A war of words

Question 1

When was the beginning of a war of words?

Answer 1

9 February 1946

Question 2

What caused the war of words?

Answer 2

Speaking at a meeting of the Supreme Soviet, Stalin claimed that, in the long run, peace between capitalist and communist nations was impossible because capitalist competition inevitably led to war

Question 3

How did US and British ministers react to Stalin’s speech?

Answer 3

They considered the speech as an ideological attack on the capitalist West

Question 4

How did George Kennan (Deputy Head of the US mission in Moscow) respond to Stalin’s speech?

Answer 4

Responded with the long telegram

Question 5

What did the Long Telegram argue?

Answer 5

The USSR was building up military power in order to spread communism across Europe, and that the USA should pursue a policy of containment

Question 6

What did Novikov’s telegram (Soviet ambassador in Washington) to Stalin argue?

Answer 6

After the death of FDR, the USA had turned its back on cooperation and was starting a propaganda campaign to prepare the US public for war against the USSR