Untitled timeline

When currency is introduced, Stalin sees immediate threat - because currency is sign of a sovereign state - and Stalin is afraid of this being the stronger currency and sucking in Eastern Germany into its capitalism

So initiates Berlin Blockade as direct response to currency introduction

The shock with which the West greeted the event—which bore distinct echoes of Munich—helped spur quick adoption of the Marshall Plan, the creation of a state in West Germany, vigorous measures to keep Communists out of power in France and especially Italy, and steps toward mutual security that would, in little over a year, result in the establishment of NATO and the definitive drawing of the Iron Curtain until the Fall of Communism in 1989.

Communist PArty which was part of the coalition government is going to take office and the foreign ministers- a symbol of CZ democracy is murdered- effectively leaving control in Communist hands

This coup represents formal break in relations (b/c up until hen it had been a democratic government)- CZ in now behind the iron curtain

Tito led country against Nazi's without Moscow support and later refused to let Stalin exploit natural resources for USSR's benefit

Wanted to enhance Yugoslav power and Stalin was annoyed with Tito's independent communist movement not under Moscow Rule

Stalin organized boycott but this backfired because then Tito used the estrangement from the USSR to attain US aid via the Marshall Plan, as well as to found the Non-Aligned Movement, in which Yugoslavia was a leading force

USSR seeks to draw out powers from Berlin which is in the Soviet Zone

But US responds to threat by initiating airlift to drop supplies to Berlin Residents

Is seen as a success for the Truman administration because they remained steadfast and USSR backs off

Berlin blockade accelerated progressive involvement of US in defense of Western Europe that had started with the Truman Doctrine and containment policy

Officially divided Germany into two zones, each dependent on one superpower

Change in foreign policy because it is announced West Germany will receive Marshall Plan aid, and this is acknowledging that the recovery of W. Germany is needed to contribute to the recovery of Europe as a whole

West German Republic- now sovereign with its own Chancellor
(Eastern part is German Democratic Republic)

division of Germany was never intended but it followed the Berlin Blockade

By the end of the 1950’s not only has west German achieved its pre-war economic records of GDP, but it has SURPASSED them

so there is a contrast to Europe b/c W. Germany is experiencing the "economic miracle" while East Germany is lagging behind

By late 1949 it looks like USSR is winning Cold War

China had just been lost to communism and now bomb

The earlier integrationist hope of EDC now run over, France clung to the ECSC as economic integration as a prelude to political integration

o Two purposes of ECSC:
• Gradual elimination of all legal restrictions on trade, capital movements, labor migration within community
• Establishing a common external tariff to protect member states from foreing competition during transitional stag leading to creation of genuine free trade zone

GB refused to sign wary that it would undermine their "Special relationship" with the US which enabled it to import cheap food and commodities

• The long range goal of political integration was facilitated by creating apparatus of political institutions as well (had a parliament and council of ministers)

wwas planting the seeds for late EU

o The “IDEA” OF EUROPE WAS ATTRACTIVE TO EUROPEAN WEARY OF OLD NATIONAL ANTAGONISMS AND KNOWLEDGE OF ADVANTAGES POLITOCAL UNITY WOULD BRING IN GLOBAL CONTEST FOR POWER, INFLEUNCE AND PROPENSITY

Brussels Pact Enlarged to include West Germany after France refused to sign European Defense Community

France's hesitation threatened the Atlantic Alliance and threatened to stall rearming West Germany - but under this they were given right to rearm as long as they did not manufacture atomic, biological or chemical weapons

European Defense Community Treaty Signed edit - goto - delete
idea of A SUPRANATIONAL MILITARY ORGANIZATION under supreme command of NATO
effectively led to German rearmament because before signing treaty, 3 western powers took measures to restore POLITICAL SOVEREINGTY TO THE WEST GERMAN REPUBLIC AND CONCLUDE THE MILITARY OCCUPATION

From the ashes fo the EDC emerged a reinvigorated Western Alliance system of which rearmed West Germany had become a member of equal basis

