Cold war

UK involved in WW2

1939

led by Churchill

The Grand Alliance is created

1941

-purpose: defeating Nazi Germany and the other Axis Powers (e.g Japan)
-an alliance of convenience between the UK, USA, and USSR

USSR involved in WW2

1941

led by Stalin

Japan bombed Pearl Harbour

Dec 7, 1941

US involved in WW2

Dec 11, 1941

led by Roosevelt

Tehran Conference

Period: Nov 18, 1943 to Dec 1, 1943

-first meeting of the allies
-USA + UK would invade Europe from the west through Nazi-occupied France (using UK as a base), opening up a second front there by May 1944 (harder to fight 2 wars at once)
-USSR would invade Germany from the East
-USSR would join the war against Japan once Germany was defeated

-USA and UK agreed Polish borders would move west (German land to Poland and Polish land to USSR)
-idea of an international body to settle disputes (foundations of NATO)

Yalta Conference

Period: Feb 4, 1945 to Feb 11, 1945

-Declaration of Liberated Europe: aid for those liberated from Nazi control.
-Germany would have some sort of reparations (Stalin wanted $20bn monetary)
-Germany demilitarised
-Nazi war criminals tried in court
-US + UK wanted democratic elections in East Europe, Poland remained in Soviet Sphere of Influence
-USSR would declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated
-Germany would be split into four (UK, USA, USSR, France)
-Creation of UN agreed on

Roosevelt's death

Apr 12, 1945

replaced with Truman

Germany surrenders

May 7, 1945

USA tests atomic bomb

Jul 16, 1945

-this gave the USA a huge military advantage
-it angered Stalin as he felt he should have been consulted

Potsdam Conference

Period: Jul 17, 1945 to Aug 2, 1945

-banned the Nazi party in Germany
-Nuremberg trials would try war criminals
-created Council of Foreign Ministers
-Germany divided into 4 zones of occupation + USSR would recieve 1/4 of the output of the other zones (compensation for no reparations)
-USA wanted democratic elections in East Europe (a pro-communisty party had been installed in Poland)

Clement Atlee replaces Churchill as PM

Jul 26, 1945

USA dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima

Aug 6, 1945

USA dropped atomic bomb on Nagasaki

Aug 9, 1945

-contributed to Japan's surrender + the end of WW2

Japan defeated (VJ day)

Aug 15, 1945

First session of the Council of Foreign Ministers

Sep 1, 1945

-aimed to help Europe's recovery and settle peace treaties with Nazi allies (e.g. Italy, Bulgaria, Finland)

United Nations established

Oct 24, 1945

The Long Telegram

Feb 22, 1946

Sent by US Ambassador to the Soviet Union, George Kennan, to Washington.
-Argued the USSR was a threat to capitalism that should be destroyed.
-Suggested USSR was building its naval, military, and nuclear power.
-Said peace between USA + USSR was impossible

Iron Curtain Speech

Mar 5, 1946

-Given by Winston Churchill in Fulton, Missouri (USA)

An iron curtain has descended across the continent of Europe
-Described USSR's behaviour in Eastern Europe

US Secretary of State James Byrnes: 'the US has formally announced its intention to unify the economy of its zone with all other zones'

Nov 6, 1946

Novikov telegram

Nov 27, 1946

Sent by Soviet Ambassador to USA, Nikolai Novikov, to Stalin
-Said USA aimed to be the greatest power in the world
-Said USA was preparing to go to war
-Said USSR was the only nation that could stop USA becoming the most dominant military + economic power in the world

Cominform (Communist Information Bureau)

1947

-tried to encourage communist uprising in Europe
-hoped to destroy communist opposition in satellite states

Formation of Bizonia

Jan 1, 1947

-US + UK's zones of Germany joined

Truman Doctrine

Mar 12, 1947

-at this point Poland, Romania + Bulgaria were under USSR control: USA was scared of the domino effect

I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures. I believe we must assist free peoples to work out their own desitinies in their own way
-committed to giving political, military + financial aid
-introduced Containment policy
-reduced communisms appeal to countries devastated postwar

Trizonia formed

1948

-France joined
-Trizonia began to recieve Marshall aid (recieving $1.45bn)
-Stalin thought this broke Yalta + Potsdam agreements.

