5.1 - Origins of the Cold War to 1945 - Why were there tensions between the Soviet Union and Western powers prior to 1941? Flashcards
Chapter 5.1 - why were there tensions between the east and west prior to 1941?
why were there tensions between the east and west prior to 1941?
What were western countries deeply alarmed by?
The Soviet idea of a worldwide revolution
What did the Soviet regime feel about the capitalist powers of Great Britain and the USA?
That they wanted communism to be overthrown
How many Russians had died in WW1 by 1917?
4 million
What was the main difference between the Soviet Union and the Western powers?
The Soviet Union was communist and the Western powers were capitalist
Relations prior to WW2:
What alarmed Britain, France and the USA in WW1?
They were alarmed by Lenin’s communist ideology and the withdrawal from WW1
How many American soldiers died fighting the Soviets in the Russian Civil War?
279
How many British soldiers died fighting the Soviets in the Russian Civil War?
359
Who did the USA and UK back in the Russian Civil War?
The Whites
In what war against Russia did the French supply Renault tanks?
The Russo-Polish War in 1920
What did Winston Churchill make a speech about in regards to communism?
‘Strangling Bolshevism in the cradle’
How many general and admirals did Stalin have executed from 1937-39?
81 of 103
What two diplomats were instrumental in forming Washington’s view of the Soviet Union?
George Kennan and William Bullitt
Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939:
When did Stalin sign a non-aggression treaty with Germany, stunning the West?
August 1939
What was the official name of the Nazi-Soviet?
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
What was one potential reason for Stalin signing the non-aggression treaty with Germany?
He was suspicious that the West would come to an understanding with the Nazis and not come to the aid of the USSR in the event of a German invasion
What was the practical reason for Stalin signing the non-aggression treaty?
He was buying time; the Soviet industry had to modernise in order to defeat Germany
How did Stalin take advantage of the turmoil at the start of WW2?
He invaded Finland in December 1939
Who did Stalin invade in the summer of 1940?
The Baltic States
