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Cold War P1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Define ‘the Cold War’

A

A term used to describe the hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union; ‘cold’ refers to the lack of forces directly fighting each other.

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2
Q

What were 3 main areas of conflict during the Cold War?

A
  1. Aid: Marshall Plan in 1948 & USSR gave help to anti-US govs in Cuba
  2. Space Race: Sputnik in 1957 & US moonwalk in 1969; asserts dominance & develops weapons technology
  3. Defence: SU experiment with particle beams & US work on ‘Star Wars’ satellites in 1980s
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3
Q

Name the 3 leaders of the Grand Alliance who met in July 1945.

A

Allan Truman
Winston Churchill
Starlin

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4
Q

List 4 areas of concern for Truman at the meeting in July 1945.

A

War against Japan
Control of Defeated Germany
Securing lasting peace for Europe
Controlling boarders & boundaries

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5
Q

Historic differences between East & West: what impact did the heavy losses of WW1 have on Russia’s gov after the war?

A

Tsar Nicholas lll was overthrown

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6
Q

Specifically, what happened in February 1917?

A

A public and popular rebellion against the Tsar promoting Communism.

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7
Q

Who led the short-lived new government after the 1917 rebellion?

A

Alexander Karenski

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8
Q

Who influenced Vladimir Lenin?
Describe their key ideas.

A

Karl Marx
A system that promoted a classless society in which everyone shared the benefits of labor and the state government controlled all property and wealth.

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9
Q

What was Lenin’s group of revolutionaries called?

A

The Bolsheviks

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10
Q

What was the outcome of the October Revolution of 1917?

A

Bank accounts, public property, land & businesses were acquired by the state.
Arrest without charge.
Disappearance without looking.
Lack of democracy.

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11
Q

How did the American President Wilson react to events in Russia after the 1917 revolution?

A

He sent troops to fight the Bolsheviks in the Civil war.

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12
Q

When did Civil War break out in Russia?

A

1919

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13
Q

How did the West’s condemnation of Communism worsen relations?

A

It caused Stalin and many others to be distrustful of America

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14
Q

Why is the Potsdam conference so significant?

A

It was the first and final meeting between Stalin and Truman: it set the scene for the Cold War.

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15
Q

Define Dictatorship

A

Where one person/gov controls a country/empire

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16
Q

Define democracy

A

When all members of a society have a say in its development

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17
Q

Define communism

A

A classless society in which everyone shares the benefits of labor and the state government controls all property and wealth.
It relies on equality where everything does not receive an equal share, but what they are said by the government to deserve.

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18
Q

Define capitalism

A

An economic system following the idea that everyone should be free to own property and business, along with making and keeping their own profits.

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19
Q

What were political differences between the Western and Eastern powers?

A

The western powers believed in democracy where the public vote, whereas the eastern powers believed in dictatorship, where the public have no choice.

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20
Q

What were the economic differences between the western and eastern powers?

A

Western powers believed in private industry ownership, with owners keeping profits and open trade, whereas in eastern powers, private ownership was not allowed with money shared equally and and trade only with communist countries.

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21
Q

What were the differences in social structure between the western and eastern powers?

A

In the west, some people had more power than others based on education and wealth, whereas in the east, everyone was considered equal with no class structure.

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22
Q

What were the differences in rights between the western and eastern powers?

A

The western powers had very little censorship with the media free to report on any topic, whereas the eastern powers had high levels of government censorship with control of media and education, along with very little freedom of speech or ability to criticise the gov.

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23
Q

What was the general effect of WW2 on the USSR?

A

25.27 million deaths: bcs the Nazis invaded them, destroying villages rather than taking over; this was a lot more than western powers and led to a decrease of industry(31,000 factories destroyed ). Despite this, they were still a superpower.

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24
Q

What was the general effect of WW2 on Great Britain?

