy meant that
Stalin’s crimes were ‘uncovered’ and
denounced. It ended the period of
fear that had gripped the Soviet
Union under Stalin’s leadership.
Khrushchev criticised Stalin in the
20th Party Congress though whilst his
partially reduced tension with the
west it alienated Mao’s China which
called Khrushchev a ‘revisionist’,
someone who was considered akin to
heretic in communist circles.
• Khrushchev made peaceful
coexistence foreign policy- this idea
came from Malenokov who had
mentioned it in a speech in 1952
although it was Molotov who PC
originated with.

73. Nikita Khrushchev
• The policy was based in the belief
that the downfall of capitalism, as
outlined by Marx, was inevitable and
so it was unnecessary to be always
confrontational with the West.
Peaceful coexistence was shown in
the 1955 Austrian state treaty which
prevented Austria being divided as
Germany had.
• Yet Khrushchev only applied the
policy when it suited him, as
evidenced by the shooting down of
Power’s U2 in 1960. Khrushchev
chose to embarrass the USA, letting
them develop a cover story involving
a U2 painted as a scientific research
plane and then revealing they had the
tapes from the plane’s camera.

74. Nikita Khrushchev
• Khrushchev’s involvement in the Cuban
Missile Crisis was key to its start and its
resolving. Khrushchev again rejected
peaceful coexistence and moved SS4
nuclear missiles into Cuba- putting them in
range of every US city except Seattle. The
action alarmed the USA (although they had
similar missiles in Turkey and were not
initially aware the missiles had nuclear
warheads). Khrushchev did not abort the
convoy even as the US Navy blockaded
Cuba.
• When he began to negotiate with the
White House Khrushchev initially said he
would withdraw the missiles but then he
sent a second telegram saying he would
only do it if the US complied with his
demands. The US complied and
Khrushchev withdrew the missiles-
although it came across as weakness in the
USSR and Khrushchev was removed from
office 1964.
• Khrushchev’s actions and decisions
directed the course of the Cold War at it’s
height, he contributed to the easing of
tensions following Stalin’s death, the rising
tension of the arms race and he took the
USSR to the brink of nuclear war in the
Cuban Missile Crisis. Peaceful coexistence
was the approach adopted by the USSR
even after his removal from office.

75. Peaceful Co-existence
• The idea that the USSR
and USA could exist
together- not
necessarily as allies but
not enemies.
• Adopted by Molotov
from Malenkov.
• It was assumed that
the USSR could just
wait for the Capitalist
USA to collapse as
Marx predicted would
happen.

76. The East German Revolt
(1953)
• 16th-17th June 1953
• Began with a strike by workers
but turned into a revolt against
the GDR.
• The GDR turned to the USSR for
support and the revolt was
crushed by 16 Soviet Divisions
with 20,000 soldiers and 8,000
Volkspolizei.
• At least 55 people were killed but
estimates go up to 165.
• Neues Deutschland stated that
the revolution was the result of
Western agencies.
• This is not an example of thaw
since it is the GDR government
deploying the armed forces to
crush a revolution.

77. Foreign Ministers Conference
(1954 )
• The
January/February
Conference in Berlin
failed to reach any
conclusions to
Austria.
• The Vienna
conference the
following year agreed
the Austrian State
Treaty.

78. The Austrian State Treaty (May
1955)
• Austria had been divided in zones
of occupation like Germany in
1945. It had looked as if it too
would be divided with the US
pumping Marshall aid into their
zone and the USSR stripping their
bit.
• Khrushchev decided neutral and
united was better than divided.
Eden had been attempting to get
a demilitarised zone in the centre
of Europe, and as part of this he
got an agreement that
occupation forces should be
withdrawn from Austria as they
had pledged themselves to
remain neutral.
Partition of Vienna
Partition of Austria

79. The Austrian State Treaty (May
1955)
• This was a big concession by the USSR
(although the next day the Warsaw
Pact officially came into existence).
Khrushchev saw this as part of a more
mature approach, saying he had
swapped “boy pants for adult
trousers”
• This is an example of thaw since the
USSR is making a large concession by
pulling out of Austria rather than
forcing a division, as happened in
Germany, Khrushchev decided
neutral and united was better than
divided.
• Demonstrated that Khrushchev was
serious about peaceful coexistence.
Partition of Austria
Partition of Vienna