The Marshall Plan

Mar 3, 1948

-Provided economic assistance to the Truman Doctrine
-$12.7bn to Europe
-meant to help rebuilding + encourage trade with the US
-Stalin prevented any USSR supported communist nations from accepting the aid

Deutschmark introduced in Bizonia

Jun 20, 1948

Deutschmark:Rentenmark
1:1 for business
1:15 for savers

The Berlin Blockade

Jun 24, 1948

-USSR shut down all transport links into West Berlin (isolating it from Trizonia so no supplies reached it)
-Western powers didn't want to appear weak but attacking/breaking USSR military blockades of roads + railway lines could trigger war

The Berlin Airlift

Period: Jun 26, 1948 to May 12, 1949

-peaceful show of strength + solution to regaining some control
-supplies were flown into West Berlin
-Tegel airport built to improve efficiency (1 plane every 30s)
-gave USSR a negative image

Comecon (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance)

1949

-an answer to the Marshall Plan
-gave financial aid, encouraging trade with the USSR
-any nation that joined had to refuse Marshall aid
-included satellite states Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania + East Germany

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)

1949

-united the USA, France + UK under a military alliance with the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark + Canada
-collective security: if one is attacked, the others fight on its behalf

Federal Republic of Germany created

May 23, 1949

(West)

USSR develops atomic bomb

Aug 29, 1949

*4 years after USA

German Democratic Republic formed

Oct 7, 1949

(East)
-another satellite state

USA builds Hydrogen bomb

1952

1000x more destructive

'brain drain'

Period: 1952 to 1961

-3.5 million East Germans migrated to West Germany
-Soviet propaganda defeat
-skilled workers leaving meant output, productivity, and wealth suffered

USSR build Hydrogen bomb

1953

*1 year after USA

Stalin dies

1953

-replaced by Nikita Khrushchev

Hungary led by Matyas Rakosi

Period: 1953 to 1955

The Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO

1955

Warsaw Pact

May 14, 1955

-a response to NATO
-alliance between the USSR + its Eastern European satellite states

Secret Speech

1956

-given by Khrushchev
-introduced the liberal idea of destalinization

Hungarians pulled down Stalin's statue

1956

-protests on the streets
-there had been food shortages and bad harvests

Imre Nagy became Hungarian PM

1956

-communist
-more liberal than Rakosi, and more liberal than anticipated
-planned to end 1-party rule
-wanted an impartial legal system
-wanted to give farmers private ownership of land
-wanted the Soviet army to withdraw from Hungary

Nagy announces Hungary leaving the Warsaw Pact

Nov 1, 1956

USSR invaded Hungary

Nov 4, 1956

-there was a vocal condemnation of this by the USA, but no actual action, as they didn't want to risk war

USSR tests Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

1958

-could be fired 5500km

Nagy executed

Jun 17, 1958

-Soviet Politburo appointed Janos Kadar in his place
-15 point programme adopted to reverse Nagy's reforms, tightening communist control

The Berlin Ultimatum

Nov 27, 1958

-memorandum issued by Khrushchev
-claimed Berlin should be absorbed into East Germany
-said all USA, UK + French troops should leave Berlin in 6 months (they didn't)
-led to a series of summit meetings

USA develops ICBM

1959

*1 year after USSR

Fidel Castro's socialist revolution overthrew General Batista

1959

-ended cooperation with USA
-Cuba began trade with USSR (oil, fuel etc)

Geneva summit

May 10, 1959

Camp David summit

Sep 25, 1959

-led by Eisenhower and Khrushchev

Paris summit

1960

-undermined by U2 Spy Plane crisis: USSR had shot down a USA spy plane in Russian airspace

Vienna summit

1961

-between Khrushchev and Kennedy
-failed to resolve the issues between the USA and USSR

Bay of Pigs

Apr 17, 1961

America invaded Cuba
-CIA informed Kennedy itd appear as a Cuban revolt
-CIA funded Cuban exiles: Brigade 2506, giving them US plans, the invasion launched from Guatemala
-1400 US paramilitaries met by 20000 Cuban army + surrendered
-Castro had been warned
-US planes had been used
-1202 of Brigade 2506 were captured and ransomed for $28mil worth of tractors

Building of the Berlin Wall begins

Aug 13, 1961

-an effort to solve the refugee crisis, keeping people in the East
-initially a fence rimmed with razor wire, developed into a heavy concrete border
-USSR propaganda defeat: showed they couldn't control their citizens
-a more peacful solution than in Hungary
-initially, foreigners could travel across 'Checkpoint Charlie'

Stand off between Soviet army tanks and Americans crossing to the East

Oct 27, 1961

agreement+consequences

1962

-the prisoners were exchanged for $53mil worth of food + medicine
-any possibility of good US-Cuban relations was destroyed by the Bay of Pigs
-Castro's socialist rule was cemented
-it wasn't a good look for the USA to have funded a failed invasion and try to deny involvement

USSR missile sites discovered on Cuba

Oct 14, 1962

Cuba had allowed their placement as a deterrent for further USA attacks
-this caused US media panic

'quarantine zone' on Cuba

Oct 20, 1962

-Kennedy placed a blockade to prevent USSR ships reaching Cuba
-USSR initially said they wouldn't respect it and any action towards their ships could provoke nuclear war.

