Cold War - timeline Flashcards
(54 cards)
1
Q
Teheran Conference events
A
november 1943
- Churchill Roosevelt Stalin
- Each leader arrived with different aims
- addressed relations with Turkey and Iran/ operations in Yugoslavia and against Japan/ post-war settlement
- Stalin keen to invade Nazi occupied France- Soviet Red Army only army fighting Nazis on land
- Outcomes:
- US and Uk would invade France and USSR would join US and UK in war against Japan
- once Nazis defeated - Western Allies agreed to open a second front and USSR would launch an offence on their Eastern front at the same time
- Germany would be divided post-war
- Stalin used Roosevelt’s poor health and UK’s declining power to dominate meeting - gained permission to oversee establishment of new govts in EE
- Churchill called Stalin ‘uncle Joe’
- Stalin secretly recorded the meeting to use for own benefit
2
Q
significance of Teheran
A
- each leader arrived with different aims - only united by common enemy
- despite appearance of Grand Alliance as union - mistrust and tension that had been more evident before WW2 remained
- at first UK and US refused to open second front - tension - eventually agreed
- Stalin clearly did not trust others - recorded meeting
- many concessions made set the stage for Cold War - allowing Stalin to take over EE govts
3
Q
Percentages agreement events
A
Oct 1944
- Churchill and Stalin
- Churchill’s aim to limit influence of USSR and uphold that of UK
- Stalin agreed but Red Army’s position allowed hom to take over EE anyway
- discussed various divisions of European countries into spheres of influence
- made public by Churchill later
- Romania - 90% Soviet
- Greece - 90% Western
- Yugoslavia and Hungary - 50%
- Bulgaria - 75% Soviet
4
Q
significance of the Percentages Agreement
A
- dividing up Europe between two powers - shows their division
- Couldn’t agree later on
- anticipation for worsening relations
5
Q
Yalta Conference events
A
Feb 1945
- Stalin Roosevelt Churchill
- goal to shape post-war peace
- plans finalised for occupation of Germany and Berlin - each power allotted its own zone
- set up UN
- Poland was difficult subject - allies only able to come to agreement through ambiguous compromises
- intended to discuss reestablishment of nations of war-torn Europe/Poland territory would be increased from land removed from Germany
- Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan within 3 months of end of WW2
- Roosevelt persuaded Stalin and Churchill to agree to the Declaration on Liberated Europe - committed the govts to carry out emergency measures to assist the liberated states and set up democratically elected govts
6
Q
significance of Yalta
A
- inability to work together/ co-exist - shown by division of Berlin and Germany
- Divisions became apparent - Stalin worried USSR would be outnumbered in UN
- Poland seemed to be success for UK and US - but terms were vague - Stalin could easily manipulate them - democracy meant different things to Stalin vs West
- The Declaration on Liberated Europe became a key text ‘upon which all future accusations of Soviet betrayal and bad faith were made’
- arguments over Poland created tension
- strong relationship between Roosevelt and Stalin became key to maintaining good relations
7
Q
Molotov Truman talks events
A
April 1945
- Truman was rude to Molotov
- less than two weeks post Roosevelt’s death
- incident indicated Truman would take a tougher stance with Soviets
- Truman said Soviets were breaking their agreements and that Stalin needed to keep to his word
- Molotov declared that he had never been asked to in such a manner
- some from the West thought Roosevelt was too soft and naive in his belief that Stalin would cooperate with West post-war
8
Q
significance of Molotov Truman talks
A
- tension between West and East - Truman less willing to cooperate than Roosevelt
- worsened relations
9
Q
end of WW2 against Germany events
A
May 1945
- created power vacuum in Europe - US and USSR both drawn into it
- Germany’s defeat left large areas of Europe without meaningful govt
- traditional forms of govt in Europe been discredited
- left Europe economically devastated
- over 16 million homeless in Europe
- desperate need for reconstruction
- allies no longer united in Grand Alliance by common enemy
10
Q
end of WW2 against Germany significance
A
- power vacuum was catalyst for worsening relations and struggle for overall power in Cold War
- no longer united by common enemy = no reason to cooperate
- Europe economically devastated = attraction of communism
11
Q
Potsdam Conference events
A
17th July - 2nd Aug 1945
