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Cold war Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe communism.

A

When the government owns everything and takes all of the income from industries. Usually everybody is paid the same. USSR (Russia)

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2
Q

Describe capitalism.

A

When most industries are owned privately and not connected to the government. People are paid different to each other, depending on ability and experience. USA

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3
Q

Who was in the Grand Alliance during WWII and what caused it to form?

A

Russia, USA and Great Britain. The threat of Germany during WWII joined them together.

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4
Q

What was the relationship like between the United States and the Soviet Union before WWII?

A

Poor.

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5
Q

Why was the relationship between the United states and the soviet union poor before WWII?

A

Because of the ideological differences (capitalism and communism).

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6
Q

Who led Britain, United States and the Soviet Union during the majority of WWII?

A

Britain: Winston Churchill, United States: Franklin Roosevelt, Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin.

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7
Q

After WWII it was viewed that there would be a ‘New World Order’ with two new Superpowers. Who were they?

A

The USA and the Soviet Union.

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8
Q

Despite the shared same enemy (Germany), why was it seen that that these two new Superpowers would become each other’s own enemies after WWII?

A

Due to the opposing ideologies (capitalism/communism) and the control of Europe post WWII.

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9
Q

The Grand Alliance met during WWII in 1943 at the Tehran Conference. What was the main decision decided here?

A

The USA and Great Britain would open up a second front and attack Germany from the West (D-Day).

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10
Q

What else (apart from the main decision) was decided at the Tehran Conference?

A

A) Stalin would declare was on Japan once the war in Europe was over
B) the USSR would keep land taken from Poland, but be given land from Germany
C) Germany would remain weak after WWII.
D) a form of international body would be created after the war to prevent another one.

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11
Q

At the end of the Tehran Conference what were the relations between the two Superpowers (USA/USSR) like?

A

Good.

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12
Q

At the end of the Tehran Conference why were the relations between the two Superpowers (USA/USSR) good?

A

Stalin and Roosevelt agreed on where the second front should be opened (France) and Roosevelt saw Britain and its colonialism as more of a potential threat to world peace (at this time) rather than the USSR.

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13
Q

The second major conference was at Yalta in February 1945. Who were the leaders at Yalta?

A

Britain: Winston Churchill
United States: Franklin Roosevelt
Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin

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14
Q

What was decided at the Yalta Conference in February 1945 in relation to Germany?

A

Germany and Berlin would be divided into four - Britain, France, the USA and the USSR would control one sector each. Also, Germany would pay $20,000,000 in reparations (the USSR would receive half).

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15
Q

Why was there some disagreement at the Yalta Conference in February 1945 in relation to Germany?

A

Stalin received the Eastern part of Germany, which was the poorest.

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16
Q

What did the three leaders agree about the governments of Eastern Europe at Yalta?

A

There would be free elections.

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17
Q

Who did Stalin agree to declare war on at the Yalta Conference in February 1945?

A

Japan.

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18
Q

What was decided about Poland at the Yalta Conference in February 1945?

A

Poland’s borders would return to how they were in 1921 and would have free elections.

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19
Q

Why was there some disagreement over Poland at the Yalta Conference in February 1945?

A

Stalin wanted the free elections to result in communism, whereas Britain and the USA wanted a capitalist government.

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20
Q

Overall, what were the relations between the Superpowers (USA and USSR) at Yalta like?

A

Reasonably good.

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21
Q

What were the long-term consequences of Yalta?

A

The relations ultimately worsened between the Superpowers as Stalin realised the true effect of having the poorest area of Germany to administer. Also, the failure to agree on what should become of Poland meant that both sides tried to influence the election outcome, resulted in tension.

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22
Q

The third conference in July 1945 was at Potsdam. Who were the leaders here?

A

Britain: Clement Atlee
United States: Harry Truman
Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin.

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23
Q

Apart from the change in leaders, what else had happened since Yalta but before Potsdam?

A

The USA had developed (but not used yet) the first atomic bomb.

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24
Q

What effect did the fact that the USA had an atomic bomb have on the discussions at Potsdam?

A

More difficult as Stalin was angry at his lack of involvement in the development of the bomb and Truman using his possession of it to attempt to control the discussions.

