Chapter 8

From a World War to a Cold War

Key things to take note of:

• Essential Question:-Why was there no genuine peace in the World

after World War Two?• Enduring Understanding: -There was no genuine peace after World War

Two due to the ideological conflicts and power struggle between Capitalist and Communist states which led to the Cold War.

Question: How does national interest fit into the enduring understanding?

What is a ‘Cold War’?

14th Century Spanish Writer: Don Juan Manuel“A hot war either ended in death or peace but a

cold war ‘brings neither peace nor honour to those who wage it.’”

This phrase was popularised by Walter Lippmann (a critic of the Cold War) in 1947.

How might a Cold War be waged?

Overview

Part II: Impact on EuropeA) Europe was divided

(different spheres of influence)E.g. NATO vs. Warsaw Pact

E.g. Marshall Plan vs.COMECON

B) Germany was divided

C) Truman Doctrine introduced(US intervention in other

Countries to contain Communism)

Part I: Origins/Causes of the Cold WarA) Competing ideologies: Communism vs. Capitalism

B) Feelings of mistrust stemming from competing ideologies. C) Breakdown of temporary war time allegiances (no longer shared

Common interest/enemy) USSR now seen as bigger threat thanGermany. Power struggle between USA vs. USSR

D) Who was to blame for the Cold War?

Part III: Impact on Wider WorldA) China joined the Cold War

(US intervention in Asia)

B) Korean War. Korea was divided

(Repercussions still feltToday)

C) Cuban Missile CrisisBrinkmanship that ironically

Led to better US-USSR Relations, but led to spilt

Between China and USSR.

Sim.

Part A: Competing ideologies

-Communism vs. Capitalism

-Communism vs. Democracy

Clarifying some ideologies

• Democracy ≠ Capitalism.• Democracy is a political concept that means “rule by the

people” -There are however different types of democratic systems,

even though all involve free elections where representatives are voted into power by the people.

• Capitalism is an economic system which believes:-that there should be private property-that profit making should be the ultimate goal-In a free-market economy (economy not controlled by the

state)

Competing ideologies

• Communism-Centrally-planned economy.

State does the economic planning.

-E.g. State controls the supply of goods. So supply dictates demand for goods.

-E.g. Prices of goods are fixed by the State. Little changes in prices.

-Overriding concern: Achieving Full Employment.

-The State is responsible for the welfare of the individual.

-Narrow wealth gap (although not often true)

-Supporters: Proletariat (Workers)

• Capitalism-Free market economy. The

market forces decides for itself.

-E.g. Market allows demand to dictate supply of goods.

-E.g. Prices of goods are set by the market. Can be volatile.

-Overriding concern: Profit-maximisation. Therefore efficiency is very important.

-The individual is responsible for its own welfare.

-Wider wealth gap -Supporters: Bourgeoisie (middle

class)

Competing ideologies• Communism

-Democratic centralism-Top-down approach:

There is debate within the party, but once the Party line has been decided, everybody must adhere to it.

-No free elections. Selection of leaders to ensure continuity.

-Rights of the community are very important.

-Only one political party: The vanguards e.g. Communist

Party.

• Democracy

-Popular Sovereignty -Bottom up approach: Government has to act in the interest of the people and must engage them in dialogue in order to know that they need.

-Free elections. People decide their leaders.

-Rights of the Individual are very important

-Many different political parties. (with different manifestos)

What is the purpose of ideologies?

Why does Man come up with new ideas? What are they ideas about? Think about Liberalism, Socialism,

Feminism. Why did thinkers come up with these ideologies?

Is the conflict merely about different ideas? How does the

material life fit into this?p. 203 (Kitchen debate)

p. 206 (Truman’s + Lenin’s speech)

Some deeper questions

• How does one assess whether one ideology is superior to the other?

• Why does one group subscribe to one set of ideologies and another to a different set of ideologies?

• It is because they believe that their set of ideology will make life better. Ideas are not important for themselves, but for the kind of material progress that it produces. Therefore material well-being is thus a convenient measure of the supremacy of one ideology over another.

Part B: Entrenched feelings of mistrust

Due to competing ideologies

Entrenched feelings of mistrust• Stemming from competing ideologies. • The two systems theoretically speaking cannot co-exist. • The triumph of Communism necessitates the destruction

of Capitalism. Marx saw it as socio-economic development: Feudalism replaced by Capitalism, Capitalism replaced by Communism. (Marx claimed that this was a universalistic principle, which means that it cannot be contained within national borders. Explains Trotsky’s theory of World Revolution.

• Anything that feels like it is on the defensive often reacts by taking the offensive. (Remember Japan?)

• -E.g. Capitalist countries taking concrete measures to prevent the spread of Communism and the fulfilment of Marx’s prediction. Britain, France, Japan and USA sending funds to help the Whites against the Reds in the Russian Civil War 1918-1921.

Mistrust (due to competing ideologies)

-USA fears that USSR wants to spread Communism to other countries and thereby increase its sphere of

influence.-USSR fears that USA wants to crush it by isolating it

from other countries, and by building up America’s own sphere of influence.

Power struggle-Arms race (to develop nuclear power)

-“Star wars” (to develop a space programme)-Race to build up one’s own sphere of influence

(Note that Power is not an end in itself, but it is the means to an end)

Part C: Breaking down of War time alliances

-Why? Was it clear right from the start? (inevitable) Or was there a turning

point?-To what extent did personalities have

a part to play in the worsening of relations between the one-time allies?

Why did USA, Britain ally with USSR in the first place?

• Ideological explanation:-Liberal democracy and Communism are both products of

the Enlightenment: Both seek progress, but through different means. Socialism wanted to be more inclusive than Liberalism.

-Nazism however is anti-Enlightenment/modern in the sense that it harks back to the past, and wants a return to conservatism and patriarchy.

• Balance of Power explanation:-Germany was getting too strong. If it wins the war, it will be

the dominant power in Europe. Therefore, there is a need to tilt the balance of power by creating an alliance with USSR to make Germany’s defeat certain.

Conference at Yalta

• Date• Participants• Agenda• What happened?

• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWyalta.htm

Conference at Potsdam

• Date• Participants• Agenda• What happened?

• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWpotsdam.htm

Part D: Who was to blame?

Traditional interpretation

Revisionist interpretation

Post-Revisionist interpretation