A

357,000 deaths
crashing economy

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25
What was the general effect of WW2 on the USA?
approx 400,000 deaths GDP almost doubled by 1944 (a lot richer than other countries) dominance asserted after a bomb
26
What were the main aims of the USA immediately after the Second World War?
Stopping Soviet expansion into Europe —> securing trade Protection of Germany from harm and humiliation Prevention of Stalin becoming too powerful Maintaining position as a superpower
27
What were the main aims of the USSR immediately after WW2?
Protection against invasion Soviet expansion into Europe Cripple Germany (10 billion dollars of reparations) Develop a bomb (level with US)
28
What were 5 main areas of tension before WW2?
US aided enemies of Communism during the war IS deported thousands of Communists in 1920s Red Scare Appeasement of Br&Fr not stopping Hitler USSR formed Nazi-Soviet pact (dividing Poland)
29
Why were the USA & USSR considered superpowers in 1945?
USSR had the largest army in the world USA economy had doubled USA had largest airforce in the world UK & France no longer able to exercise their power
30
What wartime conference took place at the end of 1943?
Tehran: war in their favour, met to decide how to end the war
31
What were the areas of agreement at Yalta?
Stalin agreed to enter war with Japan 4 zones of Germany & Berlin Agreed to hunt down & punish war criminals As countries weee liberated, they would have free elections Agreed to join UN to keep peace Big 3 agreed on Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe
32
What were the areas of disagreement at Yalta?
POLAND: Stalin wanted USSR boarder to move west into Poland, and Poland boarder to me over west into Germany Churchill disagreed, but Red army controlled both so not much he could do abt it Roosevelt was unhappy but agreed as Stalin promised not to get involved with Greece
33
What was the context of the war during Yalta?
The allies were winning and met to discuss what would happen once it was over
34
Where did the Yalta conference take place?
Yalta, Crimea (on Soviet land)
35
When did Yalta take place?
Feb 1945
36
Who attended the Yalta conference?
Stalin Roosevelt Churchill
37
What is meant by a Soviet sphere of influence?
When it is made sure that governments in the sphere are not fascist by the USSR
38
Describe the relationships between the leaders at Potsdam.
Truman did not trust Stalin as he believed he was trying to expand the Soviet empire Stalin did not trust Truman as he had not told him abt the a bomb
39
What were the reasons for disagreement at Potsdam?
Stalin was focused on preventing another invasion, whereas Truman was focused on preventing more disagreements/ another war
40
What were the areas of disagreement at Potsdam?
GERMANY: Stalin wanted to cripple Germany, whereas Truman did not want a repeat of the Treaty of Versailles REPARATIONS: Stalin demanded 10 billion dollars from Germany; Truman was trying to avoid a bitter Germany SOVIET POLICY IN EASTERN EUROPE: Stalin saw SSoI as a way of preventing war, whereas Truman saw it as evidence of the empire’s expansion
41
What were the areas of agreement at Potsdam?
De Nazification of Germany De Centralisation De Militarisation of Germany
42
What were 4 main areas of change between Yalta & Potsdam?
1. War over: allies occupied Germany 2. New US President Truman: more fierce 3. Red army occupied most of Eastern Europe 4. US had developed an a bomb
43
Where was Potsdam?
Just outside Berlin —> asserts authority over Germany
44
When was Potsdam?
July/August 1945
45
Who attended Potsdam?
Stalin Roosevelt—assassinated—> Truman Churchill—voted out—> Atley
46
Explain how ideological differences caused divisions between the USSR & US when WW2 ended.
Find in folder, just a thinking question…
47
List some countries that had become Communist by 1972:
East Germany Poland Czechslovakia Hungary Romania China North Vietnam North Korea Yugoslavia Cuba
48
Describe the effect of the a bomb on the USSR.
Truman told Stalin very little abt the weapon, hwvr Stalin probably knee anyway from Soviet spies. This led to intense mistrust and anger as they were now the weakest superpower. The weapon removed the need for Soviet troops to get involved with Japan. A research project began to catch up. This worsened relationships between the superpowers.
49
Describe the effect of the a bomb on the USA.
