1. Who was to blame for the Cold War?
The Soviet Union’s policy on Eastern The USA’s policy on Eastern Europe
Europe
The Soviet Union created Satellites. Greece: The royalists and communists
Elections in Eastern countries were were fighting over who was to take
rigged to allow USSR backed communist control of Greece after the war. Under
parties to take control. The Red Army the Truman Doctrine, the USA provided
was used to force countries to become Greece with arms and money and
communist. By May 1948 all Eastern prevented the spread of communism in
European countries had communist 1949.
governments.
Yugoslavia was under communist rule The Truman Doctrine 1947: The aim of
but the communist leader Tito was not the Truman Doctrine was to contain
controlled by Stalin. Yugoslavia was cut communism. America would now play a
off from Stalin’s support. leading part in world affairs. The USA
also provided military and economic aid
Czechoslovakia, 1948: Communists to Greece and Turkey. At this point, it
were not fully in control here and they became clear that a ‘cold war’ had
considered accepting Marshall Aid. started.
Elections were held in 1948 and it
seemed that non-communists would take
power. BUT:
Jan Masaryk was murdered.
Only communist were allowed to stand
for election
Czechoslovakia became communist.
Stalin created Cominform 1947 – as a Marshall Aid, 1947: Europe’s economies
response to the Marshall Plan. Aim was were in ruins after WW2. Truman wanted
to spread communist ideas. Yugoslavia to make Europe prosperous again so that
was the only communist country that Western countries would not fall to
was not a member. communism. The Marshall Plan said:
• USA would stop spread of
communism
• Help economies of Europe by
providing billions of dollars
1947-51.
However, only 16 countries accepted and
Stalin refused to let Eastern European
countries take Marshall aid.
Stalin created Comecon,1949, to co-
ordinate the production and trade of
Eastern European countries. Favoured
the USSR.
In 1946 in Fulton, Missouri, USA, Winston Churchill said that an iron curtain
had been created, separating Eastern and Western Europe.