[TMJC] Theme I The Development of the Cold War ORIGINS

TMJC History / Updated Jan 2021. For Internal Circulation only 1 Lecture 1.1: Introduction At a glance: Content page Page 1. Key definitions of Cold War 2 2. Characteristics of Cold War 2-4 3. Historical interpretations of the roots of the Cold War 5-7 4. List of Key Players at this period 8-9 5. Roots of US-Soviet Mistrust: US-Soviet Relations 1917 – 1941 9-12 6. Conclusion 12-13 7. Check point questions for self-review 13 Cold War Imperialism and Fears1 1 Roberts, Priscilla, The Cold War, 2001

TMJC History / Updated Jan 2021. For Internal Circulation only 2 1. Key definitions Cold War (1945-1991) ▪ The term was first used in 20th century by British author George Orwell in 1945. It was then popularized by an American journalist Walter Lippman who defined the Cold War as being a hostile, acrimonious relationship in all areas through threat, pressure, propaganda and espionage in political and economic fronts, short of a direct conflict. ▪ During 1945 – 1991, the world was embroiled in a state of political, ideological, strategic and military rivalry between the ‘capitalist’ western bloc, led by the USA against the ‘communist’ eastern bloc, led by the USSR, which never erupted into an armed conflict or ‘hot war’. Communist China would later play an increasingly important role. Many 3rd world countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa soon was involved. ▪ As such, most historians agree that ‘Cold War’ dominated international relations in the 20th century. 2. Characteristics of the Cold War a. Bipolarity: Division of the world into 2 opposing blocs ▪ The end of the Second World War did not signal a return to normality; on the contrary, it resulted in a new conflict. The major European powers that had been at the forefront of the international stage in the 1930s were left exhausted and ruined by the war, setting the scene for the emergence of two new global superpowers. Two blocs developed around the Soviet Union and the United States , with other countries being forced to choose between the two camps. ▪ The division of Europe began in the fading days of WWII. Much of Eastern Europe was occupied by the Soviet Red Army after ‘liberated’ from German control. This led to the rise of socialist / communist governments who chose or were forced to align themselves with the Soviet Union. These were known as the Eastern European satellite states who took on a more totalitarian form of government. Western Europe was dominated by an American-led alliance and these countries favoured a liberal democratic political model and supported capitalism. Germany and its capital, Berlin itself was divided into West and East Germany. ▪ Outside of Europe, the Cold War also led to the division of Korea and Vietnam. Together with divided Germany, these places became epitome symbols of the great ideological, political and economic divide that existed between the two bloc led by the superpowers.

TMJC History / Updated Jan 2021. For Internal Circulation only 3 ▪ Other 3rd world countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East underwent decolonization and national liberation . They too subsequently fell into either the capitalist liberal democratic bloc or a communist authoritarian bloc . These countries would usually receive varying degrees of political, economic and military support from one of the superpowers , depending on the 3 rd world leaders’ choice of ideological allegiance. ▪ Some 3rd world countries sought to remain neutral and stayed outside the political rivalry by being friendly to both superpowers. These came to be known as the Non-Aligned Movement. b. Intense Economic Rivalry & Competition ▪ As the USA and Soviet Union had two vastly different ideologies: capitalism and communism, economic competition emerged as a key area of rivalry and conflict. Both superpowers tried to show that theirs was the more successful model which will ultimately prevail in time. They deem each other as unfair and exploitative. ▪ It should be noted that the superpowers’ economic competition was tied to their POLITICAL and MILITARY power. c. The Arms Race ▪ This was a distinct feature of the Cold War in which the superpowers tried to outdo each other by building a massive stockpile of conventional and nuclear weapons. ▪ The USA could play the role of ‘global policeman’ without the need to maintain a large army of American soldiers outside its national borders due to its nuclear monopoly from 1945 – 1949. ▪ This strategic advantage was eliminated when the Soviet Union exploded its 1 st nuclear bomb in 1949. This threw the arms race in motion as each superpower tried to win a military and strategic advantage by developing bigger and better nuclear weapons (eg long range bombers, rocket launchers & Inter -continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The arms race was also extended to space. ▪ The arms race was premised upon the idea of deterrence , where aggression from both sides would be prevented from the threat of the use of nuclear weapons. However although nuclear deterrence could have prevented a war between the superpowers, it also poisoned their relationship with fear and mistrust. d. Proxy wars ▪ While there was no direct armed conflict between the two superpowers, both sought to expand their influence by supporting a party or warring faction in a country militarily

TMJC History / Updated Jan 2021. For Internal Circulation only 4 (military supplies and intelligence) and economically (financial support) to win their favour and/or to UNDERMINE the influence of other parties supported by the rival superpower. ▪ Examples of proxy conflicts that occurred in the world: o Europe ▪ Poland, Jun1945 ▪ Turkey, Nov 1945 ▪ Yugoslavia, Jan1946 ▪ Greece, May 1946 ▪ Czechoslovakia, Feb 1948 ▪ Germany (Berlin), June 1948 ▪ Hungary, 1956 o Asia ▪ China, Aug 1945 ▪ Korea, June 1950 ▪ Indochina, Dec 1946 ▪ Malaya, June 1948 o Africa ▪ Congo, July 1960 o Middle East ▪ Palestine, 1949 ▪ Egypt (Suez crisis), 1956 ▪ Lebanon, 1978 o Latin America ▪ Guatemala, 1954 ▪ Cuba, 1962

TMJC History / Updated Jan 2021. For Internal Circulation only 5 3. Historical interpretations of the roots of the Cold War Historians have produced 3 conflicting explanations for the start of the Cold War: I. The USSR was to blame. Stalin planned for a communist take-over of the world. The take-over of Eastern Europe was the first step towards world control. (Orthodox / Traditionalist interpretation) II. The USA was to blame. Soviet actions were defensive. The USA wanted to control its area of influence but refused to allow the USSR to do the same. (Revisionists interpretation) III. Neither side was to blame. The Cold War was based on misunderstanding and forces beyond the control of both sides. (Post-revisionist interpretation) IV. The clash of ideologies and in particular, the personality of Stalin, was more accountable for the ensuing problem.(Post-1991 interpretation) Read the following adaptation of John Gaddis’ seminar work on the Cold War, published in 2020 and decide which interpretation he learns more towards. John Gaddis, The Cold War, 20202 a. What did Stalin want after the war? Stalin’s post-war goals were security for himself, his regime, his country, and his ideology , in precisely that order. He sought to make sure that no internal challenges could ever again endanger his personal rue, and no external threat would ever again place his country at risk. The interests of Communists elsewhere in the