history cold war Flashcards

1
Q

What was the cominform?

A

An alliance of European communist parties to help plan and work together to spread Stalins ideas

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2
Q

What was the comecon in 1949?

A

It was a direct reaction to the Marshall Plan and was set up to coordinate the production and trade of Eastern European communist countries

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3
Q

What was the significance of the arms race in 1949?

A

Lead to the fear of MAD as each side now had enough weapons to destroy the world many times over

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4
Q

What was Krushchevs Berlin Ultimatum in 1958?

A

It was to give the Western Powers six months to agree to withdraw from Berlin to make it a free and demilitarised city

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5
Q

What was the Prague Spring in 1968?

A

For 4 months in Czechoslovakia, they broke free from Soviet rule and allowed a freedom of speech and removed some state controls

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6
Q

In Gorbachevs new thinking in 1988, what were glasnost and perestroika?

A

Glasnost- be more ‘open’ and honest when dealing with the West, Perestroika- reducing military spending (ending arms race) to rebuild Soviet state

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7
Q

What was the significance of the fall of the Berlin wall?

A

Massively symbolic of the end of the Cold war and communism- stopped the dominant symbol of the ‘Iron Curtain’

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8
Q

Which 3 counties formed the Grand Alliance, when was it formed and who were their leaders?

A

1941- Britain (Churchill) , USA (Roosevelt), USSR (Stalin)

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9
Q

What year did USA and USSR join WW2?

A

1941

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10
Q

Sum up the Tehran conference and when it was held

A

Nov-Dec 43
USA+ Britain invade germany
USSR at war with Japan once Germany defeated
Boundaries of Poland change
International body created

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11
Q

Sum up the Yalta Conference and when was it

A

Feb 45
Germany reduced, demilitarised and pay money
Europe would be rebuilt + democratic elections
UN set up

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12
Q

Sum up Potsdam conference and when did it happen

A

July- August 45
Council of foreign ministers set up
Nazi party banned
War criminals prosecuted
Germany and Berlin split up and run by France, USSR, USA and Britain

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13
Q

How did Roosevelt’s death increase tension between the US and the Soviet Union?

A

Truman was suspicious of Stalin because he broke promise over Poland
They were supposed to include different political parties but only include communism

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14
Q

What are 4 reasons that ended the Grand Alliance?

A

Truman replacing Roosevelt
Britain was economically exhausted after ww2
USA dropped atomic bombs on Japan which gave huge military advantage
No longer had common enemy to fight

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15
Q

What was capitalists main criticism of communism (USSR and USA)?

A

It trampled on individual freedom and made everyone serve the state

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16
Q

What were the 6 satellite states and what happened to them?

A

Bulgaria
Romania
Poland
Hungary
Czech
East Germany
Russia forced them to become one party communist states

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17
Q

Describe how Stalin was able to gain control of Eastern Europe between 1945 and 1950

A

Establishing 7 one party states
Set up comecon and cominform

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18
Q

What was the domino theory?

A

Truman was concerned that communism would spread across Europe and the middle east because counties were to poor to fight out eg Greece and Turkey

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19
Q

What were the 4 reasons for the Truman doctrine and when was it?

A

1947
Countries faced choice between cap and com
Communism was bad because people couldn’t be free
USA must try contain spread of communism
USA should provide money and troops so there’s not a communist takeover

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20
Q

What was the link between the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan?

A

Truman Doctrine was Truman’s speech about why USA should get involved and the plan was how they were going to do it

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21
Q

Name 4 points in the marshall plan

A

13 billion dollars from USA to help rebuild Europe
Giving people stake in capitalist system
Countries had to trade with USA to get the money
16 Western European countries took the same

22
Q

3 consequences of T Doctrine and M plan?

A

Western European countries recovered economically
Formation of NATO
Led to Berlin Blockade

23
Q

Explain why USA hoped marshall plan would combat spread of communism

A

Western europe’s economy recovered
Living standards improve
Reducing support for communist parties

24
Q

Explain what the iron curtain was?

A

A metaphorical divide between communist Eastern Europe led by Russia and capitalist western Europe which was run by America

25
Q

What was NATO, when was it set up and who was in it?

A

North Atlantic treaty organisation set up in 1949 made up of US, Britain, Canada, Holland, Belgian, France, Denmark, Norway and West Germany

26
Q

What was NATOs opposition on the other side of the iron curtain?

A

The Warsaw Pact made in 1955 which gave the Soviet Union direct control over the satellite states

27
Q

What was the Berlin Blockade?

A

Soviet Union wanted Germany to be weak, communist and divided so they closed all road, rail and canal links into West Berlin blocking all supplies and aiming to force British, French and US troops out

28
Q

What was the Berlin Blockade?