- Churchill replaced by Attlee halfway through - cold personality - socialist leader but not communist
Truman replaced Roosevelt
- Stalin determined to move Poland’s frontiers westwards
- gathered to decide how to administrate the defeated Nazi Germany
- wanted to establish post-war order/ peace treaty issues
- agreed on necessary measures for German demilitarisation, denazification and punishment of war criminals
- only able to draw up minimal political and economic guidelines
- allied control council - substitute for German govt
- no agreement over Germany’s reparations - UK and US wanted to rebuild German econ - USSR wanted revenge - wanted to strip it of military and industry - each would take reparations from their zones - USSR upset - their zone least developed
12
Q
significance of Potsdam
A
- all previous trust build was lost - both Western leaders replaced
- tension as Truman tried to dictate the meeting with his power of owning the atomic bomb - first tested on 16th July - Stalin more determined to create a buffer zone and protect/spread communism
- meeting was marked by recriminations and suspicion between the Americans and Soviets
13
Q
atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima events
A
Aug 1945
- immediately killed 80,000
- thousands more died in following weeks from wounds and radiation poisoning
- three days later another bomb dropped on Nagasaki - killing 40,000
- Japan announced surrender
- second objective to demonstrate the new weapon of mass destruction to USSR
- Potsdam ended four days before bombing Hiroshima - Truman hoped the US atomic monopoly might offer diplomatic leverage with Soviets
14
Q
significance of dropping atomic bomb on Hiroshima
A
- tension as Truman tried to dictate Potsdam due to power in atomic bomb
- showed Truman was not willing to work together - instead he wanted to have power over the other leaders
- made Stalin more determined to create buffer zone - USSR’s atomic bomb building programme sped up - arms race began
15
Q
VJ Day - end of war against Japan events
A
2nd Sept 1945
- Japan surrendered unconditionally to the allies - effectively ending WW2
- ‘Victory over Japan Day’
16
Q
significance of VJ Day - end of war against Japan
A
- WW2 finished - focus on arms race
- no reason to maintain Grand Alliance
17
Q
Kennan’s Long Telegram events
A
Feb 1946
- claims USSR ‘should be approached with the same thoroughness and care as solution of major strategic problem in war’ and consequently proposes a Cold War
- no compromises between capitalism and communism
- USSR wants to expand and spread communism throughout the world and must be contained
18
Q
significance of the Long Telegram
A
- provokes speeches by Churchill and Stalin - Stalin paling Churchill Hitler
- clearly established the two superpowers’ rivalry
- proposed war - shows both sides are willing to engage in one
- emphasised the divide between capitalism and communism
19
Q
Iron Curtain speech events
A
5th March 1946
- Churchill claimed that an iron curtain had descended across Europe - separating the East and West
- was poorly received by America - thought it was too rough on the Soviets
- Churchill fears Stalin planned to stir up Revolutions across Europe and win power through revolution rather than military
- called on Western nations to resist USSR
20
Q
significance of Iron Curtain speech
A
- resulted in Stalin publicly denouncing Churchill
- showed fear division between east and west according to Churchill himself - showed he was unwilling to cooperate with USSR
21
Q
Iran Crisis events
A
end of march 1946
- Iran occupied by Britain and USSR in WW2
- by end of war USSR occupied north and UK the south
- USSR said they would hand over their territory by March BUT they didn’t - UK and US united in condemnation of the USSR’s ‘aggressive imperialist policy’
- Azerbaijan created in 1918 by USSR - soviet expansionism
- UK and USSR originally invaded to secure Iranian oil fields + ensure supply lines for soviet forces fighting on the Eastern front
22
Q
significance of the Iran Crisis
A
- led to the final breakdown of Grand Alliance
- Iran crisis showed Britain and US that their fears that USSR was building military power to spread communism were correct
- led to clear division within grand alliance
23
Q
Novikov’s Telegram events
A
sept 1946
- soviet ambassador to US - Novikov - sent a telegram to Moscow summing up his views of the US
- expressed concerns about the way that the US was using its wealth to gain global influence
- argued that the US was acting like an imperialist power
- said that the expansion of the network of the US military bases was a sign that the US govt was planning ‘global domination’
