Reasons Flashcards
(24 cards)
Tehran
The Allies’ victory in WW2 was approaching, and the Superpowers needed to plan what would happen in Europe once the war was over.
Yalta
The Superpowers met up to decide what would happen to Germany and the rest of Europe after their assured victory.
Potsdam
- This meeting was needed to discuss and finalise plans, now that Germany had been defeated.
- There was also concerns about the lack of free elections in countries freed from Nazi occupation, as once the Red Army freed a country, they helped set up a communist dictatorship.
The Truman Doctrine
The USA needed a way to fight back against the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe and prevent the USSR from further extending their sphere of influence. Turkey and Greece were also at risk of becoming communist if the USA did not move quickly.
The Marshall Plan
Communism was very attractive to some European countries after WW2, as many were struggling economically, and it seemed like an effective way to build a fairer society. The USA needed to ensure that these countries would not turn to Communism, and so launched the Marshall Plan.
Cominform
Stalin saw the Truman Doctrine as a major threat to Communism, and responded by forming the Communist Information Bureau, known as Cominform.
Comecon
Stalin saw the Marshall Plan as an example of dollar imperialism by the USA, as they used their wealth to try and spread capitalism. He made it clear that Eastern European countries should not accept Marshall aid, and instead created Comecon as an alternative.
Berlin Blockade
It was agreed upon at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences that Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones. Britain, France, and the US invested heavily in their zones, with the USA and Britain eventually merging their zones to form Bizonia. They also introduced a new currency, the Deutsche Mark. The higher standards of living in West Berlin made capitalism look strong and Communism look weak.
The Berlin Airlift
After Stalin blockaded West Berlin, the US and Britain needed a way to ensure the people living there had enough supplies, without giving in to Stalin’s demands or causing a full-out war.
The Hungarian Uprising
Despite only receiving 17% of the vote, the Communist Party took control of the Hungarian government in 1945. Hungary was led by Rakosi, and living standards fell as the economy focused more on building weapons. There was very little freedom of speech, and the secret police kept people in line through fear. However, Khrushchev’s process of destalinisation was seen as an opportunity for reform.
The Berlin Crisis
West Berlin was thriving under Capitalist rule, and, due to the much higher standards of living there, many East Germans crossed into West Berlin as a way of leaving East Germany. Many defectors were highly educate and performed important jobs, causing this refugee crisis to become known as the ‘brain drain.’
The Berlin Wall
After failed negotiations regarding the Berlin ultimatum, Khrushchev needed a way to stop the ‘brain drain’ from East Germany to West Berlin.
The Cuban Revolution
Cuba was ruled by a corrupt and brutal government, led by Batista. Batista became wealthy through his dealings with the US, while the people of Cuba remained poor.
The Bay of Pigs
Castro, the new leader of Cuba, held some left wing political views, which worried the US. They placed a trading embargo on Cuba, but this only lead to Cuba relying on the USSR for oil and loans. Cuba was only 150km from the US coast, and the USA was very worried about the Soviets having a communist ally so close to their shores.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
After the Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuba felt vulnerable, and eager to ally with the USSR. The Soviets now had a Communist ally only 150km away from the US coast, and wanted to put pressure on the USA, and so started building nuclear weapons bases on Cuba.
The Prague Spring
Czechoslovakia had been under Soviet control since 1948. No opposition was permitted, and the press and media were tightly controlled. The people of Czechoslovakia faced many economic problems, and the country’s leader, Novotny, was corrupt and unpopular.
Détente
- Economic reasons - The huge cost of the Cold War meant that standards of living were falling in both the USA and USSR. Both sides were eager to slow the arms race.
- The Vietnam War - The Vietnam war showed that nuclear weapons did not help to win wars, and it caused lots of protests at home which the USA had to contend with. Moreover, it was incredibly expensive for the US.
- Tensions between the USSR and China - These tensions increased when the USA tried to build trust with China, which worried the Soviets, who wanted to be on better terms with West.
- No end in sight - After over 20 years of the Cold War and no end in sight, both sides were more willing to accept the other’s sphere of influence.
- The Nixon Doctrine - Nixon announced that the USA would no longer support its allies militarily, reflecting the immense cost of the Vietnam War. Nixon also sought better relations with the Soviets, and met with Brezhnev several times.
The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
After the revolution in Iran in 1979, Brezhnev worried Soviet Muslims might take similar actions. Afghanistan was important, as it lies between the USSR and the oil rich Middle East. Afghanistan was made very unstable when a Communist, Amin, seized power. He was very unpopular with Afghan Muslims, and his government was opposed by a guerrilla fighting force called the Mujahideen.
President Reagan
The war in Afghanistan showed that the USSR was not committed to détente.
Many voters thought Carter was weak in his dealings with the Soviets.
Reagan was highly critical of the USSR, and promised to take a much tougher approach towards the Soviets.
Reagan’s election marked the start of the ‘second Cold War’.
Gorbachev’s new thinking
Standards of living in the USSR were very poor when Gorbachev came to power, as most industries were using old and outdated machinery, meaning production was slow.
During détente, Eastern Bloc countries had traded with and borrowed money from the West, which they now struggled to pay back.
The Second Cold War and SDI also led to a new arms race, which the USSR could not afford.
The collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe
In the mid 1980s, Gorbachev began loosening his control on Eastern Europe, abandoning the Brezhnev Doctrine and introducing the Sinatra Doctrine, which allowed countries in the Eastern Bloc to rule in their own way, without Soviet interference. Gorbachev hoped this new freedom would help strengthen communism in Eastern Europe, but many were tired of the poor living conditions and limited freedoms, and wanted changed.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Prompted by the Eastern Bloc countries abandoning Communism, demonstrations broke out across East Germany, particularly now that the Sinatra Doctrine meant they were not being so tightly controlled by the Soviets. Gorbachev himself refused to get involved in East Germany’s affairs.
The collapse of the USSR
The end of communist rule in Eastern Europe was a huge blow to the Soviets. The USSR was made up of 15 different republics including Russia, and, inspired by the events in Eastern Europe, many of the non-Russian parts of the USSR began to call for independence.
The end of the Cold War
- Gorbachev - Gorbachev’s attempts at reform and loosening control on the Eastern Bloc led to the abandonment of Communism in Eastern Europe and the undermining of Soviet control.
- The end of the Warsaw Pact - When the USSR’s allies abandoned communism, the USSR was left severely weakened.
- Soviet economic weakness - Standards of living in the USSR were falling, and the economy was struggling; the Soviet government could not keep up with the USA in the arms race.
- The attempted coup - This left Gorbachev in a very weak position, demonstrating just how little control the USSR had left. Gorbachev had little power when Yeltsin declared the USSR would cease to exist.
- Reagan - He increased the pressure on the Soviets by revitalising the arms race, which the Soviets could not hope to win, forcing the USSR to compromise.
- The war in Afghanistan - This was very damaging for the Soviet economy, costing billion, as well as the lives of 15000 Soviet troops. It also made the USSR look weak when Gorbachev withdrew his troops in 1989.
