Cold War Flashcards
(41 cards)
Who was in the ‘Grand Alliance’
USA, USSR, and UK
Who was Roosevelt replaced with?
Truman
What were the aims for Yalta
US - Confirm USSR support against Japan
UK - Free elections in eastern block
USSR - Keep its territory gained from WW2
What were the agreements at Yalta
Germany would pay $20 Billion in reparations (USSR would gain half)
Soviet Union would declare war on Japan
Free elections to be held
UN to be established
How did Yalta affect US-Soviet Alliance
USSR declared war against Japan
USSR would gain half of the reparations
Agreed to free elections
Positive
Agreements at Potsdam
1 - Germany divided into 4 zones
2 - Berlin also divided into 4 zones
3 - USSR would receive 25% industrial equipment from each zone
What was different about Potsdam
America had tested the nuclear bomb - told USSR at Potsdam
Stalin wanted heavier reparations - Truman did not
Free elections did not happen
Why did the US use the atomic bomb?
Reduced deaths
Forced Japan to surrender
Demonstrate power and technological advancements
Why did the Atomic bomb damage relations?
Stalin wanted a buffer zone after being informed
Stalin raced to finish his programme - was finished by 1949
What was the Long Telegram
Kennan - USA ambassador in Moscow - sent back a telegram assessing behaviour towards USA from USSR
USSR wanted to destroy capitalism
USA should try to contain USSR
Peace will never work
Novikov Telegram
Replication of the Long telegram
USA wanted to build its military strength
USA did not want to co-operate with the USSR
American people would allow and support a war
When was the Iron Curtain speech
1946
How did the Iron Curtain Speech worsen relations
Spoken in US, thought it was a reflection on how the USA felt.
How did Russia get votes in Poland
Why did Russia want Poland
- Either rigged or fear - intimidacion, somehow gained 80% of the vote
Buffer between West and USSR
Describe the events in Hungary 1945-49
Non-communists won the elections
Communist politician took control of the secret police, began imprisoning opponents.
Government resigned - communists won 1947 - other parties banned 1949
Describe the events in Czechoslovakia 1948
1945 - non-communist led a coalition government
Stalin saw it as a threat to bufer zone - led a pro communist to start a coup with the support of USSR for communist power
What did the Truman Doctrine promise to do
Money, supplies, weapons and advice to European countries to combat communism - US policiy for containment - promote democracy
What did he do for Greece and Türkiye?
Gave them each 400$M to combat communist uprising - Greece defeated communists in 1949
Where did Marshall aid come from
General Marshall visited Europe - told Truman ever country could fall to communis, aid is the only way to stop their fall.
What was the Marshall Plan
Gave 16 European countries $13 Billion, offered to satellite states too but knew Stalin would refuse, to prevent them falling to communism
What did the Marshall Plan do?
Created a sphere of influence in the West- more likely to buy US export
Less likely for another great depression
It had divided the West from the East.
Scared USSR - threat?
What was the US, France and Britain joint zone called?
Trizonia
What was the currency they introduced, and in what year?
Deutschmark, 1948
due to this Stalin imposed a blockade
Why did Stalin think it was good to block the allies out of Berlin?
- West Berlin lacked food (only had 36 days of food)
- Had to go across soviet area to give resources
- Propaganda victory