24
Q
significance of Novikov’s Telegram
A
- made Stalin feel threatened by US - needed to act against them and the spread of their influence
- clear division ideologically between capitalism and communism
25
Truman Doctrine events
12th march 1947
- result of political unrest in India, Pakistan and Egypt - UK had to keep many troops in Germany, Italy, Middle East and Asia = expensive
- UK had to end financial military aid to Greece and Turkey - couldn't afford - not good for US because of civi war in Greece
- doctrine designed to prevent communism from spreading to Western Europe - military aid
- Truman Doctrine and Marshall aid were 'two sides of the same walnut'
- demonstrated that the US' priorities were to rebuild Europe and not cooperate with the USSR
- $400 million given to Greece and Turkey in aid
26
significance of Truman Doctrine
- showed Trman's hardline approach to the USSR - worsened their relation - called on the US to act in defence of the 'free world' against communism
- was a clear attempt to contain Communism and showed clear divide between capitalist west and communist east
27
communist control over Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary events
1947
Bulgaria
- communists formed a coalition with Peasants' Party
- '47 Patkov - leader of peasant party was hanged for allegedly plotting a coup
Romania
- rigged elections in '46
- '47 Peasant party dissolved and King Michael forced t abdicate
Hungary
- Communists worked with peasant smallholder's party
- applied salami tactics (Rakosi) - provoking splits and divisions amongst coalition partners who were then accused of being anti soviet or pro fascist
-'47 communists accused leadership of smallholder's party of offences against the Red army and dissolved party - by end of year all other political parties had been abolished
28
significance of communist control over Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary
- all part of Stalin's attempt to create a buffer zone in EE to protect communism from US
- clear point of tension and extremely low relations
- forced elections showed Stalin's determination to beat the capitalist west and create a fully communist EE
29
Bizonia events
jan 1947
- combination and economic unification of UK and US zones and new currency - Deutschmark - to boost econ
- angered Stalin - feared new ideas and currency would spread to USSR zone and undermine his efforts to weaken Germany - introduced Ostmark in East Germany
30
significance of Bizonia
- clear division between US and USSR even within Germany
| - led to Berlin Blockade when people wanted to move to West Germany - humiliating for Stalin
31
Marshall Plan events
- intended to revive capitalism in EE by helping to rebuild shattered war econs
- $13 billion used
- to qualify for aid nations had to commit themselves to free trade
- USSR pressured countries in EE to reject aid - boycotted Paris conference
- Stalin made it clear that EE would not accept dollar imperialism
- led to economic recovery of western zones of Germany and led to creation of West German state outside of soviet sphere of influence
32
significance of Marshall Aid
- led to the emergence of two divided economic areas in Europe - with Comecon
- USSR believed it was an attempt to divide Europe into 'two camps' - saw it was a clear act of rivalry against them
- retaliation of USSR through creation of Comecon and Cominform showed the clear division between the two nations and their unwillingness to cooperate
33
Cominform events
sept 1947
- brought Eastern bloc into closer control of the USSR by tightening regimes
- set up to coordinate communist parties in EE
- soviet response to Truman Doctrine - attempted to provide unity among socialist bloc
- countries in EE expected to fall into line behind soviet foreign policy
- encouraged adoption of soviet model of economic developed - collectivisation and nationalisation of industry - rejected idea that there could be a different 'road to socialism'
- purges for those who did not accept measure from USSR
- Tito (Yugoslavia) was more independant - didn't rely on red army for liberation from nazi occupation - Tito unwilling to follow soviet line - Yugoslavia expelled from Cominform in '48 - further purge of communist party members to remove those suspected of 'titoism'
34
significance of cominform
- clear signifier of separation between to superpowers - USSR brought all communist countries under their control to protect it from the capitalist west
- showed USSR would do everything in their power to act against the US and promote communism in EE