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25
Apart from the USA's new atomic bomb, why else were the discussions not as easy as they were at Yalta?
The common enemy, Germany, has now been defeated.
26
Truman and Stalin also disagree over Poland at Potsdam. Why?
Truman objected to the land arrangements for Poland and he did not want the communist influence on their government that Stalin was now imposing.
27
What did all these disagreements at the Potsdam conference result in relation the Superpowers (USA/USSR)?
Increased tension between the Superpowers.
28
Were all the discussions at Potsdam sour?
No.
29
What did the countries manage to agree on at the Potsdam conference?
Confirmed that Germany and Berlin was to be divided, Germany to pay some reparations to USSR, Soviet Union to join against Japan.
30
What were the long-term consequences of Potsdam?
The Eastern-European countries were to remain under Stalin’s control and communist. Britain and the USA could not do anything because the war against Japan still raged on. This resulted in long-term disagreement and tension within the Cold War.
31
What did the Soviet Union want out of the conferences?
To create a sphere of influence in Eastern-Europe to create a buffer zone against Germany. Cripple Germany.
32
What did the United States want out of the conferences?
Strong Germany to trade. Free elections in the East to choose what type of government they want.
33
What was the Manhattan Project?
The American and British project developing the first Atomic bomb.
34
Who were the atomic bombs used against?
Japan at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
35
How did Stalin react to the use of the atomic bombs as a consequence?
He was furious.
36
Why was Stalin furious at the use of the atomic bombs?
because the USA did not tell Stalin that they were building a nuclear weapon and he felt betrayed. Stalin also. felt that the Americans may use the nuclear weapons to force him to withdraw from eastern Europe.
37
Truman thought he could use his possession of atomic/nuclear weapons prevent Stalin from controlling Eastern Europe. Did this work?
No.
38
What was the consequence of Truman thinking he could use his possession of atomic/nuclear weapons prevent Stalin from controlling Eastern Europe?
Stalin wanted to create an even more secure buffer zone in Eastern Europe by creating communist satellite states.
39
As another consequence of the Americans using atomic weapons, what did the USSR build in 1949?
Their own nuclear bomb.
40
What did the USSR building their own nuclear bomb start?
The nuclear arms race.
41
Overall, what impact did the American use of the atomic bombs have on the Superpower relations?
It created much more tension and essentially began the Cold War.
42
Who was George Kennan?
The American ambassador in Moscow.
43
Kennan sent back to the United States what became known as the ‘Long Telegram’. What was this?
A 8000 word telegram outlining Kennan’s view that Stalin wanted to see the destruction of capitalism and that Stalin viewed that world outside the USSR was hostile and wanted to destroy its communism.
44
What did the Long Telegram help create?
Truman’s ‘Truman Doctrine’ of containing communism.
45
Who was Nikolai Novikov?
The Soviet diplomat to Washington.
46
Novikov sent back to Moscow the ‘Novikov Telegram’. What was this?
A telegram that stated that Novikov thought that the USA wanted to use its massive military to dominate the world. It also stated that America’s new President, Harry Truman, was much more hostile to the USSR than his predecessor, Roosevelt.
47
What consequence did these telegrams have on the relations between the Superpowers?
They individually created division and tension between the Superpowers.
48
What were the ‘satellite states’ in Eastern Europe?
The Eastern European states to the west of the Soviet Union that became Communist, due to Stalin’s direction. They became under the USSR’s sphere of influence.
49
Why did Stalin want to create ‘sphere of influence’ in Eastern Europe?
He wanted a ‘buffer zone’ of protection against the West and he wanted to spread communism.
50
What did Winston Churchill describe the Soviet takeover of Eastern-Europe as?
The Iron Curtain.
51
What effect did Churchill’s speech have on the relations between the Superpowers?
It made it worse. The tension and division was now in public and out in the open, whereas before it was all behind ‘closed doors’.
52
Outline the steps of the Soviet takeover of these satellite states in Eastern Europe (LEARN ALL)?
1940. The Baltic States 1944. The ‘Warsaw Uprising’ 1944-5. The Soviet Union takes control of Bulgaria, Romania, eastern-Germany 1947. Soviet controlled Hungary votes for a communist government 1948. The Soviet Union sets up a communist government in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia was not controlled by Soviet troops.
53
What impact did the Soviet takeover have on USSR/USA relations?
Made the relationship much worse as it made the USSR look aggressive and forcing communism in other countries. This appeared to align with what Kennan said in his Long Telegram.
54
What was the Truman Doctrine?
The idea to ‘contain communism’.
55
What prompted President Truman to introduce the Truman Doctrine?
George Kennan’s Long Telegram and the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe
56