10 years after Nazi surrender, West Germany is rearmed

SU forms Warsaw Pact as direct response to inclusion in NATO

Emerged as a direct response to West Germany's rearmament and inclusion in the Brussels Pact -1954

Basically laid out that there was no winner in a nuclear war
Even if there was a “winner” there would be mass devastation
Says the old leninst and stalnist concept that war is inevitable between communism and capitalism must be amended

He insists that communism will ultimately end up victorious but not by force instead accept fact that there must be coexistence even if capitalism is doomed

Also expands on idea of Polycentrism
Idea that iniidual Communist parties throughout world were free to pursue separate paths independent of Moscow (Diplomatic relations with Tito's yugoslavia are even renewed)

exposed and condemned the crimes of the Stalin era - and denounced dictator

speech would not remain secret for long and it helped trigger anti-soviet sentiment in Poland and Hungary later in 1956 (especially since most of E.E leaders had been placed there by Stalin)

outbreak of social protest by workers looking for better economic conditions turns into nationwide expression fo resistnace to SU – POLISH OCTOBER

Wladyslaw Gomulka- symbol of nationalist Communism rejoined Polish Communist Party – signified advent of national communism in Poland

Krush saw that Gomulka's reinstatement to power could cause war between two Soviet neighbors, so he decided to back down when Gomulka reaffirmed loyalty to Soviet Bloc - allowed it to retain relative independence and dissuade Kremlin form using military force

New Hungarian Prime Minister (liberal Communist) Imre Nagy formed colition gov that included non communist elemnts

Then announced intention to conduct free elections that threatened to end monopolistic position of communist Party

Kremlin was willing to withdraw forces and it looked that , like Poland, Hungary would be granted relative independence, until Nagy caved to calls for genuine independence form SU and announced intention to withdraw form Warsaw Pact and declare neutrality.

The Soviets thought a neutral Hungary could collapse the buffer zone between East and West so on Nov SU returned to Hungary to set up puppet regime

Post-Stalinist gov considering domestic politics over int’l affairs during secession struggle of 1953-1957

Nikita Khrushchev obtained Title First Secretary of the Communist Party in June 1957 (top leadership post)

Death of Stalin caused emergence of public opinion and unstable domestic political environment as the people clamored to be free form Stalinist repression

• US had intervened in Korean War though the Un and the Chinese had intervened on N. Korea’s side
• Neither side gained any ground but they both refuse to agree to UN (read: AMerican) demands
• Hung up on repatriation of POW’s
• But after Staln’s death reach agreement and sign armistice- though war technically was not over because no peace treaty was singed

• Geneva talks began after the fall of Din Bien Phu with US hoping to reach settlement that preserved non-communist character of Indochina (with or without French presence)

• Ho Chi Minh about to achieve military victory against French and it seems to be a matter of time before Communists get hold of Vietnam
• Peace conference is held in Geneva where post-stalnist leadership pressures ally Ho Chi Minh to agree to a compromise
 Meant partition of a northern section and a southern section to then hold elections supervised by UN which would lead to unification

attempt to find a way to unify Vietnam and discuss the possibility of restoring peace in Indochina.
These agreements separated Vietnam into two zones, a northern zone to be governed by the Viet Minh, and a southern zone to be governed by the State of Vietnam

PArt of the "thaw" in EAst WEst relations because SOviet and Chinese delegates are the one trying to convince Ho to accept the temporary partition of VIetnam - they want to improve relations

First postwar conference with Soviet and US heads of State

Discussed open skies proposal and sharing blueprints of military installations
though eventually both sides ended up rejecting the idea, US wary of having no provisions for inspection and SU reluctant to showcase their secretive military planning

stipulated removal of all Allied and Soviet occupation from Austria
condition that Austria observe strict neutrality between 2 blocs

This was the top post in SU

Followed the secessionist struggle of 1953-1957

Liberal Capitalist Economic Order

Establishes the GATT and the IMF
promotes internnational trade, investment

CZ coup helped expedite creation of anti-soviet military alliance in Western Europe

signatories were Benelux, Britain and France - mutual consultation and cooperation in event of aggression

Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty

Dulles wanted this to be a NATO counterpart in Southeast Asia

but most embers were not even part of SE Asia and some countries that needed the most protection- Burma, LAos, Cambodia, were left out

tying to deter future communist aggression with Am
erican involvement

Vietminh = coalition of nationalist groups led by Communist party that spearheaded resistance to Japanese occupation

disaster for Turman administration hat head been supporting the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-Shek

Berlin Blockade was happening so officials determined Western Europe must be priority and it would not undertake ea military intervention

Mao winning Civil War ended possibility of Western hegemony in East Asia - filling power vacuum left by Japan

o Under Gen. Macarthur, US undertook military occupation of Japan and allowed allies (British, French, Dutch) to return to their posts of colonial authority
• Allies either rasserted their authorit OR granted independence BUT TO SUCCESSOR REGIMES CONTORLLED BY NON-COMMUNIST PRO-WESTERN ELITES
• Either way, East Asia was under Western control, UNTL CHINA CAME ALONG

China was then as counterpart to satellite Soviet empire in Eastern Europe - US officials ignoring that Chinese Communism was INDIGENOUS with minimal ties to the SU
Relationship between China and SU was originally strained because Stalin was trying to play off the Communist and Nationalist forces in order to avoid a unified China (did not want an independent competing force that was a legitimate threat - 3x the population )

Ideological differences between Mao Communism and Stalin Communism
Mao depended on the peasantry for revolution (China was pre-industrial), whereas Lenin largely dismissed the peasantry and relied on the working class for revolution

After Japanese surrender, declared independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, establishing capital in Hanoi
but GB, accepting Japanese surrender rin souther portion of Vietnam allowed Frnech forces to return

Ho tried to negotiate indeendece but France was unwilling to relinquish sovereignty. Escalated into full fledged war of national liberation where Vietminh took to the countryside in guerilla warfare

Communist victory in China 1949 left impression of a coordinated Communist advance in Asia all under Moscow’s power (conspiracy) (and Vietnam shares a border with China )

In the 1940's Roosevelt had originally opposed the restoration of French colonial power, but once Ho was Recognized by both Moscow and Beijing Truman backed the French and recognized their puppet regime in Indochina- US also end up paying for 80% of French effort

In Washingotn's mind this is not a colonial war, this is a part of the Cold War because they think Vietnma will ultimately end up being the puppet of Russia just as China will and Communism will become dominant in Asia

Temporary partition at Geneva 1954

Truman reversed stern policy on Japan when he saw that a military weak Japan was vulnerable to Soviet interference when US withdrew

1948-1949 : sought to remove restrictions on economic recovery to give financial assistance to promote growth and social stability

Korean War helped advance Japan from enemy to prosperous ally by demonstrating its value as a counterweight to Soviet and Communist Chinese power

During Korean war, US also resumed aid to Taiwan- what they officially recognized as Republic of China

They kept UN seat reserved for Nationalist gov . Eisenhower signed mutual defense treaty and forbade trade with mainland china. The land that had once been a source of American markets and missionaries was now gone from public consciousness

sought to explain the events in China and to justify approach

1950 Nationalist forces are driven off the Mainland and they flee to Taiwan/Formosa but Truman cuts off all aid under charges of corruption, which means that US WILL DO NOTHING to prevent new regime on the mainland

Mao inherited a ruined economy that needed abroad aid to recover

Once it becomes clear the tMao is the victor, stalin extends offer of economic assistance and military protection in exchange for naval and economic privileges and assurance of a friendly border nation.

