The beginnings of the Cold War

• The Baruch Plan (early 1946)
  • Bernard Baruch coined the term "Cold War"
  • He also created the Baruch plan, which emanates from a moral issue: should we share nuclear technology?
  • The US will share under certain conditions. The US says they will destroy their nuclear stock piles and share technology through the International Atonic Energy Commission.
  • In June of 1946, we are ready to share atomic weapons, and the Baruch Plan is put forward.
  • The Soviets balk because they don't like the idea that another country can tell them what to do and they don't want that much transparency. They want to act unilaterally
• George F. Kennan and the Long Telegram (early 1947)
  • Kennan is the US expert on the Soviets and the primary framer of Cold War Policy.
  • He really is an orthodox guy, who later moves to a Revisionist position.
  • His interpretation of Russia
    • The Soviet is a more dangerous version of Czarist expansionist, Panslavic drives, 3rd Rome (not in a religious sense, but in a Marxist sense)
    • He recommends that our stance is strong and resolute, and eventually the Russians will have to give in.
    • The Soviets don't want to make any deals/ no compromises
    • Marxism increases the paranoia, and disarms their morals and ethics.
    • They hide behind Marxist dogma, domestically and in foreign affairs. (intransigence of Marxism).
    • Pretty much defines the Truman Doctrine of containment.
• Winston Churchill and the Iron Curtain Speech (early 1946)
  • Churchill is out of power, but not out of influence and now can speak his mind.
  • Truman is half American on his mother's side. He goes to visit his mother in Missouri, where he meets Truman by chance.
  • They arrange for him to speak at Westminster College and makes his famous Iron Curtain Speech.
  • All the countries behind the "curtain" are subject to control form Moscow. Only Greece remains free.
  • Fifth columns are subversive political elements funded by Comintern, meaning they obey Moscow.
  • His says that the Soviets only respect two things: unity and power. So his advice is that the world should stick together and maintain a strong military.
  • Churchill thinks that english-speaking peoples were destined to lead the world.
• Stalin's Response to Churchill
  • He claims that Churchill is impeding the Ally's case, and "sowing the deeds of discord"
  • He calls the US and GBR war mongers.
  • Stalin compares Hitler to Churchill because both had racist rationale for the war. Asian and African anti-imperialism and Communism begin to coalesce.
  • Stalin justifies E. Europe political situation through the need for Soviet security and Soviet sacrifice in WW2.
• Italy
  • Italy was the 1st Western State to face communism. They had joined the Allies in 1943 and had a fast track to self-governance through free elections.
  • Italy appears to be dominated by Socialists and Communists, and the election seems to be a done deal.
  • In 1946, Truman funnels money into Pro-Western democratic parties in Italy via the remanent of US military intelligence groups in the country since WW2; called the Office of Special Security (OSS).
  • Truman renames the OSS, the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). The CIA helps defeat Marxist parties in the Italian election, so they think, "Hey lets try and replicate that!"
• Greece, Turkey, and Iran
  • There is an ongoing Civil War between Yugoslav-backed, Communist, rebels and Pro-Western-backed forces.
  • By early 1947, the Attlee government claims it is financially unable to support the democratic Greeks.
  • Moreover, Stalin is exerting pressure on Turkey for access to the straits. The Turks deny them, and there is a Soviet buildup on the border.
  • There is a similar situation in Iran with the growing Communist influence there.
  • US reaction
    • In the 1947 State of the Union Address, Truman enunciates US Policy towards the communist threat (the Iron Curtain and the Long Telegram)
    • What is the US gonna do? Not war, not by overthrowing of existing Communist Governments, but stop the spread of the Red Peril. Thus, the Truman doctrine of containment.
    • Initially evinced in aid to Greece and Turkey, but there is a delicate balance between the Greeks and Turks.
• Economic Solution
  • Post-war Europe is struggling economically and needs a cash infusion. The US is wary of loans and the pressure of debt.
  • Post-war depression is aggravated by mass destruction of factories and homes by strategic bombing.
  • Europe also has a huge refugee problem, of people feeling the Soviet occupation of E. Europe. It is estimated that in Germany alone there were 12-18 million refugees.
  • Communism thrives in the petri dish of deprivation, orchestrated by Stalin
  • In July 1947, the US Secretary of State makes a speech at Harvard describing the need for US economic aid to Europe.
  • Former commander in chief of all US Forces in WW2 and Secretary of State, General C. Marshall creates the Marshall plan.
    • $13 billion (equivalent to $260 billion today) debt free
    • The US needs a vibrant European Economy for world economy/market and we want a strong Europe to resist the spread of communism.
    • Any country in Europe can apply, but there are conditions:
      • The countries must use the $13 billion cooperatively, which forces Europeans to cooperate. This is a prelude to the Common Market, and eventually the European Union, which makes it less likely to go to world war.
      • Eliminate trade barriers between other countries, meaning no tariff (open door).
  • Soviets reject any cooperation with capitalist economies. Poland and Czechoslovakia evince interest in the Marshall Plan.