Why was the Truman Doctrine seen as the best course of action for the Americans?
It was seen a taking a strong stance against communist (by stopping it from spreading further west) but also not causing a war against Stalin and the USSR.
57
Which two countries were given money by the American government when the Truman Doctrine was introduced?
Greece and Turkey.
58
How much was given to Greece and Turkey when the Truman Doctrine was introduced?
$400 million.
59
Why was Greece given aid after the Truman Doctrine was introduced?
The Greek government was fighting a civil war against the communists. The communists lost.
60
The next stage of the Truman Doctrine was the ‘Marshall Plan’. What was the Marshall Plan?
Money was given to Western European countries by the USA to ensure they stayed allied to the USA and capitalism.
61
How much was given to these Western European countries when the Marshall plan was introduced?
$12.7 billion.
62
What was the main reason for Marshall Plan?
To stop them turning to communism.
63
What was the other reason why the Marshall Plan was introduced?
So the United States can sell things to them.
64
How much richer did the USA and the Western European countries get after the Marshall plan?
25% richer.
65
How did the Soviets react to the Marshall Plan?
Negatively. They saw it as causing division.
66
Which two countries did the Soviet Union prevent from receiving Marshall Plan Money?
Czechoslovakia and Poland.
67
The Soviets called the Marshall Plan “dollar imperialism”. What was this?
The Soviets argued that the Americans were trying to build an empire through economic investment rather than tradition colonialism. This was called Dollar Imperialism.
68
What was the long-term impact of the Marshall Plan on the Superpowers (USA/USSR) relations?
It created significant division. The Western European countries looked to the USA for leadership, whereas to the Eastern European countries looked to the Soviet Union.
69
The Soviets reacted to the Marshall plan with Cominform. What was Comiform?
All eastern-European communist countries would meet in Moscow regularly to discuss economic and foreign policy. This created unity with eastern countries and moved them further away from America.
70
What was decided at the first meeting of Cominform?
The Marshall Plan was to be totally rejected by all Eastern European countries.
71
The Soviets also reacted to the Marshall plan with Comecon. What was Comecon?
This was a plan that involved all the countries in eastern Europe (behind the ‘iron curtain’) working together to share resources to ensure everyone benefits and is helped.
72
What was Comecon the Eastern direct equivalent to?
The Marshall Plan.
73
Despite Comecon being about the Eastern European countries sharing resources and economic ideas, who was completely controlling Comecon?
Moscow was still making all the key decisions.
74
What did Comecon result in?
Comecon resulted in unifying the east away from America.
75
How did the Marshall Plan and Comecon make the Cold War worse?
They made the Cold War worse by causing more division in Europe.
76
What was the Berlin Blockade in 1948?
Stalin blockaded Berlin in 1948 by blocking all roads, bridges and railways preventing food and fuel from entering Berlin.
77
What did Stalin aim to aim by blockading Berlin?
He wanted to remove the America, British and French officials from Berlin and make Berlin fully part of the Soviet sector of Germany.
78
What were the two main causes of the Berlin Blockade?
The three western sectors (USA/Britain and France) of Germany joined together, calling it Trizonia. Trizonia then introduced a new currency, separate from the communist eastern Germany.
79
What was the third cause of the Berlin Blockade?
Stalin wanted to remove make Berlin fully under his control.
80
Why did the formation of Trizonia and the new currency particularly anger Stalin?
Stalin thought it was excluding him and a deliberate creation of more division.
81
What did the West do to help Berlin survive whilst it was being blockaded?
They airlifted food and fuel to West Berlin.
82
How many tonnes of food and fuel were airlifted to Western Berlin whilst it was being blockaded?
They sent 2.3 million tonnes across
83
Did Stalin’s Berlin Blockade succeed after West’s airlift?
No.
84
After the Blockade what happened to Germany as a consequence of the Berlin Blockade?
Germany became two separate countries. Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
85
What ideology and country did the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) align with?
Capitalism and the United States.
86
What ideology and country did the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) align with?
Communism and the Soviet Union.
87
Which of the two new German countries was larger and richer?
Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
88
Why did the German division (caused by the Berlin Blockade/Airlift) make the Cold War worse?
Created more division in Europe.
89
What defensive organisation did the West set up in 1949 as a consequence of the Blockade?
NATO.
90
What defensive organisation did the Eastern Bloc set up in 1955 as a consequence of NATO?
Warsaw Pact.
91
What would happen if someone attacked a NATO or Warsaw Pact country?
All the other nations in them would fight to defend that country.
92
Despite being defensive in nature, what did NATO aim to also do?
