v Chapter 33 Overview:

Ø Transformation of Europe’s global influence:

§ Material & financial impact of war’s destruction:

· Exhausted & incapable of former power & dominance

§ Immediate development of Cold War following WWII

· Role & impact of the two new superpowers

¨ Compete & contest each other over Euro. territory

¨ West Europe aligns under leadership of whom?

¨ Eastern Europe aligns under whose leadership?

· European states would play only supporting roles

¨ 5 yrs after WWII would lose control of their empires

Ø US becomes active great power on global soon after war

§ Greatest change experienced after 1945

§ US rejected previous isolationism of post-WWI decades

· Pursued active role in world affairs in every aspect

§ US global leadership entwined domestic & foreign policy

Ø Europe developed in new directions during Cold War

§ Increased pop., agricultural production, & consumption

· Situation especially true in Western Europe

§ Influenced by American popular culture

· Experienced through military ties, trade, tourism, arts

¨ Particularly via movies, music, literature

§ Began building frameworks for inter-Euro $ cooperation

Ø Europe still remained divided following WWII for 45 years

§ Western regional democracies of West Europe vs. =>

· Eastern regions under Communist authoritarian states

¨ Dominated (if not directly controlled) from Moscow

§ Late 1970s=>economic stagnation & political discord stir

· Prominent in Eastern Europe & the Soviet Union

· Culminate in 1989 year of revolutions in East Europe:

¨ Fall of Berlin Wall & unification of Germany

¨ Finally collapse of USSR itself

§ Following end of Cold War=> Europe seeks new direction

· Forge closer relationships among European states

· Move toward economic unification (Euro currency)

¨ Gradually toward political unification of Europe

§ Several former Soviet states & satellites still seek fortune

· Remained political confused & economically stressed

· Many seek to join European Union or even NATO

v The Cold War Era:

Ø Initial Causes (Post WWII):

§ Mutual feeling that both sides violated prior agreements

§ Stalin asserted permanent control of Poland & Romania

· Control extended from Moscow through puppet regimes

§ US took hard line to limit German reparations to USSR

§ Basic cause: underlying core differences predominated:

· Conflicting ideological & geo-strategic differences

· Differences resurfaced once common enemy defeated

§ Soviet attempts to extend geo-strategic interests:

· Westward expansion into central Europe (since Tsars)

· SW expansion into Balkans (formerly checked by Brits)

§ US now inherits Brits previous restraining role on Russia

· Alternative: let major change in Euro balance of power

¨ Change to favor Russia (traditional hostile power)

¨ Dedicated to overthrow of capitalist democracies

· West (US in particular) distrusted Stalin (Truman esp.)

¨ Based on Stalin’s past deceptions & cruelties

§ Problem: initially US had passively accepted Soviet gains

· Preoccupied w/demobilization: 3.5M troops to 500K

· Also IAW US peacetime plans & goals (which are?)

· American peacetime plans & goals:

¨ Self determination, autonomy, & democracy

¨ Free trade, freedom of seas, & no tariffs

¨ No barriers to investment- “Open Door” policy

§ Roll back of Soviet gains rejected despite US power to do

· Strong battle tested American forces w/Atomic bombs

· Held half the world’s GDP & matchless industrial pwr

· Dollar was solid & accepted throughout the world

· NTL=> demobilization & $ aims shaped US for. policy

§ Soviet perspective of US resistance to USSR security aims:

· US threatened security provided by Soviet buffer states

· US denied just compensation for USSR’s terrible losses

· US objection to Soviet friendly Poland viewed as hostile

§ US view Stalin’s behavior as international communist plot

· French &Italian communist parties obedient to Moscow

· Conclusion: USSR aims>subvert capitalist democracy

§ With no evidence of Stalin’s intentions to contrary=>

· Most Americans suspected those exact aims to be true

Ø What were the areas of Soviet-US early Cold War conflict?

Ø Areas of Early Cold War Conflict

§ Incendiary rhetoric of former wartime allies:

· Stalin & Molotov speeches w/theme: “West is enemy”

· Churchill’s “iron curtain” speech at Fulton, Missouri

¨ Urged western unity to contain Soviet expansion

§ Baruch Plan for UN control of all atomic weapons

· Soviet reaction to proposed plan?

