Origins of Cold War

By coconutchewbacca
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    Stalin in power

    Stalin was in a power struggle with Leon Trotsky and won. He was in power till his death.
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    Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Amicable relationship with Stalin, died of natural causes.
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    Yalta Conference

    Genesis of the Cold War. Agreed to divide Germany into 4 zones, each zone under France, US, Soviets and British. Stalin pledged to give Poland free elections and agreed to take reparations from Germany. Roosevelt 'gave in' to Stalin's demands.
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    Harry S. Truman in power

    Previously Vice President of the United States, became President after Roosevelt's death. Highly against idea of communism, volatile relationship with Stalin.
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    Potsdam Conference

    Treat Germany as a single economy and allow goods to move freely, take reparations from each zone, each superpower to transfer additional reparations from their own zones and to give toSoviets in exchange for food and raw materials.

  • Iron Curtain Speech

    delivered by Winston Churchill, need to learn from mistakes of appeasement

  • Truman Doctrine

    Britain withdrawing from Greece. US feared Soviets might fill in power vacuum.
    "It must be the policy of the US to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation"
    aimed to prevent spread of communism

  • Announcement of Marshall Plan

  • Czechoslovakian coup

    communists took over Czechoslovakia

  • Implementation of Marshall Plan

    grant for countries to purchase food, raw materials and machinery from the US
    aims: contain communism, promote trade to ensure US growth
    catalysed implementation by Czech coup

  • Introduction of Deutschmark

  • Berlin Blockade began

  • Formation of NATO

    North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

  • Berlin Blockade ended

  • Warsaw Pact