1) Origins of the Cold War to 1945

Question 1

What was the October Revolution 1917?

Answer 1

When the Bolshevik party (led by Lenin) siezed power of Russia’s capital.

Question 2

How did the October Revolution 1917 add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 2

• Once the Bolsheviks siezed power USA and Russia began to clash (after a brief allyship) as their ideologies differed
• USA, GB, and France belived in slef determination and free trade.

Question 3

What was the Intervention in the Russian Civil War?
1918-22

Answer 3

• Once Bolsheviks came to power they had to keep it, and fight ‘the whites’ who were supported by Britain, France, USA and Japan
• France and USA pulled out in 1919, GB in 1920, and Japan in 1922

Question 4

How did intervention in the Russian Civil War add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 4

• Increased foreign suspicions of soviets
• Showed USSR extent to which west would oppose them, and communism

Question 5

What was the Comintern?
1919

Answer 5

1919 the comintern was founded at a congress in Moscow. It advcated world communism, led by the USSR

Hungary, Poland joined etc

Question 6

How did the Comintern add to the deteriorating relations?

Answer 6

Number of communist revolutions across Europe. Hysteria in USA grew.

Question 7

What was the Russo-Polish war?
1920-21

Answer 7

Russia wanted to extend its border with Poland 100 miles to the Curzone line. Poland said no, and invaded Russia taking a lot of land.1920 Bolsheviks pushed france to Warsaw. 1921 Poland signed the treaty of Riga

Question 8

How did the Russo-Polish war add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 8

Poland became geographically cut off from Europe. Finland, Estonia, latvia and lithuania formed and helped to block Poland into a cordon sanitaire, to block the spread of communism and force the relationship with russia to deteriorate

a zone which prevents the spread of communism.

Question 9

What was socialism in one country?
1928

Answer 9

After ideas of revolution were left behind, consolidating socialism became the USSR’s priority. Lenin adopted socialism in one country in 1928, and Russia developed industrially, so it can defend itself.

Question 10

How did socialism in one country add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 10

USSR continued to support western communist groups in the comintern, but mainly focused on its development alone. No relations particularly deteriorated.

Question 11

What was Stalin’s foreign policy against Hitler?
1933-38

Answer 11

Due to their opposing ideologies Lenin felt they had to combat Germany. In 1934 USSR joined the LON. In 1935 Stalin signed a pact with france and Czech, to close military co-operation against Germany. 1936 Stalin intervened in the Spanish civil war against Ger and Italian nationalists. 1938 Stalin was ready to oppose Hitler’s threat to invade Czech, but was not needed.

Stalin became connected with Europe to oppose Germany, and nationalism

Question 12

How did Stalin’s foreign policy against Hitler add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 12

USSR improved relations with France and GB, but France still had suspicions. USSR positively developed relations with Europe because of the LON. Relations deteriorated with Ger, USSR opposed Ger publically. But USSR not invited to Munich conference showed GB, France and Ger would work together without USSR.

Question 13

What was the Munich agreement? 1938

Answer 13

September 29th-30th Ger, Italy, GB and France signed the Munich agreement, stating that czech must give its border regions and defences to Ger

Question 14

How did the Munich agreement add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 14

Used purely to appease Hitler. The USSR offered their military support but were ignored by the allies, deteriorating relations as USSR treated poorly. Czech relations with allies deteriorated as they were forced to agree.

Question 15

What were the Anglo-French negotiations?
1939

Answer 15

March 1933, Ger took over the whole of czech. April GB and France began negotiations with Stalin against Ger. These were difficult as there was mutual distrust between all involved. USSR thought they had the right to intervene with small state affairs on its western border if under Nazi threat. Aug 17th negotiations broke down after questioning how to secure Poland’s consent for a red army tunnel. Poland rejected.

Question 16

How did Anglo-French negotiations add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 16

All nations deeply mistrusted each other. Negotiations were futile and relationship between GB, France and USSR deteriorated rapidly. USSR frustrated.

