Origins of the Cold War Flashcards
(28 cards)
What were the three conferences at the start of the Cold War and what year were they in?
The Tehran Conference, 1943
The Yalta Conference, Feb 1945
The Potsdam Conference, July 1945
What were the key points in the Tehran Conference, 1943?
In the Tehran conference a second front was agreed to be opened with the invasion of France in 1944. After the war a United Nations would be set up and the Soviet Union would join the war with Japan. Poland’s post-war borders would add an area of eastern Poland to the USSR.
What were the key points in the Yalta Conference, Feb 1945?
Agreements: USSR would join war with Japan, UN would be set up, division of Germany and Berlin into 4 zones, free elections and aid to countries liberated from German occupation.
Disagreements: Stalin wanted higher reparations from Germany but Roosevelt and Churchill did not want another Treaty of Versailles situation. Stalin wanted Polish border further west and a “friendlier” government but agreed to free elections.,
What were the key points in the Potsdam Conference, July 1945?
Agreements: To divide Germany and Berlin into 4 zones, Germany to pay reparations in equipment and materials, full participation in the United Nations, De-Nazification - Nazis on trial for war crimes, to move Poland’s border west along the Oder and Neisse rivers.
Disagreements: Truman wanted free elections in Eastern European countries occupied by the Soviet Union - Stalin did not, Stalin wanted massive compensation from Germany whereas Truman wanted a revived Germany as a potential buffer to Soviet expansion.
Truman informed Stalin about the US’s successful atomic bomb test.
What was the Long Telegram, when was it and what were the consequences?
The Telegram: George Kennan was the USA’s Deputy Chief of Mission at the US embassy in Moscow. He saw the Soviet Union as aggressive and suspicious, recommending firm action against Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe.
When: 1946
Consequences: his telegram greatly influenced Truman’s policies in the Cold War, especially his policy of containment.
What was the Novikov Telegram, when was it and what were the consequences?
The Telegram: The USSR knew about the Long Telegram so in September 1946 they retaliated with a telegram sent to Stalin by Novikov, the Soviet Ambassador in the US.
When: September 1946
Consequences: hardened Stalin’s attitudes towards the USA and worsened relations.
What is a buffer zone?
An area between countries to stop one advancing on another.
What is a country’s sphere of influence?
An area where one country can exert its control and influence on others.
What is a satellite state?
A country controlled or influenced by another.
Between 1945 and the end of July 1947, how did Stalin expand the Soviet sphere of influence? What were the main methods and what countries did he use them on?
- Set up coalition governments where communists shared power with other political parties.
- Backed by Stalin, communists took over media, civil service, security and defence.
- Opposition leaders arrested or forced to flee.
- Elections were held but fixed to ensure communist support.
- “People’s Democracies” were set up.
Poland: 1, 4, 3
Romania: 1, 2
Hungary: 2
Bulgaria: 4
Czechoslovakia: 2, 3
What was the Iron Curtain speech?
In March 1946, Churchill made a speech in the USA, famously stating ‘an iron curtain has descended across the continent of Europe’. The Iron Curtain becoming an imaginary line separating the communist East and the capitalist West.
What is containment, what is The Truman Doctrine and what were its consequences?
Containment is the idea of stopping the spread of communism into non-communist countries.
The Truman Doctrine - 1947 - was a policy of containment where the USA would use their economic and military strength to prevent the spread of communism.
Consequences: Greek government able to defeat communists thanks to financial aid. USA became committed to containment and far more involve in European affairs. The rivalry between USA and USSR increased - Truman publicly stating the world was divided by 2 ways of life. The USA created the Marshall Plan, motivated by self interest to create new markets for US goods and sway the countries towards capitalism. In 1947 Stalin set up Cominform to link communist parties in common action.
What is the Marshall Plan and what were its consequences?
The Marshall Plan, 1947, originally the Organisation of European Economic Recovery, was created because the USA decided to provide financial aid to boost European economy as well as sway the countries towards capitalism because countries suffering from economic problems, unemployment and poverty were more susceptible to communism. Europe was expected to buy US goods and the USA offered money, equipment and goods to states willing to work with them.
Consequences: 16 countries set up the Organisation for European Economic Recovery (OEEC). By 1953, $17 billion provided by USA to rebuild economies and raise standards of living. US machinery helped factories recover and US advisors helped to rebuild transport systems. Stalin was originally involved but withdrew because he didn’t want to show how weak the USSR’s economy was. Stalin prevented Eastern European countries from getting involved. Stalin accused the US of using the plan to dominate Europe and boost its own economy.
Why was Cominform created and what was it?
Created in 1947 in response to The Truman Doctrine, Cominform was the Communist Information Bureau and was set up to enable the USSR to co-ordinate Communist parties throughout Europe. It was introduced to ensure that the states in Eastern Europe followed Soviet aims in foreign policy.
Why was Comecon created and what was it?
