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GCSE History > The Cold War > Flashcards

The Cold War Flashcards

1
Q

Where and when was it decided that Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones?

A

Yalta conference in 1945

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2
Q

What was agreed at Potsdam in 1945?

A

-divide Germany and Berlin into four sectors that would be occupied by each of the allies
-demilitarise Germany
-re-establish democracy in Germany (eg free press)
-Germany had to pay reparations - most of which would go to USSR s they had biggest casualties
-ban Nazi party

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3
Q

What was the Truman doctrine?

A

The policy of the US that meant that they helped to suppourt people and countries that were resisting communism

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4
Q

What were the consequences of the Truman Doctrine?

A

-the Greek government were able to defeat the communists
-rivalry between US and USSR increased
-the Marshall plan

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5
Q

What was the Marshall plan?

A

A way of backing up Truman’s policy of containment

Financial aid to Europe - poor countries often turned to communism and many European countries had suffered from WWII

Announced in 1947

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6
Q

What was the policy of containment based on?

A

The domino theory that said if one country bowed to communism, it would trigger a fall of its neighbouring countries

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7
Q

What were the reasons for the Berlin crisis of 1948-49?

A

The allies had created a very stable West Germany as it received a lot of aid from the Marshall Plan and they set up elections to create democracy

This contrasted the Soviet policies in the east and Stalin feared that by bordering such a democratic and United Germany, it would undermine the soviet rule

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8
Q

What was the first thing that Stalin did in the Berlin crisis of1948?

A

He cut of road, rail and canal traffic to Berlin from the Western zones in an attempt to starve the allies out of West Berlin

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9
Q

How did Truman react when Stalin created the blockade in 1948?

A

He decided to fly in supplies from their bases in West Germany

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10
Q

How long did the airlift last?
How many flights were there a day?

A

10 months
275,000 flights

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11
Q

Why didn’t Stalin shoot down the planes in the airlift?

A

Because it would start a war

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12
Q

When did the airlift begin? When did Stalin call off the blockade?

A

-June 1948
-May 1949

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13
Q

What were the consequences of the Berlin blockade and airlift?

A

-increased the East-West rivalry
-creation of NATO

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14
Q

Why was NATO created and what was it?

A

Created because even together, the allies were no match for the the USSR

In NATO (North Atlantic Treaty) the countries agreed that an attack against one of them in Europe or North America would be considered an attack on all of them

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15
Q

What did Stalin see NATO as and what did he create as a result?

A

An aggressive alliance against the USSR

they set up the Warsaw Pact

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16
Q

What was the Warsaw Pact?

A

An military alliance of eight countries headed by the USSR designed to counter the threat of NATO

They would support each other if one was attacked

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17
Q

When was NATO signed?

A

1949

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18
Q

When was the Warsaw Pact set up?

A

1955

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19
Q

What was the Berlin Crisis of 1961?

A

The Berlin Wall

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20
Q

Why did Krushchev build the Berlin Wall?

A

-the number of refugees leaving East Berlin had increased to 20,000 a month
-this looked bad on him and caused a ‘brain-drain’

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21
Q

When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

A

October 1962

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22
Q

Why did Cuba and the US fall out?

A

-the USA fell out with Cuba after Castro got into power and ejected all US businesses from the country
-in return, the US refused to buy Cubas biggest export: sugar

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23
Q

How did the USSR and Cuba become friends?

A

-Khrushchev offered to buy Cuban sugar
-this was because he was keen to expand soviet influence and outmanoeuvre Kennedy

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24
Q

What was the Bay of Pigs invasion?

A

-Kennedy approved an invasion of Cuba by exiles who left Cuba in 1959
-failed due to lack of suppourt in Cuba and poor planning

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25
Q

What was a consequence of Bay of Pigs?

A

Drew Cuba and USSR closer and Castro announced a conversion to communism

In 1962 Khrushchev began to install ballistic missiles in Cuba

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26
Q

Why did Khrushchev want to install missiles in Cuba?

A

He felt threatened by US missiles in Turkey and Italy so wanted to readdress the balance

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27
Q

How did America find out about the missiles in Cuba?

