Ideological Divide and the Atomic Age

The post-war period saw a deepening ideological divide between the capitalist West and the communist East, exacerbated by the development of atomic weapons.

Ideological differences:

• The USA and Britain viewed communism as oppressive, while the USSR saw capitalism as exploitative
• These conflicting worldviews fueled mutual distrust and shaped foreign policies

Definition: Buffer Zone - A region between two potentially hostile powers, intended to minimize the risk of conflict.

The atomic bomb and its consequences:

• The US use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 killed over 200,000 people
• Truman's lack of transparency about the bomb increased Stalin's suspicion
• The Soviet Union accelerated its own nuclear program, testing its first atomic bomb in 1949

Highlight: The development of nuclear weapons led to the arms race, a key feature of the Cold War era.

Diplomatic tensions:

• The Long Telegram (February 1946) by George Kennan warned of Soviet expansionism and led to the US policy of containment
• The Novikov Telegram (September 1946) cautioned Stalin about US ambitions for world domination

These communications deepened mistrust and contributed to the breakdown of the wartime Grand Alliance.

Soviet Expansion and the Iron Curtain

The Soviet Union's post-war expansion into Eastern Europe created a bloc of satellite states, which served as a buffer zone against potential Western aggression.

Soviet control methods:

• Manipulating elections
• Intimidating voters
• Supporting communist coups
• Establishing one-party states

Example: In Czechoslovakia, Stalin supported a communist coup in 1948, leading to a pro-Soviet government under Klement Gottwald.

Countries affected:

• Poland
• Romania
• East Germany
• Albania
• Czechoslovakia
• Hungary

This expansion confirmed the division between East and West, with the US viewing it as a violation of the Yalta agreement for free elections.

Quote: Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech (March 1946) - "An iron curtain has descended across the continent."

This speech condemned Soviet expansion and highlighted the growing divide between the Eastern and Western blocs, setting the tone for the Cold War era.