P1: Truman and postwar America Flashcards
(43 cards)
What was the Yalta Conference?
- Feb 1945
- WW2 meeting of the heads of gov. of US, UK and Soviet Union
- Discuss postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe
Name 3 agreements made at the Yalta Conference (Feb, 1945)
- Germany divided into four sectors of occupation- America, Soviet, British and French
- Roosevelt wanted Soviet aid in war against Japan, offered Stalin economic concession in China
- Agreed UN would keep peace in postwar world
Name 3 sources of tension at the Yalta conference (Feb, 1945)
- Berlin lay within Soviet sector but would be divided into 4 zones
- As they fought their way into Berlin, Soviet forces promoted Communism in Poland. When discussing this at Yalta, Stalin promised Poland’s Communist gov would hold democratic elections - he lied.
The atomic bomb- America, reluctantly shared knowledge of the development of the atomic bomb to Britain and tried to hive it from Soviets
When did Roosevelt die?
April 12, 1945
What was the Potsdam Conference?
- July-August 1945
- US, UK, Soviet Union
- Three leading allies planning postwar peace
Name 2 Agreements made at the Potsdam Conference (July- August 1945)
- 5 Ds- demilitarization, deindustrialisation, decentralisation, denazification, and democratisation of Germany
- Stalin confirmed he would join the war against Japan 3 months after the defeat of Germany
Name 2 sources of tension at the Potsdam conference (July- August 1945)
- Stalin ignored Truman and Churchill’s opposition of the imposition of Communism in Poland
- Unaware of Soviet spying capabiltiies, Truman informed Stalin that the US had successfully tested a new weapon.
When did the US drop atomic bombs on Japan?
6th and 9th August 1945
How was Japan a source of tension in 1945?
- US worked to exclude soviets from peace agreements with Japan
- Stalin viewed Trump’s America as an economic and military giant, far more powerful than the war torn Soviet Union
Give 5 reasons Truman gave for using the bomb on Japan
- Hiroshima was strong militairy base, dropped it here to prevent killing of civilians
- Revenge for Pearl Habor- Japan attacked America without warning and disobeyed international law
- Shorten the agony of war
- Used it to bring about the surrender of Japan
- Bombed an untouched city to show full potential of the bomb
(excerpt from the public statement by President Truman)
What was Pearl Harbour?
- Surprise militairy attack on US naval base at pearl harbour by the Japanese
- 1941
- WHY?- US had been pressuring Japan to halt its militairy expansion in Asia
- wanted to buy themselves time so US could not interfere with their plans
What were salami tactics?
- used by Stalin to spread communism to Eastern Europe
- a series of many small actions to produce a larger result that would be difficult to perform all at once
How did Stalin use salami tactics to spread Communism to Eastern Europe?
- imprisoned rival leaders
- communists in coalitions
- forced non-communists to exile
- abolished monarchy in Romania
- execute leaders of other parties
- won elections
- banned other parties
Give 3 reasons why Stalin wanted to spread Communism to Eastern Europe?
- Wanted to use eastern bloc as a buffer zone to protect themselves from Western Europe
- To have a bigger sphere of influence- more power
- To spread Communism- world domination
Why were the British and American governments so opposed to Stalin spreading Communism?
- losing allies, gaining enemies
- Communist takeover would mean the governments would lose their power
- Conflicting ideologies- would make international relations more difficult for the US
Who was George Kennan?
- 1904-2005
- US diplomat
- US ambassador in Moscow
What was George Kennan’s long telegram?
- Stalin made 1946 speech declaring Communism and Capitalism as incompatible, said another war was inevitable
- Feb 1946- Kennan sent telegram to secretary of State urging US resistance to communism
- Byrnes called Kennan’s analysis ‘excellent’
Give a quote from George Kennan’s ‘long telegram’. 1946
‘The USSR still lives in an antagonistic ‘Capitalist encirclement’ with which in the long run there can be no permanent coexistence’
What was the Truman Doctrine?
1947
Pledge that the US would give aid to any country threatened by Communism
Give a brief timeline of the Greek Civil War
1944- 1949
- fought in 2 stages (1944-45) (1946-49)
1944- Britain liberated Greece from Nazi control, established unstable coalition government- monarchist v communist
1945- war begins, Monarchists supported by Britain, they win. Greek communist party disbanded.
1946- Communist party reforms and begins the second stage of the Greek civil war.
Early 1946- Britain withdraws- war too expensive
March 1947- Truman Doctrine announced, US supported Greece with $300 million
1949- Communists defeated, civil war ends.
What was the Turkish Straits crisis?
1946- USSR intimidates Turkey through increase in naval presence in black sea in 1946
USSR wanted co-control of the straits with Turkey so it could freely access mediterranean
Turkey asked for US support
Truman promised $100 million and sent US naval task force
What was the Marshall Plan (1948) ?
- Truman and Marshall (secretary of State) considered Western Europe as vunerable to Communsit insurgence after WW2
- US would supply financial aid to European economies to support recovery
- $13 billion overall
Give evidence that the Marshall Plan(1948) was a success
By 1950, participating countries had exceeded their pre war production levels
What was Comecon?
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
1949-1991
Soviet Union giving aid to Communist countries
