Factor Kanban:
Note
Previous Chapter:
- Event that symbolised how the US + USSR → had successfully worked together to defeat a common enemy → Germany → was Elbe Day
- 25th April 1945 → US Army patrol → moved into Torgau → Small German town near Berlin on banks of River Elbe
- By then → Germany → close to defeat in WWII
- US commander → became aware that there were soviet troops on other side of river.
- Grabbed US Flag and waved it at them → they also realised that there were American Allies
- 2 forces met halfway on damaged bridge across River Elbe + exchanged handshakes + gifts.
- Newspapers + Radio Networks of allies -⇒ spread news of event + featured camaraderie between US and USSR far and wide
Impact of WWII on Europe
Early Tensions Between US and USSR
Early Tensions Between US and USSR
Wartime Alliance Breaks Down; Yalta and Potsdam
Wartime Alliance Breaks Down; Yalta and Potsdam
Superpower Rivalry Intensifies; Development of Cold War, 1947-1955
Superpower Rivalry Intensifies; Development of Cold War, 1947-1955
Berlin Blockade
Continuing Tensions, 1949-1955
Continuing Tensions, 1949-1955
Conclusion
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Events of 1947-1955 → showed that bi- polarity had emerged as the post war order.
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Behaviours of US and USSR → showed → that 2 sides found it hard → to see eye to eye → on any issue as they did not trust each other.
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Neither could accept that the other had a valid case or was acting responsibly or morally.
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Such was the case → when USSRE exerted control over Eastern European countries.
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Each side → also formed alliances → for their own security, while arguing that any alliances formed by other side were aggressive and threatening
- we have seen this in creation of Warsaw Pact and NATO
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at same time → seemed that neither US nor USSR → really wanted to go to war with each other
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were prepared to stir up trouble, criticise and support each other’s enemies, but they usually found a way to avoid outright war
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major reason → was that both sides now had nuclear weapons → and such war would destroy world
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However superpowers did not get involved in major clashes → which took the world to edge of war
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got involved in what some considered → proxy wars → where they supported different sides in conflict but did not directly fight each other.