A

A U2 spy plane caught footage of it and it was realised that missile sites were being built in immediate range to almost all US cities

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28
Q

How long was the Cuban missile crisis?

A

13 days

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29
Q

What were the two approaches of Kennedys advisors on the topic of the Cuban missile crisis?

A

Hawks (aggressive)
Doves (peaceful)

30
Q

How did the US attempt to resolve the Cuban missile crisis?

A

Kennedy imposed a naval blockade to prevent USSR missiles from reaching Cuba

31
Q

What was Krushchevs reaction to Kennedys naval blockade?

A

He wrote a letter to JFK insisting that soviet ships would force their way through the blockade

He also wrote another letter saying that if there was a war he was willing to use nuclear weapons

32
Q

After Krushchevs statement about being willing to use nuclear war, what did Kennedy do? What was Krushchevs reply?

A

He sent a letter asking Krushchev to withdraw nuclear weapons from Cuba

Krushchev said he would withdraw weapons if the USA promised not to invade Cuba and withdrew its missiles from Turkey

33
Q

What was the eventual compromise that Kennedy and Krushchev came to?

A

The US would remove their weapons from Turkey as long as it was kept secrect.

34
Q

What is Brinkmanship?

A

Pushing a situation to the verge of war in order to threaten your opponent to back down (both US and USSR did this)

35
Q

What was created as a result of the Cuban missile crisis?

A

-a hotline between White House and Kremlin so that in case of crisis the powers could communicate easier
-the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963 meant that the US and USSR weren’t allowed to test nuclear weapons in the atmosphere

36
Q

What was the main reason for USA involvement in Vietnam?

A

Domino theory - if Vietnam fell to communism so would the whole of south east asia

37
Q

What were some additional reasons other than domino theory that encouraged US involvement in Vietnam?

A

-north Vietnam bordered communist China
-north leader was Ho Chi Minh (communist)

38
Q

When was the Geneva agreement?

A

1954

39
Q

Why did the Geneva agreement increase US involvement in Vietnam?

A

-the agreement said that Vietnam would be divided temporarily along the 17th parallel into north and south
-north=lead by Ho Chi Minh south=Ngo Dinh Diem
-US prevented early elections when they realised communists would win

40
Q

When did the Vietcong terror campaign start and what was it?

A

-1959
-a terror campaign against the south ordered by Ho Chi Minh

41
Q

When was the overthrow of diem and what were the consequences?

A

-1963
-replaced by lots of weak, short lived governments
-Vietcong became more popular in the south

42
Q

How did Kennedy attempt to prevent communism in south Vietnam after Diem was overthrown?

A

-the ‘strategic hamlet policy’ of 1963
-it involved moving peasants into fortified villages guarded by troops
-didn’t stop communists and was unpopular with peasants

43
Q

When and what was the Gulf of Tonkin incident?

A

-1964
-Johnson wanted more military involvement in Vietnam but needed an excuse
-a US destroyer was fired on by the north Vietnamese in the gulf of Tonkin
-Johnson used this to prove to congress that they needed greater involvement

44
Q

What were the US methods while fighting in Vietnam?

A

-‘operation rolling thunder’
-chemical warfare
-search and destroy

45
Q

What was operation rolling thunder? (Vietnam)

A

-the US bombing campaign of north Vietnam that lasted 3.5 years
-aimed at destroying Vietcong supply routes to the south

46
Q

When was operation rolling thunder?

A

1965-68

47
Q

Was operation rolling thunder successful?

A

-no
-it encouraged greater support for the war in the north
-didn’t stop Vietcong supplies

48
Q

What chemical warfare did the US use in Vietnam?

A

Agent orange and Napalm

49
Q

Describe agent orange

A

-Highly toxic weedkiller used to destroy the jungle
-America used 82 million litres of agent orange on the jungles

50
Q

Describe Napalm

A

-a bomb that explodes and showers surrounding victims with burning petroleum jelly
-sticks to the skin and burns at 800 degrees
-can burn through to the bone

51
Q

What was the search and destroy technique in Vietnam?

A

-the US and south Vietnamese forces would descend on a village suspected of assisting the Vietcong and destroy it

52
Q

What would the troops call the search and destroy missions?

A

‘Zippo’ after the name of the lighters they used to set thatched houses on fire

53
Q

Were the search and destroy missions a success?

A

-the raids would kill a handful of Vietcong supporters but would mainly kill civilians
-inexperienced US troops often fell into traps
-the US and south Vietnamese forces were very unpopular with many south Vietnamese peasants (more likely to support Vietcong)

54
Q

What were the strengths of the communists that lead to the defeat of the Americans?

A

-fighting for a cause (communism and the reunification of Vietnam)

-effective guerilla tactics (suited to jungle terrain of Vietnam and reduced the effectiveness of americas hitech weapons)

-support from USSR and China (gave supplies like tanks and planes)

-suppourt from south Vietnamese (due to US brutality)

-tunnels (communist forces dug deep tunnels as air raid shelters and death traps)

55
Q

What American weakness led to the defeat in Vietnam?

A

-young and inexperienced US troops that couldn’t cope with guerilla warfare

-most of the troops didn’t understand what they were fighting for = no morale

-there was opposition at home due to a faliure to achieve a quick victory, many casualties and televised pictures of war (napalm girl)

-US tactics brought more support for Vietcong

-the TET offensive

56
Q

What was the TET offensive?

A

-on 31st jan 1968 the Vietcong launched a massive attack on over 100 cities and towns in south Vietnam
-lowered US morale
-to us people, the war seemed unwinnable

57
Q

How did Nixon intend to end US involvement in Vietnam?

A

Vietnamisation - where US soldiers trained south Vietnamese soldiers so they could fight the war for themselves

58
Q

Why did vietnamisation not work?

A

The south Vietnamese were no match for the communist forces

59
Q

When did peace talks to end the war begin? Vietnam

A

1968 but for four years each side haggled over petty issues so no progress was made

60
Q

When and where was a cease fire signed for Vietnam?

A

Paris 1973

61
Q

Describe the Berlin Wall?

A

-began as a barbed wire fence
-concrete wall with lookout towers and guards who would shoot anyone trying to cross into the west

62
Q

What were satilite states? Give some examples and Truman’s reaction

A

-The Soviet army had freed many Eastern European countries from the Nazis and remained there
-the Soviet Union established communist governments that were closely controlled from Moscow
-eg Poland, Romania, Hungary
-Truman was convinced that Stalin wanted to expand into Western Europe

63
Q

What document is considered to have greatly influenced Truman’s policies in the Cold War?

A

-The Long Telegram by Kennan (Chief Mission at the US embassy in Moscow)
-his telegram outlined that he was suspicious of the USSR and advised firm action from the USA

64
Q

When was the Long Telegram sent?

A

1946

65
Q

What happened when Britain told USA that they could no longer fund aid to Turkey and Greece? When?

A

-USA stepped in with necessary aid fearing that the countries would come under Soviet influence
-1947

66
Q

When did Truman announce the involvement with Turkey and Greece? What did this mark?

A

-1947
-USA committing to a policy of containment that would become known as the Truman doctrine

67
Q

What did the Marshall plan want from countries it supported?

A

The countries receiving aid would agree to buy US goods and allow US companies to invest in their industries

68
Q

What happened in Vietnam once America withdrew?

A

-Within two years the communists had defeated the South Vietnamese armed forces and reunited Vietnam
-the US failed to prevent the spread of communism as Cambodia and Laos also fell to communism (proving domino theory)

69
Q

What were the effects of the Vietnam war?

A

-the huge annual spending on war undermined Johnson’s Great Society
-Johnson became unpopular and he did not seek re-election in 1968
-US policies had sped up the conversion to communism in south-east Asia
-the Nixon Doctrine

70
Q

What was the Nixon Doctrine?

A

USA expected its allies to take care of their own military defence - the Vietnam war was the first war the US had lost and made them reluctant to enter any further conflicts

GCSE History (29 decks)

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