HIST-0054 Final: Europe Since 1815 FINAL Study Guide
23 May 2018
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Europe Since 1815 Final Study Guide
ESSAY: Cold War
B. "‟ From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across Europe.‟
So said Sir Winston Churchill in 1946 when talking about the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe. That
domination, springing from decisions reached at Yalta in 1945, seemed poised to expand beyond Eastern
Europe. Churchill saw this as evidence of the Soviet desire for “the indefinite expansion of their powers
and doctrines.” His recommendation to the western democracies about the Soviets was to “face them
squarely.” The United States and its allies seemed to take Churchill’s advice as demonstrated by the
Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. This policy
of facing the Soviets head on fostered a situation which led to the creation of NATO and spurred on the
evolution of the European Union, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Iron Curtain and the end
of what had become known as the Cold War.”
What to address:
- What tactic Western Allies took as Cold War began
- Say: they took Churchill’s advice (evidence: Truman, Marshall, Berlin, Korea &
Vietnam)
- Strong economic and military attempt to stop Communism
- Policy of containment ----> confrontation
- Role OF Western policy in the weakening of Soviet Union and fall of iron curtain
INTRO (Background):
- Soviet Union made big territorial gains after WW2 - gaining 260,000 sq miles (23 million
people)
- Spread of Communist ideals
- Western world’s fear of Communism and its implications to world peace and democracy
= policies to make sure countries don’t fall under Communist influence
CHURCHILL (IRON CURTAIN SPEECH):
- Advice to Western Allies is to “face them squarely” INTERPRET THIS
Key points of his speech:
- Soviet Union is large and has large scope of influence
- Western powers must take action and unite to protect freedom and democracy for
European countries especially)
- Soviets do not respect military weakness
- Says Soviet Union desires “indefinite expansion”
U.S & ALLIES TAKING HIS ADVICE:
Truman Doctrine: policy of containing Communism and supporting regimes in opposition of it
- Implemented because Soviets trying to take control of Greek gov., but Britain’s military
aid and funding fended them off; when British entered a period of economic downturn
they knew Turkey/Greece would be suceptible to Communist influence and control…
Britain contacted Pres. Truman
- Truman told Congress: suggested policy of aiding people/gov. that were fighting
against Communism
- Emphasized U.S could no longer stay in isolationism
- Foreign and economic policy
- CONTAINMENT
Marshall Plan: American plan set out to aid in the economic recovery of W. Germany &
Europe -- establish economic strength vs. Communism
- CONTAINMENT
Korean War: (1950-53) war between U.S and United Nations aiding S. Korea against invading
Communist forces in N. Korea (backed by Communist China- Soviet influence)
- Reached stalemate and established new borders
-CONTAINMENT → CONFRONTATION
Vietnam War: 5 U.S presidents from Eisenhower to Ford - aiding S. Vietnam versus
Communist North
- 1973: cease fire and withdrawal of U.S troops
- 1975: South loses to the Communist North as last troops leave
- Had little support from U.S gov.
- U.S troops fighting on foreign soil: CONTAINMENT → CONFRONTATION
Berlin Airlift: first major conflict of the Cold War: over military and country
division/occupation of Germany
- Western allies - W. Germany --- Soviets - E. Germany (Berlin split 50/50 same way)
- After peace turned to hostility: Soviets blockaded rail, road, water access Allied areas of
Berlin
- U.S & U.K airlifted food/fuel to Berlin
- Showed willingness to get active and seek CONFRONTATION (first evidence)
Cuban Missile Crisis—1962:
- 13 day standoff between the US and the Soviet Union
-Khrushchev began to build missile launch pads in Cuba and to ship in missiles which
would more than likely be aimed directly at the US -- President Kennedy threatened
war if the Soviets didn’t withdraw their weaponry from Cuba
-placed a naval blockade around Cuba
- Khrushchev backed down and removed the Soviet missiles from Cuba, severely
damaging his prestige and his power in Moscow
- His power in the Soviet Union was also being undermined by his large expenditures on
domestic programs and agricultural reforms = highly unsuccessful
Krushchnev continued
-took charge after stalin,
-many internal reforms (destalination)
-agriculture = failure
Brezhnev Doctrine:
-Soviet Union had the right to intervene in any Communist country if there were any
threats to socialist/communist and Soviet interests
- Brezhnev HATED any sign of rebellion or liberal reform within those countries under
Soviet influence (satellite nations)
- When Czechoslovakia began a liberalization program in spring 1968, Brezhnev was
TIGHT
- dispatched Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops to occupy Czechoslovakia and to restore a
more conservative regime
- Showed the willingness to keep territory and perhaps anxiety about maintaining power…
beginning of the end of the iron curtain?
POLICY OF CONFRONTATION = ALLIANCES:
NATO: N. Atlantic Treaty Organization
- 12 members at formation - now 28
- Created in an effort to check Soviet expansion
- Stalin responded w/ formation of the Warsaw Pact ((8)Soviet and 7 satellite nations) in
1955
WEAKENING OF SOVIET UNION:
- 1985 - Gorbachev was chosen as the new leader of the Soviet Union
- Gorbachev called for a restructuring of the economy (perestroika) to allow more
freedom in the economy, modernization, individual ownership of businesses
-Social reforms (glasnost) - creating a new openness in Soviet society
- people given the freedom to criticize the Soviet government & Communism
- always believing however that the Communist Party would remain dominant
