The Cold War, 1945 - 1991

Question 1

Who were the two ‘superpowers’?

Answer 1

USA and USSR

Question 2

Compare the two ‘superpowers’

Answer 2

USA
~President
~Democracy
~Capitalist economic system
~Freedom of speech and press etc

USSR
~Dictator
~Communist Dictatorship
~Communist economic system
~No personal freedoms

Question 3

The USA and USSR were p____ o______ , politically and economically

Answer 3

polar opposites

Question 4

The USA thought USSR was trying to ________ and the USSR thought the USA was trying to ______. Therefore, both sides _______ each other

Answer 4

The USA thought USSR was trying to spread communism and the USSR thought the USA was trying to destroy communism. Therefore, both sides distrusted each other

Question 5

After WWII, how was Germany split up?

Answer 5

○Germany was split into 4 zones -> British, French, American and Russian
○Berlin was also slit into 4 sections -> Br, Fr, Us, Ussr

Question 6

What problems were going to arise as a result of splitting Germany up into zones?

Answer 6

○The Russians wouldn’t want the British, French and US to interfere in their zones
○Also, Britain, France and USA installed democracy and capitalism in their zones and sectors of Berlin, while Stalin installed communism in his zone (east Germany) and sector (east Berlin)
○Br/Fr/US merged their 3 zones into 1 and called it West Germany. They introduced a new and strong currency and eventually West Germany prospered while East Germany lagged behind

Question 7

In which European countries did Stalin installed Communist Governments after WWII?

Answer 7

Poland, Czechoslovakia,Yugoslavia, Hungary, Albania and Bulgaria

Question 8

What was the “iron curtain”?

Answer 8

After WWII, Churchill noted that an “iron curtain” had split Europe between Capitalist/Democratic West and the Communist East

Question 9

What policy was USA following after WWII?

Answer 9

Containment - not allowing communism to spread

Question 10

Stalin wanted to take control of all of Berlin after WWII. So what did he do?

Answer 10

He decided to blockade Berlin by cutting off all routes to Berlin. This meant the British, French and USA couldn’t access their sector

Question 11

What was the Berlin Airlift?

Answer 11

As a result of the Berlin Blockade, the US and Britain decided to airlift supplies into West Berlin

Question 12

When did the Berlin Blockade end?

Answer 12

Stalin did not shoot down any planes during the Berlin Airlift and he eventually lifted the blockade in May 1949

Question 13

What were the results of the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 13

1) It seemed as if the division of Germany would be permanent
2) NATO was set up
3) The Warsaw Pact was set up

Question 14

What was NATO?

Answer 14

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was set up to oppose communism by force

Question 15

Why was the Warsaw Pact set up?

Answer 15

The Warsaw Pact was set up by the Communist States to protect communism

Question 16

Who occupied Korea after Japan was defeated in WWII?

Answer 16

The Red Army occupied North Korea and the US Army occupied South Korea

Question 17

After WWII, North Korea became ______ and South Korea was ______

Answer 17

After WWII, North Korea became Communist and South Korea was democratic

Question 18

After WWII, N Korea was led by _________ and S Korea was led by _______

Answer 18

After WWII, N Korea was led by Kim Il Sung and S Korea was led by Syngman Rhee

Question 19

When did N Korea invade S Korea?

Answer 19

June 1950

Question 20

What did the UN do as a result of N Korea invading S Korea?

Answer 20

The landed in S Korea at Inchon to begin repelling the N Korean forces. The Un forces, under the control of General Mac Arthur, pushed the N Korean Army back into N Korea

Question 21

What mistake did Mac Arthur make when defending S Korea?

Answer 21

He advanced too far into N Korea, causing China to get involved

Question 22

For how long did fighting continue in the Korean War?

Answer 22

Until they signed a ceasefire in 1953

Question 23

What were the results of the Korean War?

Answer 23

1) 4 million died
2) America now had a new enemy - Communist China
3) The UN proved to be more efficient than the LON
4) Relations between N + S Korea are still poor today

Question 24

Who ruled Cuba up to 1956?

Answer 24

General Batista

Question 25

Who overthrew Batista?

Answer 25

Fidel Castro

Question 26

After the US stopped trading with Cuba, who did Castro look to? What was the outcome of this?

Answer 26

Castro turned to the USSR. In return for the USSR’s agreement to buy Cuban products, Khrushchev convinced Castro to allow the USSR to store nuclear missiles in Cuba

Question 27

What did an American U2 spy plane do in 1962?

Answer 27

Took photos that proved Cubans were building a missile site

Question 28

Why was President Kennedy deeply concerned about the Russian missiles in Cuba?

Answer 28

Because missiles fired from Cuba could potentially destroy most American cities

Question 29

What did Kennedy do to stop Russia bringing missiles into Cuba?

Answer 29

He opted for a naval blockade, which meant a line of US ships was set up to prevent Russia entering Cuba

Question 30

How close were America and Russia to a nuclear war?

Answer 30

Russian ships came ‘eyeball to eyeball’ with Russian ships. Nuclear war seemed likely but in the last moment Khrushchev called his ships back. War was averted

Question 31

What were the results of the Cuban Missile Crises?

Answer 31

1) A ‘hotline’ was set up between the White House and the Kremlin
2) The USA and USSR agreed to limit the amount of nuclear weapons they had
3) Both countries made an effort to ‘thaw’ the Cold War. Mikhail Gorbachev made great efforts to do this. He ended communism in Russia between 1989 and 1991