80. The Geneva Conference (July
1955)
• For the first time in 10 years
(since Potsdam) the leaders of
the USA, USSR, Britain and
France sat together around a
conference table to discuss the
problem of Germany. There were
high hopes for the “Geneva
spirit”.
• There was no agreement, other
than cultural exchanges. It was
surprising that the meeting went
ahead at all given that the FDR
had joined NATO and the Warsaw
Pact was set up in May 1955.
• However, the conversations were
conducted in a friendly manner,
and the division of Europe was
treated as a diplomatic fait
accompli.

81. The Geneva Conference (July
1955)
• Various options illustrated the new
approach, eg. US suggestion that an “open
skies” agreement would allow spy planes
to verify arms agreements (rejected by
USSR), Khrushchev suggesting a united but
neutral Germany, made very difficult by
the admission to NATO of the FGR in May,
rejected by the US).
• Khrushchev suggested getting rid of NATO
and the Warsaw pact and having a new
collective security, rejected by the US.
• This friendliness over Germany was
undermined in September when
Khrushchev recognised the GDR, as a
reassurance to Ulbricht following
Adenauer’s visit to Moscow to discuss the
last German prisoners of war.
• This recognition prompted the Hallstein
Doctrine from the FGR, which said that if
the GDR was recognised by any state other
than the USSR the FDR would break
diplomatic ties.

82. The Geneva Conference (July
1955)
• The conference was an
example of thaw because
although no agreement
was reached the
conference was a prime
example of coexistence as
it was the various countries
coming together- not to
agree anything as it had
been during the Grand
Alliance years but to
reduce the hostility.
• It was agreed there would
be a cultural exchange of
art and scientists . (This
was the only agreement)

83. FGR joins NATO
• Joined on 9th May 1955.
• Described as "a decisive turning
point in the history of our
continent" by Halvard Lange.
(Norwegian Foreign Minister.)
• A major reason for Germany's
entry into the alliance was that
without German manpower, it
would have been impossible to
field enough conventional forces
to resist a Soviet invasion.
• Led to the creation of the
Warsaw Pact.
• This was not thaw because it was
essentially further dividing the
sides into West NATO and East
WTO.

84. Warsaw Pact (14th May 1955)
• Formed 14th May 1955
• “Treaty of Friendship, Co-
operation, and Mutual
Assistance.”
• the military partner to
the Council for Mutual Economic
Assistance (CoMEcon)
• Partly due to FGR joining NATO
but mainly due to USSR wanting
to keep control of military forces
in Eastern and Central Europe.
• Not an example of thaw because
it is the USSR forming a military
organisation in the face of a
Western military organisation,
again it is dividing Europe down
east/west lines.

85. Hallstein Doctrine (22nd
September 1955)
• In Sept 1955 Khrushchev recognised
the GDR, as a reassurance following
Adenauer’s visit to Moscow to discuss
the last German prisoners of war. This
recognition prompted the Hallstein
Doctrine from the FGR , which said
that if the GDR was recognised by any
state other than the USSR the FGR
would see the action as unfriendly
and in a last resort would break
diplomatic ties.
• This is not thaw because it is the
Bonn State refusing to accept East
Germany as a country and is
threatening to break ties with any
nation (barring the USSR) which is not
peaceful coexistence.

86. Soviet withdrawal from
Finland (January 1956)
• Finland had been the USSR’s enemy
during WW2 (The Winter War 1939-
40 and The Continuation War 1941-
44). Under the terms of the Treaty of
Paris signed in 1947, Finland had to
pay $300m reparations, give land to
the USSR and the USSR could lease
the Porkkala region for 50 years. In
1956 Khrushchev managed to
overrule Molotov and agree to leave
Porkkala, which Khrushchev saw as
having little significance but was a
burden.
• This is a demonstration of thaw
because it shows that Khrushchev
was willing to leave the Finnish
territory, although it appears to have
been because Khrushchev thought
Porkkala to be a burden so was in the
USSR’s interest to withdraw.