Question 17

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
1939

Answer 17

• Hitler thought that he would always ally with Poland. But when Poland accepted the Anglo-French guarentee, Hitler had to look for new allies.
• He was advised to join in a temporary pact with USSR which he did.
• A non-agression pact was signed on the 24th August, also outlining spheres of interest for each nation.
• USSR wanted baltic states and Bessarebia, but Poland interested them both
• 1st sept Ger invaded Poland, 17th sept
• By October Poland was defeated and divided up.

Question 18

How did the Nazi-Soviet pact add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 18

USSR was very cautious of Ger opposing ideologies. Mainly made for security reasons. USSR relationship with the allies deteriorated rapildy as opposition in WWI. Relations with Germany improve for USSR e.g USSR given more of Poland. USSR and Baltic states deteriorate as USSR used them as a buffer zone.

Question 19

What was the Soviet territorial expansion?
1933-40

Answer 19

• Until June 1941 Stalin was expanding into eastern europe to defend the USSR against Ger’s future agression
• Stalin signed mutual assistance pacts with Estonia and Latvia Oct 1939
• March 1940 USSR aquired the Hanko naval base along Finland border
• June 1940 USSR invaded Baltic states after Ger defeat of France.

Question 20

How did the Soviet territorial expansion add to deteriorating relations?

Answer 20

USSR still deeply suspicious of Germany. France relations deteriorate as Ger defeated them. USSR under control of Baltic states, relationship deteriorates. USSR become more isolated from western europe and take over eastern europe. Western mistrust of Stalin, deteriorate relations.

Question 21

What was Operation Barbarossa 1941?

Answer 21

Nazi invasion of the USSR June 1941
- soviets caught by surprise and fell into a full retreat, Stalin became desperate for help in the early weeks

Question 22

How did Operation Barbarossa 1941 alter relations between east and west?

Answer 22

• Churchill was quick to see Soviet potential in Britain’s fight with Germany, and transformed the western image of the USSR labelling Stalin as Uncle Joe
• Brit and USSR had a common enemy in Ger and out their differences aside
• Sept: Churchill agreed to send 2,250 tanks and 1,800 fighter aircrafts to the USSR- Britain were now prepared to give huge
• USA would join Grand Alliance after Pearl Harbor in Dec 1941
• Stalin wanted pressure to be taken off the USSR and evenly spread, increasing tensions- called for second front

Question 23

Why were there tensions in the grand alliance?

Answer 23

• Since 1942 Churchill and Roosevelt relied heavily on the Soviet’s manpower
• But, Stalin wanted the western powers to launch an attack on western Europe to encircle Germany (Roosevel had initially promised an invasion in 1942 but this was too optimistic)

The issue of the Second front:
- Hitler wanted to destroy the USSR. In 1941 Soviets had 360,000 causalties and 3.6 miilion troops captured- Stalin looked to the USA and Britain to help
- Western allies could not fulfil Stalin’s wishes, they were still recovering from previous defeats
- This meant Stalin became deeply suspicious that the western allies would make separate peace with Germany
- To prove western support of USSR Roosevelt continued his lend-lease programme and by the end of th 1944 summer had supplied the USSR with 10 million tonnes of material

Question 24

What was lend-lease?

Answer 24

From March 1941 Roosevelt supplied assistance.
- it allowed USSR and Britain to pay for the goods after the war
- in total the US shipped $50 billion worth of materials $30 billion going to GB and $11 billion going to USSR

Question 25

What were Stalin’s aims post war and what was the potential for conflict?

Answer 25

Aims:
- Security- territorial Buffers in poland and Baltic states, and influence over Eastern Europe
- reparations from Ger
- Wanted to spread communism worldwide (ideological expansion)

Conflict?:
- USSR would regain territories lost to Ger, but would also retain the territories taken from Baltic states
- USSR would punish Ger through military occupation, property expropriations, reparaments and ideological expansionism
- USA and GB were scared the USSR would cut a deal with the Nazis- increased suspicions and tensions
- the second front materialised slowly, angered the USSR (showed allies unwilling to help)
- Suspicions that majority of d-day figting was left to USSR

Question 26

What were Roosevelt’s aims post war and what was the potential for conflict?