A

Soviet Union wanted Germany to be weak, communist and divided so they closed all road, rail and canal links into West Berlin blocking all supplies and aiming to force British, French and US troops out which led onto the formation of NATO

29
Q

What was the Berlin airlift?

A

Western power response to Berlin Blockade where they flew in thousands of tonnes of supplies to Western Berlin

30
Q

What was the FRG and GDR?

A

FRG- federal republic of Germany (west- capitalist)
GDR- german democratic republic (east-communist)

31
Q

What are the 4 key dates in the nuclear arms race?

A

1945- USA drops two atomic bombs on japanese cities
1949- USSR tests first atomic bomb
1952- USA develops hydrogen bomb
1953- USSR develops hydrogen bomb

32
Q

Explain why the nuclear arms race was a significant development

A

Raises tensions between the superpowers as both feared that the other would gain an advantage which forced them to develop their nuclear weapons and missile systems

33
Q

Why was the Warsaw pact a significant development?

A

Gave soviet union control of eastern europe and its satellite states - which increased their military power

34
Q

Who was Nagy and what did he want to do?

A

President of Hungary
Leave Warsaw pact and become neutral
Hold free elections
UN protection from Soviet Union

35
Q

When was the Hungarian uprising and why did it happen?

A

1956
Stalin had died and Hungary had suffered a lot under Stalin’s rule
Matyas Rakosi was a brutal ruler There was poor harvest and bread shortages

36
Q

What was the result of the Hungarian Uprising in 1956?

A

Krushchev appointed Imre Nagy as a more liberal prime minister for Hungary

37
Q

What was the result of Nagy as prime minister?

A

He bought in liberal reforms but Krushchev didn’t like the reforms and so invaded Hungary in 1956 with troops- which provoked a strong reaction in the west

38
Q

What were the consequences of the Soviet invasion of Hungary?

A

5000 Hungaries killed
1000 Soviets died
Nagy was arrested tried and executed
Kadar was appointed who introduced a 15 point program to re-establish communism

39
Q

What did the ruling of Kadar result in?

A

Better living standards for Hungary

40
Q

What was the international reactions to the Soviet invasion of Hungary?

A

UN condemned Soviets decision
Some countries boycotted 1956 Olympics
USA supported Hungary with money and medical aid and accepted 80 refugees
USA couldn’t send troops due to the risk of nuclear war

41
Q

Why did the 4 summit meetings between 1959-61 take place?

A

Soviet control in east germany wasn’t going well but they knew they couldn’t start a war so they held summit meetings based on Krushchevs berlin ultimatum

42
Q

What was Krushchevs Berlin Ultimatum in November 1958?

A

That all Berlin belonged to east germany and that troops must leave Berlin within six months

43
Q

Describe the 4 summit meetings between USA and Soviet over the future of Berlin?

A

Geneva- may 59- no solution agreed
Camp David- september 59- no solution agreed
Paris Summit- may 60- disaster- Krushchev walked out of
Vienna- june 61- neither willing to back down

44
Q

What is the Bay of Pigs incident in April 61?

A

CIA told Kennedy to invade Kennedy to overthrow Castro but make it look like a Cuban revolt but it failed because the planes were recognised of US and Castro knew of the invasion

45
Q

What was the impact of the Bay of Pigs?

A

Broke USA and Cuba relationship
Castro announced himself as a communist
Cuba and USSR started building closer ties

46
Q

Consequences of the cuban missile crisis?

A

Krushchev resigned in 1964
Demonstrated risk of nuclear war and MAD- leading to arms control agreements
Outer space treaty and partial test ban treaty

47
Q

What were 3 consequences of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

A

Carter doctrine was introduced
The end of SALT 2
Boycott of the Moscow Olympics

48
Q

What was the Carter Doctrine introduced in 1980?

A

Threatened to use force if USSR attempted to take control of the Persian Golf
USA imposed economic sanctions- no trade with Soviet Union
USA provided assistance to the Mujahideeen

49
Q

What was SALT 1 that was introduced in 1972?

A

Placed a cap on what different types of missiles could be made by USA and USSR- no new ICBMs and SLBMs could be made

50
Q

Was SALT 1 effective?

A

It slowed down arms race and ensured that neither side had an advantage in nuclear weapons but it did not cover intermediate nuclear weapons

51
Q

What was the Helinski conference and why was it important?

A

Representatives from 35 counties agreed on security issues, cooperation, human rights and borders which helped the USA and USSR build a stable relationship but the USSR continued to focus on Eastern blocks and apply the Breshnev Doctrine

52
Q

Why did SALT 2 fail in 1979?

A

Because the US chose not to ratify the agreement/ treaty in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan