Background Info (1939-1945)

Question 1

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939)

Answer 1

Non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, providing Hitler with a free hand in Poland

Question 2

How did WWII start?

Answer 2

Germany invades Poland (1939), triggering the start of World War II; USSR follows suit shortly after.

Question 3

Operation Barbarossa (1941)

Answer 3

• Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union, breaking the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
• Soviet Union joins the Allies shortly after

Question 4

Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943)

Answer 4

Turning point in favor of the Allies; Soviets successfully defend Stalingrad, marking the beginning of Germany’s decline on the Eastern Front.

Question 5

Stalin’s Purges (1930s)

Answer 5

Stalin’s elimination of perceived political opponents and potential threats within the Soviet Union, consolidating power.

Question 6

Katyn Massacre (1940)

Answer 6

Soviet execution of Polish military officers, straining relations between the USSR and the Western Allies.

Question 7

Tehran Conference (1943)

Answer 7

Meeting between Allied leaders (Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill) to discuss strategy during World War II, setting the stage for post-war tensions.

Question 8

Soviet Expansion in Eastern Europe (1944-1945)

Answer 8

Soviet military occupation in Eastern Europe during the closing stages of World War II, raising concerns about Soviet influence.

Question 9

Lend-Lease Program (1941-1945)

Answer 9

U.S. economic aid to the Soviet Union and other Allies during World War II, contributing to later Cold War dynamics.

Question 10

Soviet Influence in Manchuria (1945)

Answer 10

Soviet occupation of Manchuria in the final days of World War II, contributing to the deterioration of relations with the United States.

Question 11

Lend-Lease Program (1941-1945)

Answer 11

U.S. economic aid to the Soviet Union and other Allies during World War II, contributing to later Cold War dynamics.

Question 12

U.S.-Soviet Relations During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Answer 12

Divergent policies and involvement in the Spanish Civil War reflected ideological differences and set a precedent for future conflicts.

Question 13

The Percentages Agreement (1944)

Answer 13

Informal understanding between Churchill and Stalin on spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, contributing to post-war disagreements.