Cold War:

  • conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union after 1945
  • no armed conflict but economic, diplomatic and ideological
  • contrary interests, mutual distrust and hostility

Background:

  • Allied Forces fight together against Germany in WW II (1939-1945)
  • but first disagreements in 1944: the Allied Forces under leadership of the USA (Roosevelt) weren´t willing to give concrete guarantees and arrangements to the Soviet Union concerning the post-war order
  • the Soviet Union claimed its safety-interests and established (by force) pro-Soviet, communist governments in Middle- and Eastern Europe
  • USA: Roosevelt – cooperation
  • Truman – anti-Soviet, anticommunist course based on economic superiority and monopoly on nuclear weapons (1945)
  • concept: free, united Europe – free world under American leadership
  • during post-war conferences first signs of formation of blocs

SU: wanted to claim their safety sphere
USA: didn`t want to acknowledge it
The question concerning the arrangement of Germany and the reparations had been adjourned

Actions and reactions:

  • SU: aggressive-expansionist policy
  • USA: containment policy (credits, divided Germany (1946))
  • SU: united, neutral Germany
  • consolidate their influencesphere
  • treaty of Dünkirchen (1947): defence alliance GB-France
  • Truman-doctrin (1947)
  • Marshall-plan (1947)
  • Comecon (1947)
  • Brussels pact (1948) : collective defence of its members
  • Monetary-reform (1948): three West zones and Berlin
  • Berlin blockade (1948/49)
  • amplified threat of Soviet expansion
  • three West zones consolidated to the Federal Republik of Germany (1949) – Westintegration – negotiations between West Europe, Canada and the USA (NATO)

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Washington,

  • 4.4.1949: Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, France (only political: 1966), Iceland, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, USA
  • 1952: Greece, Turkey
  • 1955: Germany
  • 1982: Spain (political: 1996)
  • structure: highest organ: NATO-council – meets half a year, consists of representatives of each country political course, financial matters, administration
  • presidency: secretary-general
  • several committees - specific matters
  • military committee – meets half a year, consists of chiefs of different armed forces
  • today: strongest, unrivaled military alliance
  • SU: GDR (1949) was founded – Warsaw Pact
  • Germany`s division was instituted
  • World`s division into two blocs was strengthened

    Warsaw Pact:

    • military alliance of European, communist states
    • 14.5.1955 Albania (- 1968), Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary,Romania,Soviet Union
    • SU: dominating power, controls other members strictly
    • structure: “Political consultative committee”
    • (pol.) – all activities except military affairs
    • “United supreme command of the armed forces”
    • (mil.) – controls armed forces of different members, supreme commander a Soviet officer
    • 1985: extended for 20 years
    • 03.1991: stop of military actions
    • 07.1991: disintegration of the Warsaw Pact

    Carolina