Cold War Flashcards
(37 cards)
Yalta
- Stalin agreed to join USA in fighting Japan once Germany surrendered
- Germany and Berlin divided into four
- Trial of Nazi war criminals
- United Nations set up
- Countries freed from nazis to hold democratic elections
- Big three agreed that Eastern Europe should be seen as a soviet sphere of influence
- Disagreement on p9ish border with USSR moving westward
Potsdam
- Stalin did not intend to allow democratic election in Germany
- Stalin wanted Germany to pay reparations but Truman did not want to repeat Versailles
- USSR setting up communist government in Poland
- Truman disagrees to communist government in Easter Europe
Why did things get worse between Yalta and Potsdam
Death of Roosvelt / Replacement by Truman
- Truman was less tolerant to soviets and more anti-communist than Roosvelt
- Less tolerance and ability to work together
Situation in Eastern Europe
- Stalin did not intend to allow democratic elections
- Red army was in control I; poland and was setting up a communist government
Testing of the atomic bomb
- Truman hinted at the atomic bomb during the conference
How did the USSR gain control of Eastern Europe
- Winning democratic elections
- Forming coalition governments
- Imprisoning non- communist leaders
- Lonaing other governments
- Supporting existing communist governments
Why did Stalin take control of Eastern Europe
- Determination to avoid another invasion of the USSR
- Stalin felt he had the permission of the west
- Stalin claimed he needed to protect the western capitalism and imperialism
- The west believed the USSR expanded the extend communism and create a soviet empire
to avoid another invasion of the USSR
USSR had been invaded via Poland in 1914 and 1941, therefore Stalin intended to create a ‘buffer zone’ via his sphere of influence
Stalin felt he had the permission of the west
- Stalin and Churchill had a secret known as the percentages agreement which divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence
- During the Yalta conference, there was mutual agreement on the idea of a soviet sphere of influence
Stalin claimed he needed to protect the USSR from western capitalism and imperialism
Stalin believed that the USA intended to spread goods worldwide and increase its power and influence
Greek civil war
- 1941
- British troops supported monarchy against communists
- Once a civil war developed, the British could not afford costs of war and announced withdrawal
- Truman paid British to stay and rpopped up the monarchist government
- Set up Truman doctoring and policy of containment
Marshall Aid
- Truman intended to give 17 billion USD for rebuilding of European economy
- Plan not accepted in 1947but accepted after communist takeover of Czechoslovakia government
- Intention of creating new market for American goods too
- Stalin viewed Marshall aid as a a US attempt top dominate
Berlin blockade
- Britain, France and USA combined their German zones in 1946 to form Trizonia
- Reformed the currency in 1948 leading to economic recovery in western areas
- Stalin viewed actions in Trizonia as provocative and blocked all supply lines into berlin from the west, intending to make Berlin entirely dependent on the USSR
- Allies airlifted supplies into berlin (Berlin Airlift)
Consequences of the Berlin blockade
- Germany is firmly divided, becomes a symbol of the Cold War (Berlin crisis)
- Pattern of Cold War, use of unwilling to go to war
- NATO formed in 1949 and charter stated that an attack against any member would be an attack against all
- Provoked formation of the Warsaw pact
Iron Curtain
First used by Churchill to describe the border between soviet controlled countries and the west
Truman doctrine
Under the doctrine, the USA was willing to send money, equipment and advice to any country, which was, in American view, threatened by a communist takeover. accepted Eastern Europe as Communist but intended to prevent further spread
Cominform
Set up by Stalin top coordinate the work of communist parties ion Eastern Europe
USSR/Stalin to blame for the cold war
-Stalin opposed the idea of democratic elections
- Stalin waned a sphere of influence in eastern europe
- Stalin imposed Berlin blockade causing a rise in tensions
- USSR led the creation of the warsaw pact
USA/west/Truman to blame for the Cold War
- Truman doctrine established USAs strong opinions during the Greek civil war
- Western powers consolidated their German territory in Germany, creating a divide between the east and the west
- Churchill offered Stalin a sphere of influence via the percentages agreement
- Currency reforms in Trizonia triggered the Berlin blockade
- USA led creation of NATO triggering formation of Warsaw pact
Why did the Korean War happen
DUCKS
Domino Theory
Undermine communism
Cold War
Kim II sung visited the USSR
Syngman Rhee
DUCKS Domino Theory
Truman believed that if one country fell to communism, then the others would follow. He was worried about Japan becoming communist.
DUCKS undermine communism
In April 1950, the American security council issued a report recommending that America abandon’containment’ and start ‘rolling back’
DUCKS Cold War
Truman realised that the USA was in competition for world dominance with the USSR. By supporting South Korea, the USA could fight communism without attacking the USSR.
DUCKS Kim II sung visited the USSR
in 1949, the leader of north Korea visited Stalin and Stalin saw a fight against the south as an opportunity to fight the USA without attacking. Kim Sung II also visited Mao Zedong
DUCKS Syngman Rhee
In 1950, the president of South Korea boasted of attacking North Korea, giving the North Korea an excuse to invade the South.
Why did Krushchev arm Castro
TO BARGAIN WITH THE USA;
Khrushchev could negotiate the removal of missiles from Cuba in return for American concessions (eg. removal of missiles from Turkey)
TO TEST THE USA:
The failure of the Bay of Pigs incident encouraged khrushchev to test the US policy of containment
TO TRAP THE USA:
Khrushchev wanted the USA to find the missiles and be drawn into a nuclear war which they would have an advantage in
TO CLOSE TO MISSILE GAP:
Missiles in Cuba would prevent the USA from war, launching a ‘first strike’. The missiles acted as a nuclear deterrent
TO DEFEND CUBA:
Cuba was the only communist country in the western hemisphere and was in the USAs ‘backyard’. This provided an excellent propaganda tool for the USSR
TO STRENGTHEN KRUSHCHEVS POSITION IN THE UhSSR:
US superiority in terms of missiles undermined Khrushchev’s reputation in the USSR. Cuba was an opportunity for Khrushchev to show his strength and the USSRs power as a nuclear country
