Origins of the Cold War Flashcards
(37 cards)
When was the Tehran Conference held?
1943
What was agreed?
-Russia could keep land in Eastern Europe including Poland if they won the war
-the United Nations Organisation would be set up after the war
-USA and Britain would invade France by May 1944
-SU would fight war in Japan after Germany was defeated
When was the Yalta Conference held?
February 1945
What was agreed/ disagreed?
- Germany would be split into 4 zones
-allow free elections in countries liberated from German occupation
-Stalin wanted higher figure of German reparations than Churchill or Roosevelt
When was the Potsdam Conference held?
July 1945
What had occurred prior to the conference?
-Roosevelt died- replaced by Truman
-Stalin wanted Soviet-controlled governments in EU
-USA successfully tested atomic bomb- Truman didn’t consult Stalin
-Soviet troops stayed in EU
-Churchill replaced by Atlee
What were the consequences of Potsdam conference?
-Truman began ‘get tough’ policy against Stalin (didn’t want democratic elections in the countries liberated from the Nazis)
-ideological differences between East and West became more pronounced
How did the Soviet Union expand influence after WW2?
-established satellite states by 1948- justified as a buffer zone preventing further invasion
-rigged elections to ensure that Soviet-controlled Communist parties took over in EU
What was the Long Telegram?
-George Kennan (US’ deputy chief of mission at US embassy in Moscow)
-recommended firm action against Soviet expansion
-intercepted by SU
What consequence did the Long Telegram have?
-greatly influenced Truman’s policy of Containment (US policy to use influence and military resources to prevent spread of Communism)
What was the Novikov telegram?
-written by Soviet ambassador in retaliation to the US: accused them of trying to achieve world dominance
When did Truman begin his policy of containment (the Truman doctrine) ?
1947
What were the consequences of the Truman Doctrine?
-helped Greek government defeat Communists
-tension increased as Churchill’s Iron Curtain was becoming more of a political truth: doctrine was evident of differing ideologies and the lengths they would go to reinforce them
How did Truman back up his policy of Containment?
The Marshall Plan-1947
Why was the Marshall Plan introduced?
-Truman believed countries were most vulnerable to Communism in a state of poverty
-wanted to help these countries recover economically
What were the consequences of the Marshall Plan?
-by 1953, USA had provided $17 billion of aid to rebuild economies
-Stalin accused Truman of fulfilling his own selfish needs- by dominating Europe, the US would be more relied on boosting the US economy
When was Cominform set up?
1947
What did it do?
-enabled SU to co-ordinate Communist parties in Europe
-response to Truman Doctrine
-ensured that Stalin’s satellite states followed Soviet aims in foreign policy
When was Comecon established?
1949
What was it?
-Soviet response to Marshall Plan
-means by which SU could financially support countries in Eastern Europe
-trade between Capitalist countries was banned to ensure that goods were kept in the SU
When was the first Berlin Crisis?
1948-49
What caused the Berlin Blockade?
-in 1948, Britain, France and America merged their zones in Germany and Berlin to form Trizonia
-created a new currency: allowed trade between the four countries
What was Stalin’s response to Trizonia?
-blocked off road, rail and canal transport in an attempt to starve West Berlin which was in the Soviet zone of Germany
How did Truman respond to the blockade?
-airlifted supplies into Berlin: began in 28th June in 1948 and lasted 10 months
-between June 1948 and May 1929, 1,000 tonnes of resources were flown in