¨ UN on site inspections & limits on veto power in UN

· Soviet detonated their own bomb by 1949 (Rosenbergs)

§ 12 Mar 1947: Truman Doctrine stated before Congress

· Request funds for aid to Turkey (Dardanelles)& Greece

· Military equipt & advisors against commun. insurgency

· Truman’s justification for $ became containment policy

§ Marshall Plan- purpose, impact, & significance:

· Economic plan to rebuild Europe (1948-51: $12B)

¨ Economic basis of political containment policy

¨ Set stage for major $ recovery in western Europe

Ø Paved way for democratic capitalistic orientation

¨ Soviets reject & force East Europeans to reject also

Ø USSR offered alternative (Molotov Plan) instead

Ø Actually only tied eastern satellites to Moscow $

§ What is “containment” policy & who authored it?

§ G. Kennan’s “long telegram” urged USSR’s containment:

· Steady & persistent confrontation of Soviet expansion

· Published later in Foreign Affairs- aka the “X article”

· Basis of US Cold War containment policy & strategy

§ Soviet view of containment?

· Attempt by US & West Europe to encircle it

· Stalin’s response: reinstate COMINTERN (purpose?)

§ 2/1948: Czechoslovakia (Cz) yanked under Soviet control

· Czech foreign minister Masaryk murdered

· Democrats expelled from Cz government’s coalition

· Last of truly democratic governments of East Europe

§ US response: restore Germany’s industry in western zone

· Soviets view as provocative & unacceptable (why?)

§ Germany’s current/future status key to US-Soviet conflicts

· Separate West German constitution endorsed by West

· Summer of 1948: new West German Mark issued

· Soviet reaction: Berlin Blockade (supply route?- Map)

· US Response: Berlin Airlift (ultimately successful)

· May 1949: Soviets reopen roads to ground transport

· Crisis hastened E-W division of Germany-how divided?

¨ German Federal Republic (Sep 1949) vs.

¨ German Democratic Republic (Oct 1949)

Ø NATO versus the Warsaw Pact (Map 33-1)

§ Early moves toward western European unity:

· Impact of Marshall Plan: international cooperation

· Treaty of Brussels: cooperation on $ & military issues

¨ Signers: Belgium, Netherlands, Lux., France, Britain

§ April 1949: NATO established- mutual assist if attacked

· Above treaty signers joined by: Italy, Denmark,

¨ Norway, Iceland, Portugal, Canada, & US

· Result: West aligned as bloc of western states

§ Soviet & East European response?

· 1949: form Council of Mutual Assist. (COMECCON)

¨ Integrate East Europe’s economies under Moscow

¨ Backed by overwhelming presence of Red Army

· May 1955: Warsaw Pact officially formed- included:

¨ Albania, Bulgaria, Cz, East Germany, Hungary,

Ø Poland, Romania, & USSR

§ Europe now officially divided: NATO vs. Warsaw Pact

§ 1953: Stalin dies &brief window for better relations opens

· Miscues, misunderstandings, & exploitation slam it shut

Ø Crises of 1956

§ Cold War realities reveal extent of European dependence

· West Europe’s political, military, & $ ties to US clearer

§ Demonstrated by limits to Brit & French unilateral action

§ Suez Canal – strategic significance? (Map)

· Nasser nationalizes Canal in July 1956

¨ Brit/Fr concern re. potential interdiction of PG oil

· Oct 1956: Egypt & Israel go to war- opportunity?

¨ Brits & French seize opportunity & launch operation

Ø In cooperation with Israel=> secure Suez Canal

¨ Ike rejects intervention & withholds critical support

¨ Soviets strongly protests Brit & French intervention

¨ Result: British & French forced to stand down

· Significance: W. Europe FP actions require US support

¨ W. Europe no longer able to conduct unilateral ops

¨ L/L: US & USSR restrained “subordinate” allies

¨ Result: crisis contained & US & USSR avoided war

§ Poland (Fall 1956)

· Limits of autonomous action within Soviet bloc =>

¨ Demonstrated by Poland’s selection of new premier

· Polish communist party rejects Moscow’s choice

¨ Tensions rise between Moscow & its “client” state

· Soviet leadership visits Warsaw to make position clear

¨ Compromise selection=> Gromulka ok w/conditions

Ø Continued $ & mil. cooperation w/Warsaw Pact

· Does end collectivization & improves Church relations

§ Hungarian Uprising- (Oct 1956)

· Pro-Polish demonstrations against Budapest regime

¨ Protest soon turned violent

· Imre Nagy installed head of independent comm. gov.

