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American dollar diplomacy
This shows Stalin’s willingness to cooperate for economic gains. However, when the USSR indeed asked for a 6 billion loan on January 1945, the USA immediately imposed conditions on such a loan particularly on the opening of Eastern European markets to American goods The United States was playing the economic card to extract political concessions from the USSR. This then resulted in the USSR being unwilling to cooperate with the USA in rebuilding the world’s economy. As such, the USSR did not joi -
The Yalta Conference on the Polish issue
differences surfaced in the form of misinterpretation when the leaders discussed about the future of Poland. Though Stalin signed the Declaration of Liberated Europe, pledging free elections in all Eastern Europe countries including Poland; and that he would allow the democratic London poles to return and join the Polish government ( Lublin committee ), the results were of dissatisfactory to the Americans. Although Stalin did held elections in those countries, the elections were heavily rigged. -
Surrender of Japan
USSR and USA lost of a common enemy which bonds them together. -
Establishment of NATO (North Atlantic Organization)
NATO’s predeccessors, the Brussel pact (1946) had several members namely Britain, France, Netherlands and Luxemburg. However, the Europeans leaders realised that the alliance was ineffective as they could only match up to the Soviets’ military if USA joined them. Hence the USA, was invited to form a military alliance with them and it resulted in the formation of NATO in 4th of April 1949. In response, the Soviets introduced a similar measure known as the Warsaw pact and Eastern Europeans countri -
Truman Doctrine
It was catalyst by the rising communist power in Greece and Turkey, Truman saw a need to support Greece and Turkey with economic aid to prevent them from falling into the Soviet sphere. It granted Greece 400 million in military and economic aid, with this American aid they eventually defeated the KKE (Greek communists). While Turkey gotten 100million in aid and soon oversaw a Democratic party government of Adnan Menderes. It addressed Washington’s worry of the communism domino effect. However, t -
The Marshall Plan
It signalled the end of any economic cooperation between the East and the West European nationsca used an economic split in Europe and contributed to the start of the Cold War. -
The Berlin Blockade
This began when the West and USA began rebuilding Germany, they introduced the Deutschmark into West Germany in June 1948 and into Berlin 3 days later. It was seen as an act of trying to create an independent German state by Stalin. Stalin reacted by closing all routes to West Berlin in 24 June 1948, cutting off all possible land connections between the West and West Berlin. This blockade eventually ended after a sustained 10-months Berlin airlift conducted by the West. The end of the blockade l