Tensions between Beijing and Moscow were strained because Stalin knew they did not intend to be a puppet regime and Moscow had maintained ties with Nationalist government before

Ways in which postwar Korea resembled Germany:
o Temporary partition into Sovet and American zone
• Failure to reach agreement on reunification
 Established gov in respective zones that claimed sovereignty over entire country

North- KIM IL SUNG
South- SYNGHAM RHEE

Two superpowers left Korea much easier than they did Germany but they left it in boiling political instability
Two separate governments – each armed and supplied by the two main powers in cold War, each claiming authority over all territory

June 25, N Korea attack the South, thinking it will be a quick war to unify the country, especially since they are not anticipating US intervention judging after Acheson's speech excluding S Korea form Asian Perimeter of Defense.

UN Security Council was able to adopt America sponsored resolution (because SU was boycotting and not able to veto) that required member states to PROVIDE S. KOREA WITH AID TO REPEAL AGRESSOR

This justified US sending troops stationed in Japan over to help a South Korean army that was collapsing- under Gen. Macarthur

US intervention came because Truman saw it as a test of Western resolve (just like in Europe that had prompted containment)

Stalin had also given Sung the green light to attack because he thought it would be a quick and decisive vicotory over a weak Korea Did not expect US to intervene because of Secretary of State’s Dean Acheson speech that explicitly excluded South Korea from America’s “military defense perimeter” in Far East

McArthur pushed back past the 38th parallel but China fulfilled threat of becoming involved

Stalemate: choose to continue prolonged ground war or bomb China but then risk world war (China’s mutual defense alliance with Soviet Union)

2 YEARS LATER: ARMISTICE
provided for a demilitarized zone along frontier

• KOREAN WAR SERVED AS A CATALYST FOR REARMAMENT AND REMOBILIZATION IN WESTERN EUROPE
• AGAINS SHOWD US COMMITMEN AGAINST COMMUNISM – INTERVENED TO SUPPORT JUST AS IT HAD IN EUROPE

IN EUROPE:
Korean war also prompted the question of West German rearmament because it contained major industrial power nd was a valuable economic asset

the solution was proposed by France- Schuman Plan
seeds of economic integration that would flourish during later 1950's - started to a boyish trade obstacle
• THOUGHT THAT BY EMMESHING GERMANY IN WEB OF EUROPEAN EOCNOMIC INTEGRATION IT WOULD REMOVE INCENTIVE AND OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE WAR

BEijing had always been unhappy with the strings attached to Soviet aid about complete subservience to Moscow

Growing ideological dispute between Moscow and Beijing furing 1950’s - Mao was convinced of the inevitability of war with the capitalist powers while - Krush was fearful of the consequences of a nuclear exchange and was pursuing peaceful coexistence

Beijing growing suspociuos that Moscow was attempting to maintain peaceful coexistence with West at China’s expense

Deterioration of relations emphasized by
Bay of Pigs (China critical about Soviet's withdrawal)
Indio-Sino Hostilities (China bitter than SU was aiding its enemy as it tried to gain a foothold with the non aligned countries)

SINO SOVIET QUARREL GAVE US A RARE OPPRTUNITY TO PLAY FF THE TWO RIVALS AND EXPLOIT DIVISIONS IN COMMUNIST BLOC

INSTEAD THEY WENT AND FUCKED UP AND BECAME INCOCLED IN AISAN MILTARY OPERATION THAT REUINTED THE COMMUNIST WORLD AGAINST THEM

The British were one the the three blocks hindering NAsser's dream of Pan-Arabism

British will evacuate military base and the canal zone
Egypt guarantees freedom of navigation in the waterway and will allow GB to intervene if canal zone is ever under attack

Israel fighting multi-front war against Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt

Disunity of attacker states leads Israel to be enlarged after military gains

Also begins Palestinian exodus- Over 50% of the Arab population of the territory of the new Jewish state flee in 1948-1949

This comes after decades of Jewish people trying to find a home

Britain a quires mandate of Palestine after Ottoman Empire disintegrates following WWI

1917- Balfour Declaration - vague promise of a "home" rather than homeland or state- immigration begins to Palestine

1937- Peel Commission (idea to partition into two states)

1939- White Paper (idea to keep one state with limited jewish immigration)