¨ Sought coalition & political support from non-comm

¨ Called for removal of Soviet troops in Hungary

¨ Withdrawal from Warsaw Pact & declare neutrality

· Soviet reaction:

¨ Withdrawal from Warsaw Pact totally unacceptable

¨ Red Army invades in early November 1956

¨ Nagy deposed & later executed in 1958

¨ Soviets install Janos Kadar as new premier

Ø The Cold War Intensified

§ New political realities demonstrated by events of 1956

· Superpowers now call the shots on major issues

§ After ‘56=> USSR talked about “peaceful coexistence”

· ’58: both sides explore placing limits on Nuke testing

· But also demanded allied w/d from West Berlin-refused

§ 1959: tensions begin to relax again & visits exchanged

· Khrushchev visits US & has “kitchen debate” w/Nixon

· Summit meeting scheduled for Paris in May 1960

· Ike to go to Moscow after- what happened at summit?

§ Summit & Ike’s trip to Moscow derailed- why? (U-2)

§ Soviet motives for destroying summit were two fold:

· 1. Divide allies over stand on Germany’s future status

¨ (U-2 crisis unlikely to cause that kind of division)

· 2. Appear sufficiently zealous to hard-line communists

¨ China challenged USSR leadership of global comm.

Ø Would mark beginning of Sino-Soviet split

§ Tension rise again even more significantly from 1961-62

· Khrushchev tests Pres. Kennedy(JFK)- at Vienna conf

¨ K. blusters & attempts to intimidate young president

¨ K. demands US w/d from Berlin - JFK refused

¨ JFK concludes war w/Soviets definite possibility

· Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct 1962):

¨ Soviet clandestine attempt to place missiles in Cuba

Ø U-2 over-fight photos confirm earlier HUMINT

¨ JFK convenes executive committee at White House

Ø Issues public ultimatum on TV: withdraw now!

§ Any strike from Cuba will result in Nuc. War

Ø US military locks & load=> goes to DEFCON 2

¨ JFK places “quarantine” around Cuban waters

Ø Soviets “blink” & recall ships w/missiles

¨ Nuclear war only just avoided (tactical release auth)

Ø Détente & Afterward

§ US & USSR jolted by how close to WWIII they both came

· JGK made conciliatory speech at American U. June’63

¨ Makes overture to Soviets on nuclear weaps test ban

¨ “In the final analysis, we all inhabit this small

planet…And we are all mortal.”

§ 1963: Both sides conclude Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

· Marked start of reduced US-Soviet tensions

§ 1968: Soviets invade Cz & overthrow Dubcek lib gov.

· LBJ cancels summit scheduled for Nov, but little else

§ Nixon pursues reduced tensions=> Détente

· w/Kissinger => seeks exit strategy from Vietnam War

¨ Attempts to enlist USSR & China help to that end

Ø Seeks negotiated settlement with North Vietnam

Ø AKA “Triangular Diplomacy”

· Concludes SALT I with Soviets in 1972

§ 1979: Soviets “betray” Carter & invade Afghanistan

· “Betrayal” causes end of Détente & no SALT II

§ 1980-84: Ronald Reagan’s 1^st term: “Evil Empire” period

· US defense budget rises, 600 ship Navy, & SDI

· Placed great stress on an already stressed Soviet $$

¨ Hard for Soviets to compete w/US arms buildup

· RR also replaced SALT II with START negotiations

§ 1985-89: Gorbachev & RR reach historic understanding

· 1985:“ice breaker” summit successful=> others follow

· Dec’87: major arms reduction breakthrough occurs

¨ 2000+ medium/short range missiles to be dismantled

Ø mutual on-site inspections (“trust but verify”)

§ 1989=> US-USSR Cold War relations rapidly OBE

· Communist control of East Europe soon unravels

¨ Gorbachev refused to prop up E. Euro regimes

· 1991: before long=> USSR travel similar route

¨ Collapsed after hard line communist coup attempt

¨ Dec 31, 1991=> USSR dissolves & Cold War ends

v European Society in 2^nd Half of 20^th Century & Beyond

Ø Prosperous Western Europe vs. economically stressed East