Answer 26

Aims:
- Continue post-war cooperation with USSR
- Atlantic charter 1941- Wilson’s ideas of secret meetings reborn- new liberal and free trade order underpinned by UNO- woodrow 14 point
- American security, given context of Pearl Harbour and development of the bombs- scared of technological advancements
- Free market= profit
- Free trade, USA had to export goods to free markets if Europe became communist it would minimise the economy, as it would be under a command economy

Conflict?:
- Roosevelt’s death April 12th 1945 meant iexperienced Vice pres Truman took place (other nations were used to FDR’s good relations)
- GB would sooner or later break with USA due to economic rivalries- could be messy
- Wilson’s ill conceived military intervention against Bolsheviks (USSR could hold a grudge?)
- Convincing Americans they would benefit by avoiding international interventions (allies may not feel suported and resent USA)

Question 27

What were GB’s aims post war and what was the potential for conflict?

Answer 27

Aims:
- By 1947 GB was bankrupt
- Concerns over europe and eastern mediteranean as they still wated to trade there
- A democratic Poland (1939)

Conflict?
- Churchill’s defeat in election meant labour’s Clement Attlee came to power- different ideologies and would possibly oppose previously established policies
- Churchill wanted to survive and was willing to end Anglo- USA pact (USA could feel abandoned by GB?)

Question 28

What happened at Tehran 1943?

Answer 28

• First time the grand alliance leader met
• Stalin still worried about Soviets doing bulk of fighting, and insisted an invasion must be launched by the west soon (operation Overload- later Dunkirk)
• Stalin accused GB of avoiding supporting the USSR, as Churchill keen on mediterranean option
• USSR wated to occupy large parts of Poland, to create a buffer zone- met with large opposition from polish govt in exile
• GB had gone to war in 1939 for Polish independence so could not support Stalin’s plan
• Operation Barbarossa left millions dead in Russia and drove Stalin to demand an early second front

Question 29

what agreements were reached at Tehran?

Answer 29

1. An Anglo-American force would invade France in May 1944 and coincide with a USSR offensive in the east
2. Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan once Ger had been defeated
3. USSR would gain territory in East Poland, but Poles were compensated by pushing their German border
4. 3 leaders agreed to only accept an unconditional surrender from Ger

Question 30

What was the Liberation of Western europe?

Answer 30

Western forces drove the (wehrmacht) German armed forces from countries and back to west Germany

Question 31

Liberation of Eastern Europe:
Czech, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland
- using sheet and textbook, finished hungary

Czech, Hungary, Romania, Poland

Answer 31

Czechoslovakia:
- Czech govt in exile were willing to accept soviet plans. Czech govt mistrusted the west after Munich Agreement 1938. Dec 1943 Moscow they signed the treaty of friendship- comm party was priority in post war world, USSR annexed provine of Ruthenia

Hungary:
- Ally of Ger and participated in operation Barbarossa. Red army entered in Sept 1944, fighting wehrmacht and hungarian forces. Hungary’s leader called for armistace but was removed from power and replaced with Hungarian Facist leader, Szalasi. Military operation ceased in Apr 1945 as unable to stop red army. Soviets gave control of liberated territories to a coalition of parties, red army troops remained until end of war

Romania:
- Was a Ger ally and occupied by soviet territory in the Crimea in 1941. 1944 a coup d’etat led by King Michael- ousted the fascist iron gurad regime andf negotiated an armistace. Soviets promoted the Romanian comm party and in 1945 forced King Michael to appoint a pro-soviet- Dr Petru Gozan as prime minister

Poland:
- Stalin wanted to gain control, but Poles deeply suspicious of him due to events of 1939
- Pole hoped the allies would resurrect the pre-war Polish republic. Following Poles defeat in 1939 a govt in exile was established in Paris and moved to London in Jun 1940
- General Sikorski was appointed prime minister in Paris the govt was recognised as legitimate
- After barbarossa relations with USSR were established and a military alliance was signed. Churchill persuaded Sikorski that Nazism was a greater evil than Stalinism
- Once the** Katym massacres** were discovered (22,000 dead) poland broke of relations with Stalin
- Stalin formed the National Liberation army with surviving polish communists the ‘Lublin Poles’
- July 1944 Stalin called for Warsaw to revolt. Polish home army wanted to liberate Warsaw before red army arrived- August 1st the home army attacked the occupying Ger
- Stalin then stopped his advance, refusing planes to deliver, and disarmed the polish units on their way- leading to Ger crushing the Poles and hopes of an independent Poland
- Little Churchill or roosevelt could do as they needed Stalin to defeat Japan

Question 32

What is the background to Yalta 1945?