Kennedy speaks to media about Cuba

Oct 22, 1962

-hawks wanted aggressive action against Cuba e.g. Dean Acheson
-doves considered MAD so didn't think it worth the risk
(led by US defense secretary Robert McNamara

Compromise on Cuba

Oct 27, 1962

Khrushchev and Kennedy agreed the USSR wouldn't place missiles on Cuba if the USA removed its warheads/ICBMs from European army bases (Italy, Turkey etc), so neither had missiles in range of the other's teritory
-USA saved some face as they removed the missiles without informing the public

Khrushchev televised appearance

Oct 28, 1962

-states his agreement not to send missiles to Cuba
-Soviet ships never crossed the blockade
-weaker appearance
-war was avoided

Kennedy: 'Ich bin ein Berliner'

Jun 26, 1963

-showed solidarity

Limited Test Ban Treaty

Aug 5, 1963

-nuclear weapons could no longer be tested above ground

Hotline created between White House and Kremlin

Aug 30, 1963

-neither side wanted war and this meant leaders could communicate immediately in a crisis
-consequence of CMC1962

Khrushchev removed as leader

1964

USA and USSR had equal numbers of nuclear missiles

1965

Outer Space Treaty

1967

-agreed not to use nuclear weapons in outer space (blocks loophole of not being on the ground in LTBT)

Brezhnev doctrine

1968

-installed the idea the USSR would use Warsaw pact troops to retain power
-if communism was threatened/reforms were introduced in the sphere of influence invasion was expected
-condemned by USA + UK, but they did not want war
-opposed by Yugoslavia, Romania, China, Albania, France + Italy

Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

1968

-stopped the USA and USSR from sharing nuclear missiles with other nations
(believed Israel got some in 1967)

Dubcek became leader of Czechoslovakia (Prague Spring)

Jan 5, 1968

-living standards has fallen under USSR rule- opposition to communism
-communism with a human face
-reforms to improve living standards
-increased political freedom
-relaxed censorship
-reduced power to the secret police
-market socialism
-this threatened USSR as it could lead to reforms elsewhere in the sphere of influence

Warsaw Pact troops sent to Czechoslovakia

Aug 21, 1968

-Brezhnev wanted the reforms removed, Dubcek refused
-Dubcek was arrested, he urged Czech troops not to violently resist
-It became a strict-run satelite state under Gustav Husak
-normalisation removed the reforms
-Dubcek was returned to Czech government with less power

SALT 1 (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty)

May 26, 1972

-capped missile kinds USA +USSR could have
-no new ICBMS (replacements allowed)
-no new nuclear launch sites
-no new nuclear submarines (replacements allowed)
-maximum of 2 Anti-Ballistic Missile deployment areas
each (keep MAD mutual)
-positive collaboration
-paused arms race
Agreed between Nixon and Brezhnev.
Successful enough to prompt SALT 2

Vladivostock summit

1974

laid the grounds for SALT 2

Brezhnev visited Cuba

1974

-Cuba began to ask USSR for military defence support
-USA was trying to regain ties, but also wouldn't recognise Castro's government and the CIA unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate him

Helsinki Accords

1975

-signed by 35 countries
-focused on international borders, security + human rights
Basket 1: current European borders were inviolable
Basket 2: USA + USSR agreed to trade, economic dependence reducing chance of war. Promoted trade + tech links across the Iron curtain
Basket 3: to respect human rights- free movement + speech

Helsinki consequences

1975

-the UN would be used as a peace mediator rather than military support
-student exchange trips: co-operation + sharing of knowledge
-East + West Germany would be permanently split
-not an official treaty
-Brezhnev doctrine still in place, USA still interfered elsewhere.

Pro-Soviet soldiers overthrew the Afghani government, setting up a communist state

1978

-this began a civil war
-reforms were met with violent reaction
-20 years friendship treaty signed with the USSR

Nur Muhammad Taraki president of Afgghanistan

Period: 1978 to 1979

USSR invaded Afghanistan

1979

Afghan war cost the USSR 18bn rubles

Period: 1979 to 1986

-led to economic struggles

SALT 2

Jun 18, 1979

-signed by Brezhnev + Carter
-agreed USA + USSR would stop developing new missile programs
-each could own only 1320 long-range/ballistic missiles
-destroyed by the Afghanistan war (never ratified by the Senate + House of Representative because of it- didn't become US law)

Taraki's death

Oct 9, 1979

-Hafizullah Amin became president of Afghanistan

Amin's death

Dec 27, 1979

I guessed it, it's all true
-died in a Soviet attack on the royal palace in an invasion
-Babrak Karmal was chosen as the new president

USA boycotted the Moscow Olympic games

1980

The Carter Doctrine

1980

-all relations with the Soviet Union were broken off
-trade agreements made at Helsinki stopped
-USA supported economic sanctions against the USSR
-committed to using force in Iran + Afghanistan if needed

Reagan became US president

Jan 20, 1981

-harsh views towards communism and socialism
-funded the Mujahidin against the USSR in Afghanistan
-invested in Perishing missiles
-commissioned the Star Wars nuclear defence system

USSR boycotted the Los Angeles Olympic games

1984

Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union

1985

-the economy was struggling
-satellite states only remained in the Warsaw pact for fear of miliary repression

Dubcek died aged 70

1992