1948- British withdraw and hostilities begin immediately in the region - Israel is surrounded on all side by hostile forces

US, GB and World Bank agree to help finance Nasser's project of the Aswan Dam that would serve as irrigation and hydro-electric power

In its competition with the USSR, the Eisenhower administration is looking to foster relationships

Bu late rin 1956 they back down from their original deal because ISrael has been growing ties with communist bloc and because of his strong anti-Israel position (a definite US ally)
Nasser recognizes Mao's China - instead of the Nationalist Taiwanese government US is currently recognizing as he head of China
Nasser signs arms deal with CZ
Nasser sees ISrael as major hindrance to his pan-arab dream

Nasser leads Egyptian Revolution of 1952 which overthrows the monarchy- now he is intent on developing Egypt into a modern state

He has to main goals
short term:promotion of crash program of economic and military development to replace outgoing Anglo-French power

long term: promotion of Pan-Arabism and a united Arab people's under his own rule

3 main political forces the thundered his rule:
British
French
Nasser funded the insurgents that were fighting against the "French Algerians" that were keeping the Arab major ity disenfranchised in the civil war, GIVING HIM PRESTIGE AS THE CHAMPION OF ARAB LIBERATION FROM COLONIAL RULE
Israel
o Proponenets of Pan Arabism saw a state dominated by people of European descent in the hear of the arab world that signified return to colonial past and stood in the way of Arab unity

Nasser learned how to play off both superpowers against each other for his own benefit to Egypt

US withdraws previously promised aid to Egypt’s Aswan Dam because f his dependence on military assistance from USSR and because of his anti-Israel sentiment

6 days later he announced he would nationalize the Canal and use the revenue to towards the costs of building the Dam
(the bulk of European trade and Middle Eastern oil shipments passed through Canal)

GB PM (Anthony Eden) sought to topple Nasser by force and without consulting US first went to Paris and Tel Aviv officials to team up

October 29- Israeli army attacks Egypt

October 31

British and French troops land in Suez under pretense of separating the Israeli and Egypt armies and to protect the canal for int’l clients
Real intentions:
Britain
• Replace Nasser regime with someone who would not intervene with BRtisih interests
France
• Retain colonial authority in Algeria and stop Nasser form suppoting insurgents
Israel
• Find security along its western frontier

Eisenhower (running for reelection on basis of peace) is resentful that the powers did not consult him and that they acted despite his insistence on not interfering – he did not want to be seen as a enabler of imperialism

Through economic and political diplomatic pressure, he pressured the stats to reateat, dealing an embarrassing low to the Alliance and ultimately reverting their original goal- instead of toppling Nsser or leaving him weak, the Suez events seemed like a victory for him and his prestige as an Arab liberator grew

Other Long Range Consequences of Suez:

o End of Anglo-French pretensions of imperial rule
o Undermined political cohesion of the Atlantic alliance b/c it was now apparent Europeans ahd to follow foreing policy with Washignton’s blessing
o Bolstered prestige of Nasser in the Arab world and solidified his reputation as spokesman for DEVELOPING NATIONS IN HEIR STRUGGLE TO ERADICATE WHAT WAS LEFT OF COLONIALISM
o SU acquired reputation as champion of Arab aspirations at the expense of Western Powers and Israel

LED TO EISENHOWER DOCTRINE

Under the monarchy of Iraq, it was the most pro-British state in the Middle East but July 1958 coup killed the King and the entire royal family

Leader of the military revolt - Abdul Karim Kassem- is going to be seen as the Nasser of Iraq

Western powers worry about whether he will align with Nasser and the spread of Nasserism

Sergeant Fulgencio Batista governed wither directly or through subordinates and he represented the interests of the oligarchy that rule the sugar plantations

Under Batista, US have retained the right to intervene in Cuba and the base in Guantanamo Bay

But near the end of his rule, US-Cuban alliance is becoming embarrassing due to his blatant corruption and dictatorship rule -and alliance with a pro-democracy county

