The Early Cold War: Soviet Control and Western Response

The Soviet Union systematically established control over Eastern Europe following World War II through calculated methods of intimidation and political manipulation. In Poland, the Soviets allowed Polish resistance fighters to be eliminated by German forces before driving the Germans out. While promising free elections, they instead arrested non-communist politicians and installed a communist government through force.

The Hungarian Revolution emerged as a critical flashpoint when the Soviets installed Mátyás Rákosi as communist dictator through coercion and voter intimidation. Similarly in Czechoslovakia, Stalin orchestrated the overthrow of democratic leader Edvard Beneš in 1948, replacing him with a communist regime loyal to Moscow.

Definition: The Truman Doctrine, announced in March 1947, pledged $400 million in American aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent communist takeover. This established the US policy of "containment" to stop communism's spread.

The Marshall Plan followed in June 1947 as America's economic strategy, providing $12.7 billion in aid to rebuild Western Europe. Stalin viewed this as "dollar imperialism" - an American attempt to gain economic control and divide Europe. In response, the Soviets created Cominform in 1947 to coordinate communist parties and Comecon in 1949 to provide economic integration of Eastern bloc nations.

The Hungarian Crisis and Its Aftermath

The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 became a pivotal moment when protesters demanded better living conditions and democratic reforms. While Khrushchev initially allowed some changes under Imre Nagy's leadership, Hungary's attempt to leave the Warsaw Pact triggered a brutal Soviet military response that killed 20,000 Hungarians.

Example: The West's non-intervention in Hungary revealed the limits of American containment policy - they would resist communist expansion but not directly challenge Soviet control within the Eastern bloc.

The crisis strengthened Soviet authority over its satellite states while exposing the constraints on Western power. Warsaw Pact members now understood they could not count on Western military support if they rebelled against Moscow. This emboldened Khrushchev in his dealings with the US, as American unwillingness to risk nuclear war over Eastern Europe became clear.

The Cuban Missile Crisis and Revolutionary Cuba

The Cuban Revolution of 1959 dramatically altered the Cold War Timeline main events, bringing Cold War tensions directly to America's doorstep. Under Fidel Castro's leadership, Cuba transformed from a US-aligned nation to a Soviet ally, creating a communist stronghold just 145 kilometers from Miami.

Highlight: Castro's revolution targeted American economic dominance in Cuba, where US companies controlled major infrastructure including oil refineries, railways, electricity, and telecommunications networks.

The situation escalated rapidly through 1960-1961. Castro's economic agreement with Khrushchev included both overt trade deals and secret military arrangements, prompting increasingly severe US responses. President Eisenhower's administration progressively restricted trade with Cuba, culminating in a complete diplomatic break by January 1961.

The crisis deepened with the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, when President Kennedy authorized a CIA-planned operation to overthrow Castro's regime. This failed intervention would have far-reaching consequences, influencing Soviet decisions to place nuclear missiles in Cuba and setting the stage for the most dangerous confrontation of the Cold War Timeline GCSE AQA.