35
changes in Polish govt
oct 1947
- ex-members of polish govt in London who had been allowed into the new coalition govt by Stalin at Yalta were removed from office
- communist secured grip on govt and dissolved other parties
- thousands of non-communists arrested
- Soviet took Poland - took part of East Germany to compensate
- Polish expelled from East German houses
- ethnic cleansing
36
significance of changes in polish govt
- Poland had been cause of major disagreement during Yalta and by soviets claiming Poland would significantly destroy relations between the superpowers
- seizing power in Poland was part of Stalin's grand attempt to create the Eastern bloc - showed his scepticism of capitalism spreading east and power of USSR
37
Czech coup events
feb 1948
- communist party in Czechoslovakia- with soviet backing - assumed undisputed control over the govt - marking the onset of 4 decades of communist rule in the country
38
significance of the Czech coup
- clear marker towards the cold war
- alarmed western countries and helped spur quick adoption of Marshall aid, creation of west Germany, vigorous measures to keep communists out of power n France and Italy, and steps toward mutual security
39
new currency in western zones events
20th june 1948
- Deutsche Mark
- needed to wipe out black marketing to tie Germany to West
- two days after reform - soviets announced their own currency - was to apply to all of their zone and the whole of Berlin
- West opposed to inclusion of Berlin - introduced DM in their sectors
- DM worth more than EG's currency
40
significance of Deautsche Mark
- America's want to separate the two states
| - tension over disputes over use of DM in Berlin
41
Berlin Blockade and Airlift events
24th june 1948
- stalin set up blockade around West Berlin to prevent establishment of a separate state - force allies to change policies or quit Berlin
- Stalin planned to cut off WG from its capital so that the new govt could not control its territory in WG
- hoped divide Germany would not work in practice
- Truman responded with airlift
- initially US committed 70 large cargo planes and airlifted between 600 and 700 tonnes of food and supplies a day - increased to 1000 tonnes a day in a couple of days
42
significance of Berlin Blockade and airlift
- first military confrontation of Cold War
- airlift prevented blockade from succeeding - peaceful response to Stalin's military blockade - leaving him to look highly aggressive
43
Comecon events
jan 1949
- response to Marshall aid
- gave assistance to the socialist economies in EE - worked to advantage of USSR - gained access to economic resources of the region
- provided support for collectivisation and development of heavy industry
- achieved little in early years
- used to encourage economic specialisation with soviet bloc
- caused resentment by Romania - unwarranted interference
44
significance of Comecon
- politically minimised US influence in EE
| - economically ensured that the benefits of economic recovery in EE remained within soviet sphere of influence
45
NATO events
april 1949
- established alliance between US and EE countries - UK, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Greece and WG
- members agreed that is any NATO countries came under attack, all members of NATO would come to their defence
46
significance of NATO
- marshall plan was a trading alliance but NATO went further
- military alliance with specific aim of defending the West against communism
47
end of Blockade events
4th may 1949
- allies announced agreement to end the blockade in 8 days
- lifted one minute after midnight on 12th
- officially ended on 30th sept - after 15 months
48
significance of end of Blockade
- Stalin looks foolish as blockade proved nothing for him
| - US triumphs whilst USSR looks weak
49
federal republic of Germany events
23rd may 1949
- (west germeny) formally established as a separate and independent nation
- many Germans said - hoped for unified Germany
50
significance of Federal Republic of Germany
- marked the effective end to any discussion of reuniting East and West Germany
51
first soviet atomic test
aug 1949
| - in Kazakstan USSR successfully detonates atom bomb
52
significance of first soviet atomic test
- American Nuclear Monopoly was over
| - showed both superpowers were ready for war
53
German democratic Republic
oct 1949
- EG started functioning as soviet state on 7th
- less than 5 months after WG was established
54
significance of German Democratic Republic
- marked end of any talk of reunified Germany
| - 41 years - east and west Germany symbolised a divided world and the cold
