AQA GCSE History: Conflicts and Tension Between East and West

Introduction

• Lecture focuses on the conflicts and tensions between the USA (capitalism) and USSR (communism) post-World War II.
• Importance of understanding gaps in knowledge for exam preparation.

Post-World War II Global Dynamics

• WWII ended in 1945, leading to two superpowers: USA and USSR.
• USA had nuclear capabilities, capitalist ideology; USSR had communist ideology.

Ideologies

• Capitalism (USA, Western Europe):
  • Individual liberty, human rights, democracy.
  • Free markets, private business, inequality in earnings.
• Communism (USSR, Eastern Europe):
  • State ownership, equality, advanced living standards.
  • No private business, single-party rule.

Key Conferences in 1945

• Yalta Conference: Shaped post-war Europe.
• Potsdam Conference: Division of Germany into four zones (USA, USSR, UK, France).

Foreign Policies

• USA:
  • Prevent Soviet expansion.
  • Develop alliances with Western Europe.
  • Establish itself as global hegemon (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan).
• USSR Reaction:
  • Establish Comic-Con, Cominform as countermeasures.

Major Events and Crises

Berlin Blockade (1948-1949)

• Berlin divided; Soviet blockade led to US and UK airlift.
• First major Cold War conflict; Soviet Union's foreign policy defeat.

Chinese Communist Revolution

• Mao Zedong established communist China.
• Spread of communism led to US's Domino Theory concerns.

Korean War

• Division of Korea into North (communist) and South (capitalist).
• UN intervention; resulted in stalemate.

Vietnam Conflict

• Vietnam divided; US intervened in support of South Vietnam.
• Ended with Vietnam becoming a unified communist state.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

• Soviet missiles in Cuba, US naval blockade.
• High tension resolved diplomatically; highlighted risks of nuclear war.

Arms Race and Space Race

• Development of nuclear weapons led to Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).
• Space race symbolized by US moon landing in 1969.

Defensive Alliances

• NATO: US and Western European alliance.
• Warsaw Pact: USSR and Eastern European alliance.

Notable Uprisings and Revolts

• Hungarian Revolution (1956): Initial USSR willingness to negotiate, followed by brutal crackdown.
• Berlin Wall (1961): Symbol of divided Berlin and Cold War.
• Prague Spring (1968): Reformist movement in Czechoslovakia, ended by Soviet invasion.

Détente Period (1969-1974)

• Thawing of US-Soviet relations; Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I).
• Ended by Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

Conclusion

• Understanding of Cold War dynamics crucial for exams.
• Reflection on the potential for nuclear disaster and the cost of the arms race.