Beginnings of the cold war Flashcards
Who
When
What
Why
- USA+USSR
- 1947-1991
- a conflict between two largest superpowers-Cold bc -there was no direct fighting proxy wars
- political +social clash between them
USSR:
politics
economy
society+attitudes
- communist state-one party dictatorship
- economic superpower bc of the industry from 1920s-30s, the general state of living much worse than America but unemployment and extreme poverty rarer
- the right of individuals less important than society as a whole, strict control- lots of comm revolutions, USSR leaders took practical decisions-bitterly opposed to capitalism
USA:
politics
economy
society+attitudes
- democracy-gov chosen in free elections, capitalist-businesses privately owned
- world’s wealthiest country but extremes of great wealth and poverty
- being free of gov. more important than equality, believed other countries should b run in American way-bitterly opposed communism
RED ARMY
how many in service during the cold war?
2.4 million, standing army, men obligated to join
YALTA CONFERENCE- when and who?
February 1945-discussing what would happen after WW2
USSR-Stalin
USA-Roosevelt
UK-Churchill
Yalta - the UK argues?
They were in it for the longest - since 1939
Yalta - USSR argues?
20 million Russians died bc of Nazis and Russia had to fight alone
Yalta- agreed on?(5)
- dividing germ into 4 (UK, France, USSR, USA)
- punish war criminals responsible for genocide in concentration camps
- join UN to keep peace
- as countries liberated from occupation by the German army, wouldn’t be allowed to hold free elections to choose any gov they want
- Stalin was concerned about future security of USSR so big 3 agreed eastern Europe should be seen as a ‘Soviet sphere of influence’
Yalta- disagreed on?(2)
- Stalin wanted border to move westwards into Poland-Poland could move westwards into German territory
- agreed as long as Stalin didn’t interfere in Greece
Potsdam-When and who?
July-August 1945
USA-Truman (Roosevelt died)
UK-Attlee
USSR-Stalin
Key reasons they didn’t get on at Potsdam and why?
3
USA Actions-
July 1945 US successfully tested atomic bomb at a desert site in the US. At start of conference, Truman told Stalin which made him paranoid
Personalities-
Truman more anticommunist than Roosevelt + v suspicious of Stalin-absence of Churchill meant conference focused on rivalry between them
USSR Actions-
By July 1945 Stalin controlled H.P.B.R.A- set up comm. gov in Poland even wen UK and the US protested- his control was a ‘defence measure against future attacks’
Misunderstandings at Potsdam (3)
- Stalin wanted to cripple germ to protect USSR-Truman didn’t want to repeat mistakes of Treaty of Versailles
- 20 mill Russians died in war- Stalin wanted compensation from germ and Truman again didn’t want to repeat mistakes of treaty
- at Yalta Stalin won an agreement that he could set up a Soviet gov in eastern Europe- Truman unhappy about Russian intentions and adopted a get-tough attitude
in ___ USA changed policy of isolation so not to repeat their mistakes made b4 WW2
Roosevelt set up this policy so every Communist ___ would result in an American ___
1940
Truman Doctrine- when and what?
March 1947, Truman told the American Congress it was America’s job to stop communism growing any stronger.
The Marshall Plan- when did Marshall visit Europe, how much did they ask Congress for and when did Congress agree and why?
June 1947, General Marshall visited Europe to see what was needed and left thinking Europe was so poor that the whole of Europe would turn Communist.
Marshall and Truman asked Congress for $17 billion to fund the Marshall Plan - to get the economy of Europe going again. Congress at first hesitated but agreed in March 1948 when Czechoslovakia turned Communist.