Created in1949 in response to the Marshall Plan, The Council for Mutual Assistance (Comecon) was founded as a way for the Soviet Union to financially support countries in Eastern Europe. In reality it was used by the Soviet Union to control the economies of these states.
What were the short term causes of the Berlin Crisis 1948-1949?
What were the long term causes of the Berlin Crisis 1948-1949?
Short term causes: Jan 1947, US and British zone merged to make Bizonia - Stalin fought they were trying to make a new country of West Germany. July 1948, new currency introduced in Bizonia to replace the discredited Mark. Stalin saw a strong West Germany as a threat and believed if he threatened the allies in West Berlin they would stop their plans. May 1948, the Allies announced plans to form West Germany.
Long term causes: USSR ensured Communist party took control of their zone but failed to secure control of Berlin due to a socialist majority, backed by the West. The West wanted to speed up economic recovery whereas the USSR wanted a weak Germany so refused trade with other zones. The West allowed access to Berlin via road, rail, canal and air. Stalin realised capitalism would be on show to the East in Berlin. West determined to stay in Berlin to see past the Iron Curtain.
What were the events of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift 1948-49?
24th June 1948, Stalin accused the West of interfering with the Soviet zone and cut off all road, canal and rail traffic in an attempt to starve West Berlin and force the allies to abandon their plans to split Germany.
28th June 1948, the biggest airlift in history began. The airlift continued continuously for 10 months, by September 4600 tons of supplies (coal and food) flown a day. Planes landed at the 3 airports on 90 second intervals.
16-17 April 1949, 13000 tons flown in in 24 hours.
12 May 1949 Stalin called off the Blockade.
What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade 1948-49?
The division of Germany became permanent, the Western Allies merged zones in May 1949 to form the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Stalin responded in October 1949 with the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Truman saw it as a great victory standing up to the USSR whereas for Stalin it was a humiliating defeat. Led to the Arms Race - both sides focusing on building conventional and nuclear weapons. USA decided to stay in in West Germany long term to protect it. NATO signed in April 1949.
Why was NATO set up, what is NATO and what were the consequences of it?
NATO was set up as a result of the Berlin Blockade, which proved to Truman that without the USA, the West could not stand up to the USSR.
In April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was signed with its main purpose to oppose Soviet expansion.
Consequences: The USA committed to the defence of Western Europe. Stalin believed it was aimed at the Soviet Union and within 6 years, the USSR set up the Warsaw Pact as a response to West Germany joining NATO, 9th May 1955. Europe was divided into a state of permanent hostility between two superpowers.
Why was The Warsaw Pact set up, what is The Warsaw Pact and what were the consequences of it?
The Warsaw Pact was set up in response to West Germany joining NATO on the 9th May, 1955.
The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance of 8 nations headed by the Soviet Union and was designed to counter the threat of NATO.
Consequences: It increase the rivalry between the East an West and intensified the Arms Race. It played an important role in the Czechoslovakian Crisis of 1968 - Prague Spring.
How did the Cold War reach boiling point between 1949 and 1961
4th April 1949 NATO was signed.
1949 USSR develops its own atomic bomb. Intimidated, the USA starts work on the Hydrogen Bomb.
1953 USA tests Hydrogen Bomb. Stalin’s death.
1955 Warsaw Pact created.
1956 Feb Khrushchev’s “secret speech” to the Soviet Congress.
1957 USSR launches Sputnik - accelerating the arms race.
1958 President Eisenhower founded NASA, USA increased missile spending by 20%.
1959 USA places nuclear missiles in Turkey.
1960 American U-2 plane shot down over USSR. The pilot was captured and interrogated. USSR demanded apology but Eisenhower refused.
1961 USSR constructs the Berlin Wall.
When did Stalin die, who replaced him, and what was there attitude towards Stalin?
Stalin died in 1953 and was replaced Khrushchev in 1955, after a power struggle, who denounced and criticised Stalin’s leadership.
What is destalinisation?
Destalinisation was the process of removing Stalin’s policies. It was “announced” at a “secret speech” given to the Soviet Congress in February 1956. Khrushchev wanted to move away from controlling with fear and terror.
What were the causes of the Hungarian Uprising, 1956?
The Hungarian economy was controlled by Comecon meaning they could not trade with the West or get aid from the Marshall Plan, and were forced to trade on uneven terms with the USSR.
The US Secretary of State, john Foster Dulles said “You can count on us”, which was interpreted as a sign the USA would support them against the USSR if help were ever needed.
Rakosi was the brutal dictator of Hungary, known as the “Bald Butcher” and used terror and brutality to keep control, killing an estimated 2000 people. The secret police became a hated and dreaded part of life. Rakosi was backed by Stalin and imprisoned the head of the Catholic Church for life in 1949.
June 1956, as a result of Khrushchev’s De-Stalinisation policy, people began to protest against Rakosi’s regime. He was replaced by his close friend, Erno Gero, who was also not popular.
October 1956, Victim’s of Rakosi’s purges re-buried.
