The Origins of the Cold War

Origins of the Cold War• Russian Revolution of 1917• Tsarist Russia is overthrown• Bolshevik (Communist) government takes over• Lenin dies in 1924 and Stalin takes power• Stalin vows to erase all forms of capitalism• “Five year plans” were designed to focus massive

gains in agriculture and industry• Collectivization of agriculture results in famine

that kills 5-10 million people in 2 years• Industrialization rapidly increases Russia’s military

capabilities and allows them to defeat Germany

Origins of the Cold War• Following the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences,

the plan for the carving up of Europe was in place

• Communist governments loyal to U.S.S.R. would be established in eastern Europe to ensure U.S.S.R. would not be invaded again

• Germany would be split into 4 occupied zones (U.K., U.S., France, U.S.S.R.)

• Berlin, though located completely in the U.S.S.R. zone, would be split equally as well

Origins of the Cold War• After a brief economic stagnation, the U.S.

sees a huge boom in production and spending

• Concern over communism spreading is pervasive among all levels of U.S. society

• The goal of the U.S. was to link the U.S., western European and Japanese economies to create a worldwide economic power

• The Soviets wanted to control eastern Europe through a series of satellite states which were loyal to the U.S.S.R.

Origins of the Cold War• The U.S. tried to involve the U.S.S.R. in the

U.N. and hoped that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank would boost international trade

• The U.S. also hoped the U.N. would be the overseer of atomic activities but the Soviets would not agree to this

• 1949: U.S.S.R. tests their first atomic bomb• Concern over the Soviets’ desire to spread

communism all over the world rises

Origins of the Cold War• George Kennen, an American diplomat in

Moscow wires that the Soviets would constantly probe for weakness in the capitalist world

• Britain requests U.S. help in blocking Soviet influence in continental Europe

• Churchill declares the U.S.S.R. has dropped an “iron curtain” over the middle of Europe and urged a firm response.