Defeat communism.
93
Despite being defensive in nature, what did the Warsaw Pact aim to also do?
Spread communism.
94
What was the nuclear arms race?
The competition between the USA and USSR to out produce the other with more powerful nuclear weapons.
95
There are two types of nuclear bomb: atomic and hydrogen. What is the difference between them?
The hydrogen bomb is much more powerful.
96
When did the Americans develop the first atomic bomb?
1945
97
When did the Soviets develop their first atomic bomb?
1949
98
When did the Americans develop their first hydrogen bomb?
1952
99
When did the Soviets develop their first hydrogen bomb?
1953.
100
When did the Americans develop their first ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile)?
1957.
101
When did the Soviets develop their first ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile)
1957 (a few months later).
102
What impact did the nuclear arms race have on the Cold War?
It made it worse as they were constantly trying to outdo each other
103
Did the nuclear arms race make it more or less likely for a nuclear war?
Less likely as nuclear weapons became more of a deterrent rather than a first strike.
104
Why did the nuclear arms race make it less likely for a nuclear war?
The weapons were so powerful they could destroy the world several times over.
105
What was this policy of using nuclear weapons as a ‘deterrent’ called?
MAD (mutually assured destruction).
106
When did Stalin die?
1953.
107
Who eventually replaced Stalin in 1956?
Nikita Khrushchev.
108
US President Truman left office in 1952. Who replaced him as president?
President Eisenhower.
109
What is meant by a ‘thaw’ in the Cold War?
Thaw means period of reduction in tensions. This was because Khrushchev took over Stalin and was more peaceful minded when he took over, although this did not last
110
What was the Hungarian Uprising?
When the Hungarians rebelled against Soviet control of their country.
111
What was the main cause of Hungarian Uprising in 1956?
The Hungarians were unhappy with the Soviet corruption in Hungary and the poverty it had caused.
112
What were the other reasons for the Hungarian Uprising?
They also did not like the USSR’s attempt to eradicate Hungary’s history and connection to Christianity.
113
The USSR’s troops restored order and replaced the Hungarian Prime Minister, Rakosi, with who?
Emre Nagy.
114
Why did the USSR install Nagy?
He was a firm communist, but was a reformer, which would please the Hungarians and stop them rebelling again.
115
What reforms did Nagy implement?
Ended the one-party state, allowed non-communist parties and released political prisoners.
116
Did the Soviet leader Khrushchev accept Nagy's reforms?
Yes.
117
What did Nagy do that Khrushchev couldn’t accept?
Nagy attempted to take Hungary out of the Warsaw Pact.
118
What did Khrushchev do in response?
Invaded Hungary with 1,000 tanks.
119
How many Hungarian people were killed in this invasion
20,000.
120
What happened to Hungary after the invasion?
It remained communist and remained in the Warsaw Pact. Pro-Soviet communist Janos Kadar replaced Nagy as the Hungarian leader.
121
What happened to Nagy after he was replaced?
He was taken to Moscow and later executed.
122
Why did the United States not come to the aid of Hungary during the USSR’s invasion?
Because it was against their polity of ‘containment’. The USA was would be actively challenging communism rather than containing it. This could start a war with the USSR.
123
As a consequence, how did the lack of involvement reflect on the USA?
It also made the USA look weak as they were quick to criticise but unable to actually act in defence of other countries threatened by the USSR.
124
What were the consequences of invasion of Hungary on USSR/USA relations?
It became much worse. Things were looking better due to the Geneva Summit. The invasion ended the good will and mini ‘thaw’ in the Cold War.
125
What was the impact of the on the power of Khrushchev in the USSR and in the Warsaw Pact?
The invasion strengthened his power in the USSR and the Warsaw Pact. Warsaw Pact countries now knew that they could not rely on USA help if they challenged the USSR.
126
What was the ‘brain drain’?
All the best teachers, doctors, scientists were all leaving East Berlin to go to West Berlin.
127
By 1958, how many East Germans had left to East Germany (German Democratic Republic) to live in West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)?
3 million.
128
How did Khrushchev react to the ‘brain drain’?
He was angry.
129
Why was Khrushchev angry about the 'brain drain'?
It was severely damaging the Germany economy and it was making communism look bad because people wanted to leave.
130
What did Khrushchev do to try and solve this ‘brain drain’ problem?
He issued an ultimatum to the USA, Britain and France.
131
What did Khrushchev's ultimatum to the USA, Britain and France demand?
Berlin to become a free city and it to be demilitarised of all Western troops and officials.
132
What did Khrushchev really mean in his Ultimatum to the west when he argued for Berlin to become a ‘free city’?
Berlin would come under Soviet control, which would stop people escaping to West Germany.
133
How did the USA and the West react to Khrushchev's ultimatum?
They were outraged.
134

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