Chapter 19 : The Cold War

Question 1

Soviet Union

Answer 1

Communist country

Question 2

USA

Answer 2

Capitalist country

Question 3

Iron curtain

Answer 3

The Soviet Union established communist governments in the countries in the east after they drove the Nazis out of these countries.

Question 4

Truman doctrine

Answer 4

Harry Truman said he wouldn’t let communism spread to any other countries. This is called containment (contain communism)

Question 5

The Marshall plan

Answer 5

USA gave financial aid to Europe to rebuild it after WWII. Stalin would not let his satellite take any of this aid as he thought America was trying to get them away from communism.

Question 6

The Berlin airlift

Answer 6

German was split into four between Soviet Union, France, America, Britain. Berlin was in the Soviet Union but was divided into four. America, Britain and France wanted Germany to be reunited, but Soviet Union wanted it to remain weak so it couldn’t attack in the future.

Question 7

The Berlin blockade

Answer 7

America, Britain and France planned to introduce a new currency called the Deutschmark into their zones. Stalin thought they were trying to get him to give his zone back to them.
He closed all land and water routes between west Germany and West Berlin. The western allies decided to airlift food and supplies over from three air corridors instead of starting a war.
Planes were landing every three minutes. Hot water bottles were brought over instead of coal for heat. The borders were reopened nearly a year later.

Question 8

Results of the airlift

Answer 8

Proved that it was impossible to reunite Germany.
West = federal republic of Germany
East = German Democratic Republic
NATO was set up by America, Canada and ten Western Europe countries to prevent any aggression by the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union set up the Warsaw with his Eastern European countries as an alliance.
The East German government closed the border between east and west Germany. They built a wall through the middle of the city and anyone trying to escape was shot.

Question 9

The Korean War

Answer 9

Korea was split in two after Japan’s defeat in WWII as it was a part of its empire.
Soviet Union = north
America = south
Divided into two separate countries along the 38th parallel.
North was led by Kim il sung.
South was led by Syngman Rhee.

Question 10

The war

Answer 10

North invaded south to try reunite the country. The were armed with soviet weapons, and forced the southern government from Seoul to Pusan.
The United Nations sent an army made up of mostly Americans to South Korea.
A UN force under command of General Douglas MacArthur landed in Inchon. They drove the North Koreans back over the border, and then back to the Yalu river, the border with communist China.
The leader of China, Mao Tse-Tung, thought they were trying to get to the Chinese government.
Chinese troops were sent to the Yalu river, and pushed MacArthurs forces back to the 38th parallel and communist armies occupied part of the south.
MacArthur suggested dropping an atomic bomb on Chinese bases, which was rejected by Truman who was fearful that this could lead to an atomic war, and Truman sacked MacArthur.
Dwight D Eisenhower won the presidential election in America, and promised to bring the Koran war to an end.
Stalin died and was replaced by Nikita Khrushchev.
Both leaders wanted the war to end.
An armistice was signed to fix the border at the 38th parallel.

Question 11

Results of the Korean War

Answer 11

Cold War spread to Asia.
4 million people died, 2 million were civilians.
Korea is still divided and both sides don’t like each other.

Question 12

The Cuban missile crisis : background

Answer 12

General Batista was a dictator who was overthrown by Fedel Castro.
America was first supportive of Castro, but then realised that Castro anted to turn Cuba into a communist country.
America stopped trade with Cuba and stopped buying its sugar.
Soviet Union agreed to buy their sugar in exchange for oil and machinery.

Question 13

The bay of pigs

Answer 13

John F Kennedy agreed to invade Cuba, a plan by the Central Intelligence Agency.
1500 Cubans who opposed Castro landed at the bay of pigs. They were outnumbered 300 to one and the plan failed.
This drew Castro closer to the Soviet Union and increased his popularity in Cuba.

Question 14

The crisis beginning

Answer 14

It was rumoured that the soviets placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, and this was denied by Khrushchev.
American U2 spy planes flew over the Cuban jungle and saw missile bases being prepared, which could reach any American city.
Khrushchev said these were to defend Cuba.
The Americans had also placed missiles in turkey.

Question 15

Brink of a nuclear war

Answer 15

Kennedy placed a naval blockade around Cuba so all ships going to Cuba would be searched for missiles.
12 ships went towards Cuba, and America placed its navy and airforce on Defcon-2.
Nuclear missiles were loaded into their launch pads.
Soviet ships were half an hour away from reaching the blockade, and Khrushchev ordered his ships to turn back.
Khrushchev agreed to remove his missiles from Cuba, and Kennedy agreed to not invade Cuba again.

Question 16

Outcome of Cuban missile crisis

Answer 16

It frightened both Soviet and American governments, and the world came close to a nuclear war.
Politicians talked about a period of détente between the Soviet Union and American, which means a relaxing of tensions.
A phone line connecting the White House and the Kremlin allowed the leaders to contact each other in a few minutes to diffuse any future cause of tension.
The Soviet Union and America signed a test ban treaty which agreed to ban testing nuclear bombs in the atmosphere.

Question 17

The end of the Cold War

Answer 17

Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union, and encouraged ‘glasnost’ which allowed for criticism of the way the Soviet Union and its government were being ran.
He also called for ‘perestroika’ - a restructuring of the economy.
The Soviet Union could no longer afford to compete with America in the arms race. The Cold War had to end or the Soviet Union would face bankruptcy.

Question 18

The collapse of communism in Eastern Europe

Answer 18

Gorbachev stated in a speech to the United Nations that he would no longer interfere in the affairs of the satellite states, they would be free to choose their own government.
The Berlin Wall was torn down and within a year Germany was reunited.
In Romania, a dictatorship led by Nicolae Ceausecu had to be removed by forces.
The Soviet Union fell apart and was split into different republics.
Gorbachev resigned.
George bush praised Gorbachev and announced that the war was over.