87. Soviet withdrawal from
Finland (January 1956)
• The Soviet Army
withdrew in January.
• Molotov attempted to
overrule the decision
at a central committee
meeting.
• The soviets still exerted
influence-In 1962 they
forced the withdrawal
of a presidential
candidate.

88. Polish Revolt (28th June 1956)
• Demonstrations for better conditions
for workers began 28th June 1956 at
Cegielski Factories in Poznan.
• The demonstrations were met with
government repression- 400 Tanks
and 10,000 soldiers of the Polish
Peoples Army and Internal Security
Corps.
• Death toll between 57 and >100
people including a 13 yr old boy.
Hundreds more sustained injuries.
• This is clearly not an example of thaw
because it is brutal repression of
Polish Workers who only wanted
better conditions- rather than the
downfall of the government. It is a
rather Stalinist approach to
resistance.

89. Hungary (October 1956)
• As part of the de-Stalinisation
program the Hungarian
Communist party had been
persuaded to replace Stalinist
Rakosi with the more liberal Gero
(Rakosi was informed that he was
ill and needed treatment in
Moscow).
• On 23rd Oct a large
demonstration in Budapest in
support of reform spiralled out of
control. Khrushchev sent in 30,
000 troops backed by tanks and
artillery.
• A new Government under Imre
Nagy was formed with Soviet and
Tito backing, which was even
more reforming and
independence minded.

90. Hungary (October 1956)
• At first the USSR tried to
stay with the new ideas of
more independence,
launching on 30th Oct the
“Declaration on the
Principles of Development
and Further Strengthening
of Friendship and Co
operation Between the
USSR and Socialist
Countries” which tried to
set up a mutually agreed
legal framework for USSR
military bases in Eastern
Europe, and then began to
pull troops out of Hungary.

91. Hungary (October 1956)
• However, Nagy, under pressure
from public opinion, then
announced plans to withdraw
from the Warsaw Pact and share
power with some non communist
parties. At the same time the
United Kingdom and France
invaded Egypt beginning the Suez
crisis.
• Khrushchev was convinced that
Nasser would lose and that the
USSR would then have lost their
major ally in the Middle East and
had withdrawn from Hungary
within a week: “…it will give a
great boost to the Americans,
English and French…they will
perceive it as weakness”.

92. Hungary (October 1956)
• On 4th Nov Soviet troops went into
Hungary and following fierce fighting
(35, 000 dead, including Nagy who was
executed) a new Government loyal to
the USSR was set up under Kader.
Despite Hungary’s rebels openly
appealing for help from the West,
Eisenhower made it clear that there was
no question of US intervention to save
Nagy. They feared that the USSR would
prepare for war rather than give up
Hungary.
• This is not an example of thaw because,
although the Soviets initially attempted
to negotiate as demonstrated by the
“Declaration on the Principles of
Development and Further
Strengthening of Friendship and Co
operation Between the USSR and
Socialist Countries” , they still forcefully
took control of Hungary.

93. Revolts used with Peaceful
Coexistence.
• The revolts of the
1950s show a lack of
peaceful coexistence
because maintaining
the Eastern Bloc
without any
compromise served
to further the
divisions in Europe
and so by implication
the Cold War.

94. Khrushchev’s visit to the USA
• In September 1959
Khrushchev visited the
USA.
• Although generally
successful, when
Khrushchev was refused
access to Disneyland he
accused the US
Government of hiding
rockets there.
• When Khrushchev said “we
will bury you.” it caused an
incident- he was referring
to the economy but some
took it to be a threat.

95. The U2 Incident (May 1960)
• This was used by Khrushchev to destroy
the Paris Peace Summit and discredit
the USA.
• The USSR shot down an American
reconnaissance (spy) plane and
captured its pilot Gary Powers.
However, such flights had been going on
for some time (since 1956), and had
been known about by the USSR for
some time.
• Khrushchev’s change of heart had more
to do with the development of
opposition from within the Soviet block
from the Chinese who bitterly opposed
any improvements in relation with the
USA, and the Military in the USSR who
were alarmed by Khrushchev’s plan to
cut the army and rely more on nuclear
weapons. However, the flights had told
the west that the USSR had only 4
ICBMs and no launching platforms.