Answer 32

• Feb 1945 the big 3 met for the last time at Yalta
• Stalin wanted meeting to happen in russia so Churchill and Roosevelt could recognise level of devestation that the war was causing Russia
• Stalin felt he was in a strong bargaining position, as the red army now occupied majority of eastern europe
• Seen as a time when Churchill and Roosevelt were duped by Stalin (both expressed later regret over Yalta)

Question 33

What decisions were made at Yalta, and how did the west and the USSR feel about them?

declaration of liberated europe, Germany, Reparations, Poland, Japan

Answer 33

Declaration of Liberated Europe: Stalin agreed to hold free elections in countries occupied by the red army
- West: felt positive as wanted democracy in Europe and a decilne of control by one power, too tired to argue with Stalin, Roosevelt very sick
- USSR: not particularly positive, would be able to use this as a facade and not actually follow this- gave Red army excuse to remain in eastern european states. Gets rid of buffer zones- worried about security

Germany: would be divided into 4 zones- east occupied by ussr and west occupied by France, USA and GB, Berlin also divided- Never permanantly
- West: Positive as there was now no longer any threats from a united powerful Ger
- USSR: Positive as the threat of Ger had lessened

Reparations: paid by Germnay to USSR, $20 billion in paid goods, but left undetermined
- West: good as it showed Ger were being punished, but worried that excess money would effect economy and politics causing unrest
- USSR: Very happy as debt for soldiers paid- but ultimately no true replacement for loss of men and devestation. Stalin continued to strip Ger of raw materials

Poland: Polish border would move to the Oder Neisse line and previous Ger territory would become Polish, and Lublin Poles and London Poles to make a coalition
- West: positive as an ally now better equipped, best comprimise available
- USSR: possibly wanted the land for itself, lots of tension, also hated the govt of national unity

Japan: Russia would help in the war against Japan 3 months after Germany were defeated
- West: positive as allies could now rely on man power of USSR
- USSR: negative as USSR wants to stop fighting and modernise, but now has to dedicate more resources to war time conflic

Question 34

What is the background for Potsdam July-Aug 1945?

Answer 34

• Ger had been defeated and there was no longer a common enemy
• Roosevelt had died and been succeeded by Truman
• USA had developed the atomic bomb- taking the military advantage away from the USSR

Question 35

What decisions were made at Potsdam, and how did the west and the USSR feel about them?

Answer 35

Germany: 4 Ds of how to deal with Ger. 4 zones. Council of foreign ministers made to make decisions. Ger army led by ACC (allied control council)
- West: USA was cautious to not repeat the aftermath of WWI, and tried not to be too harsh on Ger as a result
- USSR: upset ad Ger was promised a harsh punishment, and for USSR to reap the rewards but agreements had changed. But USSR pleased with reparations in their favor

Reparations: Russia whatever industrial equipment they wanted from Soviet Ger zone, and 10% from the western zones
- West: felt helpless as it had to repay USSR, so gave into their demands for resources
- USSR: happy as wanted payment, but believed it should’ve received more

United Nations: agreements made for the structure and membership of the UN

Poland: borders with Germany and Russia confirmed. Told to expel Ger from new Poland in a humane way
- West: Truman angry as Stalin arrested non-communist leaders and hardly enforced free elections agreed at Yalta- worried about Poles moving west
- USSR: not obeying alliances and previous agreements. Angry as ‘buffer zone’ had been broken down and security at riski

The bomb and Japan: ‘Potsdam decleration’ to eliminate Japan as a threat- threatened Japan with “Utter destruction”
- West: USA dropped bombs on Japan and no longer posed a threat. New weapon left lots of unanswered questions. Truman used atomic diplomacy to intimidate the USSR
- USSR: Stalin knew about bomb and Russia planned to declare war on Japan and followed with an invasion. Russia gained power inManchuria, but excluded from plans about Japan causing resentment

Eastern Europe: no change

demilitarisation, denazification, decentralisation, and democratisation

Question 36

What problems did Potsdam create for the superpower leaders?