Clear message that US intended to dominate post war period Gives them edge in negotiations No longer at war with Japan
50
Describe the effect of the a bomb on Britain.
Britain had been involved with the research, development & dropping. Ended the conflict for Br & ending alliance with USSR.
51
Describe the effect of the a bomb on Japan.
6th of August, worlds 1st a bomb dropped on Hiroshima by Enola Gay killing around 70,000 immediately with more dying on alter dates. Three days later, next bomb dropped on Nagasaki further immediately killing another 40,000. Japan issued an unconditional surrender within a week.
52
Describe the effect of the a bomb on superpower relations.
In keeping the weapon secret, Truman added to the idea that the US could not be trusted& angered Stalin. With Truman & Stalin’s new goals, Germany was now made the dividing line between East and West. Atomic age in arms race began.
53
Why was the Iron Curtain speech significant?
Truman was also there on the stage, indicating his support for what Truman was saying.
54
Where was the Iron Curtain speech made & by whom?
At Fulton university (USA) by former English PM Churchill.
55
What were the main ideas of the Iron Curtain speech?
Accusing Stalin of breaking peace by ensuring that countries in Eastern Europe are Communist Dictatorships under totalitarian control
56
How does Stalin respond to the Iron Curtain speech?
He says that the reason the Nazis could invade the USSR was bcs Eastern European governments were hostile towards them.
57
Describe the Long telegram.
a secret support from Americas ambassador in Moscow in 1946 informed that Stalin had given a speech calling for the destruction of Capitalism and that there could be no peace reported USSR building up military power and that they should prepare for war
58
Describe Novikov’s telegram.
sent by the Soviet ambassador to the US in 1946 said that America intended to dominate the world & that they were no longer interested in cooperation reported that US public was being prepared for war and that conflict was inevitable
59
Describe salami tactics:
1. Occupation of the Red Army 2. Removal of faschists 3. Coalition of governments 4. Removal from govs of non-Soviet leading people 5. Election of Soviet friendly govs and leaders
60
Describe communism in France and Italy in 1945.
Both France and Italy had strong communist parties which belonged to cominform.
61
Describe communism in Yugoslava 1945-48.
Marshall Tito had led wartime resistance to the Nazis. He was elected President in 1945. He was determined to apply communism in his own way and was expelled from cominform in 1948.
62
Describe communism in Albania in 1945.
Communists gained power immediately after the war. There was little opposition.
63
Describe communism in Bulgaria in 1945.
A left wing coalition (temp gov) won election in 1945. The communist members of the coalition then executed the leaders of other parties.
64
How does containment demonstrate America’s distrust for the USSR?
US see themselves responsible for peace rather than the UN (USSR part of UN) Clear declaration against communism, thus against the USSR: inability to coexist.
65
What is containment?
Containment refers to the change in US foreign policy in order to stop the SPREAD of communism. The US was prepared to send money, equipment and advice to any country that was, in the American view, threatened by communism.
66
What was cominform?
The communist information bureau set up by Stalin in 1947 to coordinate the work of communist parties in Eastern Europe. Often brought the leaders of Eastern European states to Moscow.
67
What two Eastern European countries were not Communist by the end of 1947?
Greece & Chzechslovakia
68
What were the reasons for American fears that Greece would fall to Communism in 1947?
This would prove that containment was failing. British troops had withdrawn in February 1947.
69
What was the extent of the Soviet threat towards Greece in 1947?
Possibly quite low as Stalin had kept his promise from 1945 that he would not help communists in Greece.
70
What was the American reaction to the threat to Greece in 1947?
Sent supplies and advice to replace Britain as the supporters of the monarchy. Congress agreed to pass the Greece and Turkey Aid bill in March 1947 (400 million dollars)
71
What

History GCSE (6 decks)

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