Lessons from the Cold War, What have we learned about the Cold War since it ended?

Transcription

1 Lessons from the Cold War, Professor Andrea Chandler Learning in Retirement/April-May 2018 Lecture 2: The Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact LIR/Chandler/Cold War 1 What have we learned about the Cold War since it ended? 1) Role of framing, discourse, mistrust 2) Role of non-superpowers: France, West Germany, Canada 3) Insight into crises 4) The Soviet bloc s weaknesses 5) Insight into current topics: fake news, doping, weaknesses of UN LIR/Chandler/Cold War 2 Aspects of the Cold War (1) Ideological Competition MARXISM-LENINISM Economic development based on socialism One-party state socialism World revolution, overthrow of capitalism as future Social rights equality of income distribution, state subsidies for food and housing, full employment LIR/Chandler/Cold War 3 1

2 The Soviet leadership, : some historical background Bolshevik (Communist party): led by V.I. Lenin but the party included other charismatic leaders: Leon Trotsky, Nikolai Bukharin The use of force was always part of the Soviet system: Red Army formed by Trotsky, prevailed in Civil War, Secret police Cheka NKVD KGB However, in Soviet Union s early years significant debates over policy. LIR/Chandler/Cold War 4 Up to 1930s, the Soviet Union was authoritarian.. Repression of opposition during Civil War and throughout 1920s Nationalization/appropriation of Church property, land, large businesses Elimination of opposition political parties Increased disenfranchisement of the wealthy, former nobility, bourgeoisie LIR/Chandler/Cold War 5 Until 1930s the Soviet Union was authoritarian. But it was not monolithic. Significant debates/policy swings occurred within the leadership over 1) Federalism and ethnic self-determination vs. centralization 2) The New Economic Policy small-scale cooperative enterprises and private farms 3) Economic priorities industrial development, social improvement 4) The outside world: should the Soviet Union look outward, engage with other countries or turn inward LIR/Chandler/Cold War 6 2

3 Joseph Stalin, Scholars debate whether he was a sharp departure from Lenin, or a continuation of Lenin s policies. Under Stalin, policies took a sharp and pronounced direction: The centrally planned economy The collectivization of agriculture The prioritization of heavy industry Autarky socialism in one country LIR/Chandler/Cold War 7 Stalin s repressions: The collectivization of agriculture The deportation of kulaks The Holodomyr in Ukraine The gulag system of labour camps The closure of borders and the creation of border zones The Great Terror of the late 1930s LIR/Chandler/Cold War 8 A very good recent book compares Stalin repressions to those of Nazi Germany: Timothy Snyder, Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin. New York: Basic Books, Snyder argues that both systems used repression on a large scale, but they used it differently. LIR/Chandler/Cold War 9 3

4 World War II demonstrated that the Soviet Union could be an ally against Nazi Germany. USSR was invaded by Nazi Germany in June 1941, and entered the war on the side of the Allies The Soviet Union suffered very heavy losses of population and property on the war s Eastern front USSR s contribution to ending the war: size of Red Army, ability to relocate industry to the interior Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill had a series of meetings to discuss the postwar order at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam LIR/Chandler/Cold War 10. But was Stalin a reliable ally? The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, The occupation of Eastern Europe: concerns arose over the Red Army s treatment of civilians A good book on this subject: Catherine Merridale, Ivan s War: Life and Death in the Red Army, New York: Picador, LIR/Chandler/Cold War 11 Between , Allies became concerned over USSR s behaviour The occupation of East European states was accompanied by revolutions that created one-party socialist states led by Stalinist leaders instead of open elections Nationalizations and expropriations of property Resumption of political repression and terror in the Soviet Union USSR s position on prisoners of war LIR/Chandler/Cold War 12 4

5 What concerns did the Soviet Union have about Europe? A fear that fascism/nazis could revive and return to power Particular fears: a united, rearmed Germany; the United States possession of atomic weapons The USSR was militarily strong but economically weak; could not compete with the United States Hitler had reneged on an agreement with the USSR, and invaded Stalin drew the conclusion that capitalist states could not be trusted Stalin concerned with the fifth column (piataia kolonna) at home a phrase now often used by Vladimir Putin LIR/Chandler/Cold War 13 Aspects of the Cold War (6) Opposing alliances North Atlantic Treaty Organization: formed 1949 Warsaw Treaty Organization (Warsaw Pact): formed 1955 LIR/Chandler/Cold War 14 5