96. The U2 Incident (May 1960)
• This is also not an example of
thaw because it is Khrushchev
destroying peace negotiations
with the USA and taking a harder
line against American
reconnaissance flights,
furthermore shooting down a US
aircraft could have been
perceived as an act of war so the
shooting down the US plane
certainly was not an example of
thaw.
• Powers was tried by the Soviets,
he was sentenced to 10 years, 3
years in prison and seven years of
hard labour. In 1962 he was
exchanged in Berlin.

97. The Arms Race

98. 1945
• Nazi Germany was
defeated in May and
America and the USSR
rushed to take Scientists
from the
Vergeltungswaffe 2
project.
• In August the US
Operation Paperclip was
set up to transport
German and Nazi
scientists to the USA (i.e
Wernher Von Braun, a
former SS
Sturmbahnfuhrer)

99. 1945
• On July 16th 1945 the US
detonated the first ever
nuclear weapon in the Trintiy
test.
• In August the USAAF plane
Enola Gay dropped an atomic
bomb on the city of
Hiroshima on the sixth of
August and then Bockscar
dropped one on Nagasaki on
the ninth.
• This was the first and only use
of nuclear weapons in
warfare.
• It sent a message to the USSR
that the USA held a nuclear
monopoly.

100. 1946
• The Baruch plan
failed to limit nuclear
weapons.
• The USSR may have
construed the plan as
an attempt to
restrain them.

101. 1948
• Curtis LeMay was
appointed
Commander of
Strategic Air
Command.

102. 1949
• On the 29th August
the USSR detonated
their first nuclear
bomb RDS-1.
• The B-36 Peacemaker
aircraft enters US
service.

103. 1950
• SAC began unauthorised
B-29 reconnaissance
flights over the USSR.
• ‘Duck and cover’ video
(https://archive.org/deta
ils/gov.ntis.ava11109vnb
1) was released in the
USA to advise children
on what to do in a
nuclear strike.
• Similar advice was given
to Soviet children.

104. 1951
• On November the 1st
the USA tested a
hydrogen bomb.

105. 1953
• On August 8th the
USSR exploded its
first lithium bomb,
RDS-6.

106. 1954
• The USA detonated
their first lithium
bomb.
• It detonated at 15
megatons instead of
the expected 5.
• The resulting fallout
killed Aikichi
Kuboyama, radioman
of the fishing boat
‘Lucky Dragon No.5’.

107. 1955
• The USA developed
B-52 Stratofortress
intercontinental
bomber.
• At a Soviet air show
planes were painted
differently for
repeated flypasts-
deceptions like this
were called
potemkinism.

108. 1956
• The TU-95 entered
service with the
Soviet Armed Forces.

109. 1957
• On the 21st August the
USSR successfully fired
the R-7 missile: the first
ICBM.
• On the 5th October the
USSR launched Sputnik
(on a variation of the R7)
• On November 3rd
Sputnik II was launched,
carrying Laika into space.
• On November 7th
Eisenhower received the
Gaither report which
warned of a missile gap.

110. 1959
• Fidel Castro seized
control of Cuba on
January 1st.

111. 1960
• Polaris, the first
SLBM was launched
by the USA in July.

112. 1961
• On April 12th Cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin became the
first man in space.
• The failed Bay of Pigs
invasion happened 17th-
19th April.
• On October 30th the USSR
detonated the Tsar Bomb,
the most powerful
manmade explosion to
date with a detonation of
50 megatons- and that was
at a reduced level- it had
the potential for 100
megatons.

113. 1962
• October saw the
Cuban Missile Crisis
happen.
• The Soviets moved
missiles to Cuba in
1962
• The USA ‘quarantined’
Cuba.
• Soviet supply ships
continued on their
course.
• Khrushchev offered to
withdraw the missiles.

114. 1962
• The following day he
demanded the US
withdraw missiles from
Turkey, also a U2 aircraft
was shot down by an AA
Battery but Kennedy held
off attacking.
• The Kennedy
administration ignored the
second letter and accepted
the first one, but privately
agreed to remove missiles
from Turkey.
• In 1962 the USA had 4000
warheads, the USSR 220.

