HL HISTORY PP2: Impact of 2 Cold War Crises on the Course of the Cold War:
North Korean invasion of South Korea 1st Berlin Crisis (1948 – 1949)
Superpower tensions increase in intensity – results in globalisaton of the Cold Increased hostlity amongst superpowers – began to interpret the other
War side’s actons in a very hostle manner
The outbreak of the Korean War was the closest experience the USA and the This was the frst tme since 1945 that war had become a possibility – and
USSR had to fghtng each other. the blockade had a signifcant impact on the development of the Cold
War. It was now clear that any agreement between the two sides would
The invasion convinced the Americans that the Communist world (Soviets and be difficult, if not impossible.
the Chinese) were working in concert towards world dominaton. Although this
was proven to be wrong, they saw the invasion to be one that was US Perspectiee
orchestrated by Stalin himself. This motvated the US to contnue with its The crisis had shown the USA that Stalin was not willing to back down and
policy of containment and to increase eforts to contain it AROUND the world, was willing to defend the USSR’s borders. It also showed that the USSR
especially in Asia, as containment up tll then had failed in Asia. cannot be trusted and that increased America’s hostlity towards the
USSR. From then on, the USSR’s actons to expand/intervene in any
Eforts: liberaton movements around the globe were seen to be an atempt for
- Intervened in First and Second Taiwan Straits Crisis (1954/1958) by him to increase his sphere of infuence, increasing the need for all
sending in gun boats and artllery to assist the GMD in the Republic of capitalist countries (on the American sphere of infuence) to unite and
China. contain Communism altogether.
- West Germany was re-armed (1955)
- Gives $216 million in aid to South Vietnam (1955) so that SV can - North Atlantc Treaty Organisaton formed (1949) – pledged that if
maintain their democratc government any of the member natons were to be atacked by the
- Explodes their frst airborne hydrogen bomb (1956) Communists, others will join in the efort to defeat them
- Eisenhower Doctrine (1957) – pledges to send aid to Middle Eastern - Policy of Containment was maintained, and even extended to
countries if needed, and the Domino Theory developed (strengthening other areas of concern (hint: Korea)
for the need for containment) - Marshall Plan also maintained – extended to West Germany which
was given aid afer its formaton (has links to the 2nd Berlin Crisis)
This added on to the misunderstandings that the USA and the USSR shared - Reverse Course conducted in Japan which was under US
ever since the start of the Cold War – Stalin felt wronged as Kim Il Sung was occupaton – knew that the USSR was close to Japan and therefore
responsible for the invasion, not himself. This motvated him to pursue plans posed a greater risk
to rival the capitalist world and to secure its control in the union.
USSR’s Perspectiee
Eforts: The crisis revealed (to Stalin) that the Western powers are a threat bigger
1
, HL HISTORY PP2: Impact of 2 Cold War Crises on the Course of the Cold War:
- Warsaw Pact (1955) signed – rivals and poses a threat to NATO (the than he previously thought. The Western powers were now a big threat as
USSR’s equivalent of NATO) they were seen to be alienatng the USSR by joining forces against them
- Forceful shut down of the Hungarian Uprising in Hungary (1956) (creatng Bizonia/Trizonia). This increased the need for Stalin to counter
- Launching of Sputnik 1 and 2 – satellites that orbit around the world US threats and to ensure the safety of his country.
Such provocatve actons against one another culminated in a series of further - COMECON (1949) established to unite all Soviet economies
confrontatons – in the 2nd Berlin Crisis and in the Cuban Missile Crisis, showing together and to prevent them from being swayed by the Marshall
how the invasion of North Korea into South Korea caused superpower tensions Plan
to increase in intensity. - Warsaw Pact (1955) signed later as a Soviet equivalent to NATO
- Established relatons with newly created Communist China, Treaty
of Friendship (1950)
- Creaton of East Germany and its inclusion in COMECON/Warsaw
Pact
Quickened the pace of the nuclear arms race, increasing the threat of nuclear Increased the threat of nuclear war, started the nuclear arms race:
war:
Now that the Cold War had been turned into a “Hot war” following the
Both superpowers felt the need to contnue building up their nuclear arsenal – crisis with superpower tensions at an all-tme-high, it became a necessity
a byproduct of increased tensions between the Soviets and the Americans to demonstrate one’s power to the other and to protect themselves
afer the Korean invasion. The Americans, having witnessed the Communist through the development of nuclear weapons.
world show of a united front in the face of their nemesis, felt the need to
create more weapons and to place them in diferent countries where they felt USSRe
would need protecton from possible Soviet aggression. The Soviets, having The crisis had confrmed Stalin’s suspicion that the US had the intenton to
witnessed the readiness of the Americans to help the South counter the annihilate the USSR afer demonstratng their nuclear might during the
North’s invasion (and to contain Communism), felt a similar need to build up atomic bombing of Japan in 1945 and the alienaton of the USSR by the
its nuclear arsenal to protect itself from the growing threat of capitalism. Western powers in the crisis itself.