  • The Soviets will crackdown on their already Communist regimes and replace their leadership with Moscow headliners (Starobin).
  • The Czech Foreign minister will be thrown/jump out of a window in Prague.
  • The Soviets counter the Marshall Plan with alternative economic package called the Comecon. There is $1 in cash and they promise technological advice.
  • Soviets view Marshall as economic warfare. The US Dollar has emerged as the new currency standard via the Bretton Woods Argument.
• Post-War Germany
  • the most plagued of all the democratic regions.
  • 4 zones of occupation where occupying forces were trying to re-establish their land for local governments.
  • Overall state policy was supposed to be established by a 6 power Allied Control Commission (ACC).
  • Locally the Soviets differed greatly from the Western Counterparts. In Soviet zone, they had a forced merger of all Marxist parties into a Social Unity Party which was democratic with free elections.
  • Meanwhile, Soviets disbanded other political parties in their zone for a single party state.
  • Democratic and free elections in 1946 are 82% anti-communist and 88% anticommunist in Berlin. Moreover the Soviets manipulated Germany currency which was already unstable from inflations (no $, no gold).
  • The West intends to stabilize the Germany currency with Marshall Plan money.
  • The Soviets are also printing Germany currency. In late 1947 the Western powers begin to operate their Zones collectively, which is called Bizonia. Bizonia is the British and American parts combined with joint administration.
  • Any consistent policy is rejected by Soviets in the ACC 6 power conference in London. The French, British, US, and Benelux. The Benelux countries (The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg are involved since their economies are so closely tied).
• The Berlin Blockade
  • Trizonia collectively decides to re-establish a new currency in Western Germany. In Berlin this causes a deeper rift with the Soviets, who decide to stop all shipments from their zone to western Germany.
  • The Trizonians respond with a halt to dismantled factory equipment, which they had been sending from the West to the Soviets as a form of reparations.
  • By late 1947, the ACC meets for the last time and by April 1948, the Soviets halt military travel units into West Berlin.
  • By May, with the introduction of a new Germany currency, which the Soviets reject, the Soviets do not blockade rail roads access to West Berlin.
  • Stalin hopes to force an adandonment of the Ally-occupied forces of Berlin (which has a population of 1.8 million). The Soviets do not blockade air traffic into the three controlled airfields.
  • The US and British endeavor to supply West Berlin by air. They bring 5,000 tons a day of food, gas, coal, medicine, and all other necessities flow in.
• Berlin Blockade and Airlift summary (1948-1949)
  • There are 4 zones of occupation of Germany, and Berlin is a microcosm which represents the situation as a whole.
  • Economic conditions of Post war-Europe call for a solution: The Marshall Plan! But, the plan is rejected by communists.
  • Bi/Trizonia part of Germany receives Marshall plan money and establish a new and sound currency
  • The Soviet rejection of this currency in West Berlin leads to Soviet Blockade of West Berlin.
  • The Airlift supply is the 1st Battle of the Cold War and reveals the economic productive power of the West to even endeavor to supply 1.8 million people by air. West Berlin symbolizes the defiance of Communism.
• Soviet Activities in the Cold War
  • The Soviet version of the Marshall plan is the Comecon: The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, which is available from USSR to any country seeking aid in Post War Europe. The Communist equivalent of the Marshall Plan.
  • The Comecon did result in Economic and industrial growth.
  • The problem is that the E. European economics are subjugated to Moscow/Soviet needs were always secondary concern are the consumers of those countries.
  • There is widespread protest of economic inequities. There was a subsequent purge and replacement of communist leadership, who were loyal followers of Moscow doctrine (Starobin's post-revisionist view).
  • The Soviets also rename and repurpose the Comintern to the Cominform, which is more concerned with E. Europe. It is the Eastern Bloc plus the Italian and French Communist Parties.
  • Their main goal is to disrupt W. European economies through strikes and protests by workers. Stalin is convinced that the Marshall Plan is a desperate US ploy to acquire new European markets so that the US can rid itself of excess production.
  • The Cominform represents the Soviet attempt at economy war fare against the US.
    • Stalin thinks that the failure of the Marshall Plan will bring the US economy down and towards revolution. In 1952 the Stalin note happens- offers to rejoin Germany for purposes of European Unity, which the West rejects. The US is in its McCarthyism stage.
• East vs. West
  • After the end of the Berlin Airlift, the western powers had steadily been advancing toward the goal of German self-government without Soviet Sector involved.
  • In May 1949, a new West German state is established through self governance under Konrad Edenaver.
  • The Soviet response is to form their sector into an "independent" state:
  • East Germany: single-party, Socialist state with a strong Soviet military presence. GDR
  • West Germany: a Democratic party, the Federal Republic of Germany (Freedom!!) FRG
  • Bonn de facto Capital division of Germany encvisconed at Yalta comes to pass in a much different from to the Cold War.
• In 1948 due to an expressed desire for Marshall to Czechoslovakia gets violently purged by the Sovidts
• Czechs had had free elections in 1945 and returned a left coalition of Socialists.
• Coalition purged and replaced by Moscow