115. 1963
• In June the hotline
telephone link was
established and the
Partial Test Ban
Treaty.

116. Sino-Soviet relations

117. Chinese Civil War
• 1st August 1927, The CCW
began.
• 16th October 1934, The 6000
Long March began.
• 20th December 1936, 2nd
United Front was formed.
• 7th July 1937 The Japanese
Empire invaded China.
• 26th June 1946 The CCW
resumed.
• 1st October The PRC was
established.
• 1st December 1949 The
remnants of the Guomindang
fled to Taiwan.

118. Chairman Mao
• Mao became leader
of the Chinese
communists during
the long march.
• In 1958 Mao began
the Great Leap
Forwards.
• In 1966 Mao began
the ‘Great Proletarian
Cultural Revolution’.

119. Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship,
Alliance and Mutual Assistance
• It was a formal alliance
between China and the USSR.
• It gave economic and
technical aid to China.
• It gave Soviet military
assistance if China was
attacked and the USSR helped
develop China’s air force.
• The USSR promised to return
Manchuria to China.
• China agreed to ban all non-
Soviet citizens from
Manchuria as the USSR
requested.

120. Korea and S-S relations
• On 19th October 1950, China
sent troops to support the
DPRK.
• The USSR provided Mig-15
fighter jets and military
advisors.
• As a result, 900,000 Chinese
died though they succeeded
in halting the allied advance
and pushing them back to
beyond the 38th Parallel.
• The war gave the alliance a
sense of cooperation.
• The inequality of the
relationship laid the
foundations of the Sino-soviet
split.

121. Taiwan and S-S relations
• Taiwan was created after
the defeated Guomingdang
fled the island in 1949.
• In 1954 the PLA began
shelling the Guomingdang
held Quemoy.
• The shelling ended after
negotiations in 1955.
• In 1958 shelling resumed.
• This was to test the USAs
commitment and stir up a
revolutionary enthusiasm.

122. Sino-Soviet Split

123. S-S Split
• Khrushchev had sought to
reconcile with Tito, Mao
saw this as revisionism.
• Mao did not like
Khrushchev’s policy of
peaceful coexistence.
• Mao was offended by de-
Stalinisation.
• Khrushchev was critical of
the ‘great leap forward’.
• Khrushchev blamed Mao
for splitting the
Communists.

124. Geopolitics in the S-S Split
• The long border
between the USSR
and the PRC made
disputes likely.
• This happened at
Damnsky island on
the Ussuri river In
1969.

125. Sino-US
Rapprochment

126. Reasons Why: Ideological
• Differences in sino-soviet
ideology alienated the
USSR as an ally.
• Operation Danube
worried the PRC.
• Mao believed the USA to
be losing the capitalist-
communist struggle.
• Mao wanted to be world
leader of the Communist
movement.

127. Reasons Why: Geopolitical
• Rapprochement would
make the global map
look better form the US
perspective.
• The Vietnam War
threatened greater US
involvement in the
region.
• Taiwan was still an issue.
• South Korea and Japan
were hostile towards the
PRC.
• Sino-Indian tensions.

128. Examples
• Visit of the American
table tennis team to
China in 1971.
• Nixon’s visit to China
in February 1972.

129. Detente

130. Reasons for Détente: MAD
• Fear of war: the CMC
showed the risk of a
superpower
confrontation.

131. Reasons for Détente: USSR
• Under Brezhnev peaceful
coexistence was continued.
Security remain the predominant
factor of Soviet foreign policy-
this wasn’t new (Molotov-
Ribbentrop Pact).
• The USA appeared weaker then it
had- the USSR had greater
nuclear parity and the USA was
flagging in Vietnam.
• Accommodating the USA would
help the USSR stabilise control
over Eastern Europe (Czech crisis
1968 and 1970 Gdansk (in
Poland) strikes showed the USSR
needed to stabilise control.

132. Reasons for Détente: USSR
• The Sino-Soviet split meant
that the USSR wanted to
keep the USA out of any
war with China.
• Domestic problems with
the economy had
prevented a promised
raising of living standards.
• Better relations would
make western technology
and grain supplies
available.
• Stable western relations
would enable the USSR to
focus on the 3rd world.