So US initially have warm response to Castro, because win the beginning he had no evidence that he was motivated by Marxism or any Communist links until he meets Che Guevara in 1955, who by now is strongly indoctrinated into MArxism - (especially after witnessing the CIA sponsored coup of Jacobo Arbenz Guzman in Guatemala 1954)

During the course of WWII, and due to the common enemy of Germany, LA aligns itself closely with the US, a departure from its previous efforts to achieve independence and deny the right of the US to intervene

LA also provided a lot of strategic raw materials that contribute dot the war effort for the US

Jorge Ubico is ousted by a military coup of junior officers that are popular with the people because they pledge to diffuse the system that benefits the oligarchy and dismisses the poor

Not much attention being paid because eat this time, D-Day landings in Europe and the war is reaching an end

All LA states convene (without US) to forge a treaty of regional security to repel against aggression to a LAtin AMerican state either form external powers or from another LA state - InterAmerican Reciprocal Assistance and Solidarity Act

Institues mild social reforms and a progressive constitution, but the bulk of chance happens with his successor, Jacobo Arbenz Guzman

Solidifies the agreements made at Chapultepec with the Rio Pact and makes them more specific - concludes with a mututal security pact

this pact is significant because it is the first one made under Article 51 after the creation of the UN

sort of contradictory to make a regional security pact with the formation of the UN, but article 51 provides a clause that allows countries in a particular region to sign exclusive understandings bypassing the UN

The creation of the Rio Pact is going to lay the groundwork for the forthcoming regional security organizations like NATO, SEATO, Warsaw Pact etc

Institutionalizes the regional security pact at Rio that includes all 21 LA republics

Guzman is going to instate radical changes, especially concerning the redistribution of land

1951 will institute land reform act that wil l allow government to expropriate land and distribute to the peasantry

opposition is raised by two main groups:
the small land owning elite
and the United Fruit Company of Boston who has investments in Guatemala- they have constructed the ports and railroads that allow them to cultivate and ship bananas

Jacobo Arebenz Guzman expropriates uncultivated land and will reimburse the landowners based not its taxable worth

Except that a lot of landowners including the United Fruit Company of Boston have under declared the value of their land in order to pay less taxes, and therefore they get reimbursed for less the what their land is actually worth

1953- United Fruit Company of Boston pressures the US to complain to Arbenz that the land was undervalued

This encourages Dulles to look at the Guatemala case and declares that Guatemala is an agent of the Soviet Union (land distribution is socialism)

Washignotn selects Colonel Castillo Armas to lead a rebel army trained and equipped by the Cia form Nicaragua into guatemala and lead the coup to overthrow Jacobo Arbenz Guzman

Castillo Armas takes power and Arbenz is exiled- Civil liberties are now curtailed, Arbenz supporters are arrested and lands are restored to the United Fruit Company

This resumes rampant Anti-US sentiment, evident by the respond to Nizon's Goodwill Tour in 1958

Also influences young revolutionary Che Guevara who will later play an integral part in influencing Castro in Cuba

Arbenz Guzman becomes wary that US and Nicaragua wants to overthrow him so he branches out to USSR to ask for arms and is granted them by CZ

When arm shipments arrive, US points to this as evidence to Organization of American States

When the OAS doesn't take any real action, the US decide to take matters into their own hands and plan to oust Jacobo Arbenz Guzman through covert operations

US-Cuba relation deteriorate between 1958-1959

Castro takes steps to nationalize land, just as Arbenz did in Guatemala 1952

this includes billions of dollars worth of land, including many US business and properties

Eisenhower is about to depart from office but he retaliates with economic sanctions and embargo

So US are now going to ensure tense relationships with a country that had historically ben subservient to the US and had been the one most politically,economically and militarily linked to it

In 1960, Cuba will become even more f a threat as they establishh close relations with Moscow - USSR seizes chance to expand in Western Hemisphere. Russia purchases part of sugar production that US had given up and provide low interest loans along with arms

Shows that economic sanctions were doomed to fail