USAe - The Soiiets successfully tested their frst nuclear device, called
- “Atoms for Peace Programme” (1954) by President Eisenhower opened RDS-1 or "First Lightning" (codenamed "Joe-1" by the United
up nuclear research to civilians and countries that had not previously States), at Semipalatnsk on August 29, 1949.
possessed nuclear technology. - RDS-2 in September 1951
- During Eisenhower's tme in office the nuclear holdings of the US rose - RDS – 3 in October 1951
from 1,005 to 20,000 weapons
2
North Korean invasion of South Korea 1st Berlin Crisis (1948 – 1949)
Superpower tensions increase in intensity – results in globalisaton of the Cold Increased hostlity amongst superpowers – began to interpret the other
War side’s actons in a very hostle manner
The outbreak of the Korean War was the closest experience the USA and the This was the frst tme since 1945 that war had become a possibility – and
USSR had to fghtng each other. the blockade had a signifcant impact on the development of the Cold
War. It was now clear that any agreement between the two sides would
The invasion convinced the Americans that the Communist world (Soviets and be difficult, if not impossible.
the Chinese) were working in concert towards world dominaton. Although this
was proven to be wrong, they saw the invasion to be one that was US Perspectiee
orchestrated by Stalin himself. This motvated the US to contnue with its The crisis had shown the USA that Stalin was not willing to back down and
policy of containment and to increase eforts to contain it AROUND the world, was willing to defend the USSR’s borders. It also showed that the USSR
especially in Asia, as containment up tll then had failed in Asia. cannot be trusted and that increased America’s hostlity towards the
USSR. From then on, the USSR’s actons to expand/intervene in any
Eforts: liberaton movements around the globe were seen to be an atempt for
- Intervened in First and Second Taiwan Straits Crisis (1954/1958) by him to increase his sphere of infuence, increasing the need for all
sending in gun boats and artllery to assist the GMD in the Republic of capitalist countries (on the American sphere of infuence) to unite and
China. contain Communism altogether.
- West Germany was re-armed (1955)
- Gives $216 million in aid to South Vietnam (1955) so that SV can - North Atlantc Treaty Organisaton formed (1949) – pledged that if
maintain their democratc government any of the member natons were to be atacked by the
- Explodes their frst airborne hydrogen bomb (1956) Communists, others will join in the efort to defeat them
- Eisenhower Doctrine (1957) – pledges to send aid to Middle Eastern - Policy of Containment was maintained, and even extended to
countries if needed, and the Domino Theory developed (strengthening other areas of concern (hint: Korea)
for the need for containment) - Marshall Plan also maintained – extended to West Germany which
was given aid afer its formaton (has links to the 2nd Berlin Crisis)
This added on to the misunderstandings that the USA and the USSR shared - Reverse Course conducted in Japan which was under US
ever since the start of the Cold War – Stalin felt wronged as Kim Il Sung was occupaton – knew that the USSR was close to Japan and therefore
responsible for the invasion, not himself. This motvated him to pursue plans posed a greater risk
to rival the capitalist world and to secure its control in the union.
USSR’s Perspectiee
Eforts: The crisis revealed (to Stalin) that the Western powers are a threat bigger
1
, HL HISTORY PP2: Impact of 2 Cold War Crises on the Course of the Cold War:
- Warsaw Pact (1955) signed – rivals and poses a threat to NATO (the than he previously thought. The Western powers were now a big threat as
USSR’s equivalent of NATO) they were seen to be alienatng the USSR by joining forces against them
- Forceful shut down of the Hungarian Uprising in Hungary (1956) (creatng Bizonia/Trizonia). This increased the need for Stalin to counter
- Launching of Sputnik 1 and 2 – satellites that orbit around the world US threats and to ensure the safety of his country.
Such provocatve actons against one another culminated in a series of further - COMECON (1949) established to unite all Soviet economies
confrontatons – in the 2nd Berlin Crisis and in the Cuban Missile Crisis, showing together and to prevent them from being swayed by the Marshall
how the invasion of North Korea into South Korea caused superpower tensions Plan
to increase in intensity. - Warsaw Pact (1955) signed later as a Soviet equivalent to NATO
- Established relatons with newly created Communist China, Treaty
of Friendship (1950)
- Creaton of East Germany and its inclusion in COMECON/Warsaw
Pact
Quickened the pace of the nuclear arms race, increasing the threat of nuclear Increased the threat of nuclear war, started the nuclear arms race:
war:
Now that the Cold War had been turned into a “Hot war” following the
Both superpowers felt the need to contnue building up their nuclear arsenal – crisis with superpower tensions at an all-tme-high, it became a necessity
a byproduct of increased tensions between the Soviets and the Americans to demonstrate one’s power to the other and to protect themselves
afer the Korean invasion. The Americans, having witnessed the Communist through the development of nuclear weapons.
world show of a united front in the face of their nemesis, felt the need to
create more weapons and to place them in diferent countries where they felt USSRe
would need protecton from possible Soviet aggression. The Soviets, having The crisis had confrmed Stalin’s suspicion that the US had the intenton to
witnessed the readiness of the Americans to help the South counter the annihilate the USSR afer demonstratng their nuclear might during the
North’s invasion (and to contain Communism), felt a similar need to build up atomic bombing of Japan in 1945 and the alienaton of the USSR by the
its nuclear arsenal to protect itself from the growing threat of capitalism. Western powers in the crisis itself.
USAe - The Soiiets successfully tested their frst nuclear device, called
- “Atoms for Peace Programme” (1954) by President Eisenhower opened RDS-1 or "First Lightning" (codenamed "Joe-1" by the United
up nuclear research to civilians and countries that had not previously States), at Semipalatnsk on August 29, 1949.
possessed nuclear technology. - RDS-2 in September 1951
- During Eisenhower's tme in office the nuclear holdings of the US rose - RDS – 3 in October 1951
from 1,005 to 20,000 weapons
2