133. Reasons for Détente: USA
• Vietnam made the USA
realise they had limits.
• Western Europe was showing
greater independence- De
Gaulle withdrew from NATO
in 1966.
• Détente would reduce the
influence of the military-
industrial complex and allow
focus on social welfare. Riots
in 1968 showed social issues
needed tackling quickly.
• Détente would also allow a
focus on commerce and
financial services- areas in
which W. Europe was
becoming a rival.

134. Reasons for Détente: Europe
• 1968 showed instability
on the East and West
sides of the Iron Curtain-
Operation Danube and a
General strike in France.
• Willy Brandt (GFR
Chancellor) promoted
‘Ostpolitik’.
• This encouraged other
countries- establishment
od friendly relations
between France and
Romania.

135. Economic factors in the 1970s
• The OPEC Crisis 1973
concerned the US
government as it
affected the American’s
western allies.
• In February 1974 the
Washington Energy
Conference harmonised
western energy policies,
reducing OPEC’s effect.
• The abolition of capital
controls served to
strengthen US capitalist
institutions.

136. Soviet economic problems in
the 1970s
• Much of the USSR’s resources
were diverted to propping up
the military industrial sector:
30 million workers out of 100
million workforce worked in
the arms industry.
• Vast sums of money went to
the Soviet’s allies: Vietnam
received $1bn per year, Cuba
received $4bn per year and
$4bn worth of arms went to
African satellite states like
Ethiopia: Nearly ¾ of the
USSR’s hard currency went
into aid and arms for their
allies.
Soviet Workforce 1970s
Soviet
Workforce
(Arms
Industry)
Soviet
Workforce
(Other
Industry)

137. Soviet economic problems in
the 1970s
• The rigid planning of the
communist system made
the economy inflexible.
• Soviet technology was
falling behind the west
despite Five Year Plan IX
(1971-75)
• Emphasis on heavy goods
meant consumer goods
were in short supply.
• Agriculture was very
inefficient compared to the
rest of Europe. The USSR
relied on $15bn worth of
imported grain- some of
which came from the USA.

138. SALT I, May 1972
• ABM Treaty: USA and USSR agreed to
2 ABM systems each- 1 for their
capital and 1 for their nuclear silos.
• Interim Treaty: The treaty would
expire in 1977 and limited ICBMs and
SLBMs.
• The USSR was allowed 1,618 ICBMs
and 740 SLBMs the USA was allowed
1,054 ICBMs and 740 SLBMs.
• It did not account for MIRVs.
• The Basic Principles Agreement: The
USA and USSR pledged to “do their
upmost to avoid military
confrontation.” Trade was
encouraged.
• Nixon visited Moscow in 1972 and 74,
Brezhnev visited Washington in 1973.

139. SALT II, 1974-1980
• SALT II was outlined at the
1974 Vladivostok Summit
between Brezhnev and Ford,
setting equal limits on missile
launchers and strategic
bombers (Cruise missiles
were omitted).
• Carter tried to renegotiate in
1977 to reduce the number of
Soviet missiles- numbers were
only agreed by 1979.
• It was signed in June 1979 in
Vienna.
• SALT II was rejected by the
Senate in 1980.

140. Helsinki Accords, 1975
• Basket I: European
borders inviolable.
• Basket II: Trade and
technology
exchanges.
• Basket III: Human
rights agreement.

141. Reasons for the end of Détente.
• Increasing Soviet influence in
the 3rd world- Carter
increased arms exports to
countries like El Salvador to
stop the Communist spread.
• Soviet violations of Basket III.
• Rise of the Neoconservatives
in the USA.
• Difficult negotiations with the
USSR (because of Brezhnev’s
ailing health).
• 1979/80 Iran Hostage Crisis.

142. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
December 24th 1979: Consequences
• Carter was unwilling to let the
USSR get away with taking over
another foreign country.
• Carter withdrew SALT II from the
senate and encouraged a
Western boycott of the 1980
Moscow Olympics.
• Carter increased arms spending
with Presidential Directive 59
(authorising an increase in the US
nuclear arsenal.)
• Thatcher supported the more
strident US approach.
• Carter’s perceived weakness in
the 1980 election contributed to
his defeat by Reagan.