The Origins of the Cold War Flashcards
What are the qualities of the capitalist ideology?
- Free markets are morally good and necessary.
- Capitalism is fuelled by a desire for profit for capitalists.
- Capitalism should be spread so new markets can be opened.
- The development of enlightenment ideas concerning liberty is highly important and valued.
- Private property is one of the most important rights an individual has.
What the qualities of a communist ideology?
- The belief that historical trends towards communism.
- The desire that communism should be spread.
- Marxist ideas are kept as a foundation of the communist ideology.
- Revolutions are said to be necessary for historical development.
- The belief that class conflict is the source of all conflict.
What is the difference between the communist and capitalist governments in 1945?
- (Capitalism) There are several political parties representing different sectors - There is one state party. (Communism)
- (Capitalism) Free speech and free press is paramount - There is mass censorship. (Communism)
- (Capitalism) Freedoms are paramount - Obedience to the state is paramount. (Communism)
- (Capitalism) Private businesses and resources- Businesses and resources are owned by the state. (Communism)
- (Capitalism) There is a democratic government in place (elections) - There is no option for election. (Communism)
What is a sphere of influence?
A country or area in which another country has power or believes it should have the power to affect developments although it has no authority.
What is a buffer zone?
An area of territory outside but adjacent to the boundaries of a state under its control that acts as geographic and military barrier in the event of war.
Why did Stalin want a buffer zone after WWII ended?
Stalin wanted a buffer zone because of:
Protection - Stalin wanted a barrier (of countries that is) in between Russia and Western Europe (Which was mostly comprised of anti countries like France and Spain) - for there has been a history of invasions (from Western Europe) into Russia in the past. Stalin wanted to prevent any more invasions.
Paranoia - Russia also wanted to keep an eye on (and control) its former enemies in World War II - Russia had enemies in Germany, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia (All these countries made up Russia’s buffer zone).
Ideology - Stalin wanted to spread communist ideology in other countries.
Economy - To secure resources from its controlled buffer zone countries so Russia could rebuild after WWII.
Why - Stalin had a huge distrust of other countries - especially Western ones.
When was the Yalta Conference? Who was there?
The Yalta Conference took place in February 1945. The Big Three (Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin) met in the USSR at Yalta to discuss the future of Europe.
When was the Potsdam Conference? Who was there?
The Potsdam Conference took place in July 1945 in Potsdam - just outside Berlin. Attlee (Who replaced Churchill midway), Truman and Stalin.
What were the outcomes of the Yalta Conference?
The outcomes of the Yalta Conference were:
- Germany would be divided temporarily into four zones of occupation; the USSR, Britain, France and the USA would each control a zone.
- Berlin, Germany’s capital, was deep inside the Soviet zone and it too was divided into four zones, each controlled by one of the allied powers.
- All countries freed from Nazi control were guaranteed the right to hold free elections and choose their own governments. However, Stalin was a “sphere of influence” over Eastern Europe.
- Stalin promised to join the war against Japan, once Germany was defeated.
- All the leaders made a commitment to hunt down Nazi war criminals.
- The Allies agreed to the setting up of the United Nations, an organisation with the objective of ensuring international cooperation and preventing future wars.
When was the first nuclear bomb dropped? Where?
On the 6th of August 1945, the USA dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
When and where did the USA drop the second atomic bomb?
On the 9th of August 1945, the USA dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki - Japan.
How powerful was the blast of the first atomic bomb - Statistics.
The first bomb’s blast devasted an area of five square miles, destroying more than 60 percent of the city’s buildings and killing around 140,000 people.
How many people were killed when the USA dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki?
The atomic bomb killed around 74,000 people in Japan.
Why did the USA drop the bombs on Japan? What was the USA’s justification for dropping the bombs?
The official US justification for the dropping of the two atomic bombs was to force the Japanese government to surrender - which it did on 14 August 1945.
There is no doubt though, that Stalin saw the dropping of the atomic bombs as a threat to the USSR rather than Japan and since Stalin was already made aware of the atomic bomb - For Truman had already told him at Potsdam, some historians argue that the USA wanted to further scare the USSR by dropping the bombs. However, it could also be said that Stalin just misread the intention behind the dropping of the bombs.
Nevertheless, after Potsdam, Stalin began to develop his own nuclear weapons - which prompted an arms race.
How did the USA’s dropping of the bomb impact world relations?
Whatever the intention, the USA had changed the nature of warfare and international relations. For the remainder of the Cold War, the threat of atomic weapons and nuclear war would be a constant theme.
Stalin’s reaction to the dropping of the atomic bomb was to instruct his diplomats to take a firm position against the West. In February 1946, Stalin gave his “Bolshoi speech” which accused America of using its atomic advantage to spread its control.