Answer 36

• Common enemy now defeated and there was now obvious tension between powers
• Made no agreements about the future of Europe: USSR vs USA would quickly disagree over economic fate of Ger
• Truman was more suspicious of Stalin
• Churchill had been voted out of office mid-conference, and replaced by the less emotional Attlee who lacked Churchill’s rapport with Stalin (and Ernest Bevin the foreign secretary was hostile to communism)
• Lend-Lease programme was cut off by USA on 8th May (restored till Sept after Russian protests)
• Clear that Stalin did not intend to share power with Poland. Arrested 16 non-communists who went to warsaw to take part in ‘free elections’

Question 37

How did relations between the wartime leaders cause tensions?: Stalin

Answer 37

• Since bolshevik revolution Stalin still deeply suspicious of western influence
• Soviet foreign policy focused on temporary deals with west to eventually allow for worldwide revolution
• Stalin had a dysfunctional personality- he trusted no one, and treaties signed on paper meant little to him- he would go along if it coincided with the USSR’s aism but if not he would break them
• Stalin’s priorities in 1945 were to prioritise Soviet security, and he wanted to create a buffer zone later described as ‘satellite states’

Question 38

How did relations between the wartime leaders cause tensions?: Roosevelt

Answer 38

• FDR felt he had a special relationship with Stalin and felt he could persuade him to comprimise (labelling him ‘uncle Joe’)
• FDR ignored the advice from Churchill and his staff to be tougher on communism
• FDR prepared to agree to USSR buffer zone for favour of help against Japan
• Churchill was close with FDR from 1941-43, as Churchill was anxious to remain on good terms with the USA. However, after Tehran Roosevelt was afraid that the USA were afraid they would be fighting a war in favour of the Empire which would limit free trade and were cautious of GB

Question 39

How did relations between the wartime leaders cause tensions?: Truman

Answer 39

• took a more hard-liner approach than FDR, as he was deeply suspicious of communism
• With European war over and success of aomic bomb Truman felt much less dependent on the USSR

Question 40

How did relations between the wartime leaders cause tensions?: Churchill

Answer 40

• Churchill anxious to establish good relations with the USSR after Barbarossa
• Lots of mutual respect between Churchill and Stalin- but churchill unwilling to agree to Stalin’s demands for a second front and became increasingly alarmed by USSR forces after 1943
• GB had defended Poland but by 1944 was forced to accept Soviet domination
• Oct 1944 churchill went to Moscow to attemot a deal with Stalin and curated the Percentages deal where eastern europe would be divided between USSR and the west

Question 41

How did relations between the wartime leaders cause tensions?: Atlee

Answer 41

• More sympathetic to USSR than Churchill, but worried after Stalin went back on agreement over Poland
• Concerned over the future of Ger, and desire for USA presence to remain in Europe

Question 42

What are the arguments for the USSR starting the cold war?

Answer 42

• Soviet nature was inherently expansionist- 1940 Stalin took the oppurtunity to annex the Baltic states
• Marxism preached inevitable** battle between capitalism and communism**- comintern introduced in 1919
• Stalin didn’t stick to his agreements made, e.g Polish agreement at Potsdam
• Stalin didn’t hold free elections and instead imposed communist govenments into liberated eastern europe
• Ruthless actions e.g Katyn massacre
• Stalin achieved his aims no matter the cost- millions killed in terror and purges. When making deals only upheld parts of them that furthered/ benefittted the USSR

Question 43

What are the arguments for the USA starting the cold war?

Answer 43

• The death of Roosevelt led to appointment of Truman- his anti communist and hard-line approach made conflict more likely
• Adpoted policy of containment in 1945 and quickly fell out with soviet foreign minister Molotov
• Used atomic diplomacy to intimidate USSR
• USSR feared return to a depression and would at any cost avoid it- insatiable hunger to develop economy
• USA backed nationalist governments against the soviet backed eastern european governments e.g Greece