Chapter 1: Cold War in Europe

Question 1

Why did the Grand Alliance between the Soviet Union, USA and Britain come to an end after WWII?

Answer 1

Absence of a common enemy - Nazi Germany

Question 2

WWII weakened Europe (especially Britain & France) led to a power vacuum. With the defeat of Nazism, there was no ideology that dominated Europe. Which 2 countries emerged as superpowers after WWII?

Answer 2

USA & USSR

Question 3

Why did USA and USSR increasingly view each other as a serious threat after WWII?

Answer 3

Each system (communism & capitalism) wanted to increase their sphere of influence in Europe and the world.

Question 4

How would you describe the relationship between USA and USSR during the Cold War?

Answer 4

Worsened; fear & suspicion: distrust: increased tensions

Question 5

What happened to Europe / Germany / Berlin as a result of Cold War in Europe?

Answer 5

(1) Divided - politically and economically (Increasingly bi-polar)
(2) arms race

Question 6

There were Cold War tensions before WWII. Which event in 1918 convinced the West that a worldwide Communist revolution would mean the end of Capitalism and Democracy and they sent funds and troops to help the White Army.

Answer 6

Russian Civil War, 1918

The West helped the anti-communists (White Army) against the Red Army (communists under Lenin)

Question 7

Stalin saw the policy of Appeasement, and the Allies reluctance to form an alliance with USSR against Germany, as a means to weaken & destroy USSR. Which event was Stalin not invited to in 1938 where the future of Czechoslovakia was discussed?

Answer 7

Munich Conference, 1938.

Question 8

The West blamed this Pact for causing WWII as it allowed Hitler to attack Poland unopposed. Stalin saw it as a way to protect USSR from German attack. What is the name of the Pact signed in 1939?

Answer 8

Nazi-Soviet Pact or the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact

Question 9

Which crucial event in 1944 during WWII increased Stalin’s suspicions that the West wanted to crushed Communism?

Answer 9

Delay in the Opening of the 2nd Front in France

Question 10

The existence of the atomic bomb & its use on Japan in 1945 gave USA an atomic advantage over USSR. This increased USSR’s suspicion and fear. What did this prompted USSR to engage in?

Answer 10

USSR began to build its own atomic weapons. Both engaged in a nuclear arms race.

Question 11

Which agreement made at Yalta & Potsdam Conference did Stalin fail to follow? Stalin saw this as creating a buffer to prevent future attack from Germany on USSR.

Answer 11

Free elections in Poland & Eastern Europe
Arrested non-communist leaders installed new communist government in Poland.
Extended communist sphere of influence & by 1944, controlled Eastern Europe.

Question 12

Governments formed after WWII in Eastern Europe were largely dominated by Communists. Non-Communists were discredited and arrested. What is this tactic used by Stalin that saw communist governments installed in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia by 1948?

Answer 12

Salami tactic

Question 13

What happed to Europe as a result of the extension of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe? Churchill will later refer to this as the ‘Iron Curtain’ has descended upon Europe.

Answer 13

Europe was divided - the Eastern communist bloc and the Western capitalist bloc.

Question 14

Both Germany and Berlin (which was located in Soviet zone) was divided into 4 occupation zones. What were the aims of USSR and USA for Germany?

Answer 14

USSR - wanted to punish Germany economically to protect USSR from future attacks
USA - wanted Germany to recover to contain the spread of communism

Question 15

Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech condemned Soviet policies in Europe for taking away the freedom of the people to choose their own government, resulting in the division of Europe. Churchill proposed the use of force to contain spread of communism. Stalin denounced this speech. What did he accuse the West of?

Answer 15

Starting a war.

Question 16

Which article in 1947 proposed that USA should stop the isolationist policy and play a more active role in world affairs to contain the expansion of communism. This point of view became known as the policy of containment.

Answer 16

Kennan’s Long Telegram

Question 17

The Truman Doctrine said that USA would help other democratic countries threatened by Communism. Which 2 countries in Europe benefitted from this help as they needed financial and military aid (umbrella) as they were in danger of being overthrown by communist guerillas?

Answer 17

Greece and Turkey - received massive military and economic aid. Defeated the communists by 1949.

Question 18

What was the Marshall Plan (June 1947)?

Answer 18

Economic aid to Western Europe
Provide more than $15 billion to rebuild Western Europe, develop their economies & to reconstruct cities, industries (revived chemical, engineering & steel industries) and infrastructure heavily damaged during the war

Question 19

Why was Marshall Plan (June 1947) necessary? Provide 2 reasons.

Answer 19

(1) Europe’s leading industrial cities were destroyed and transportation infrastructure (railways, roads, bridges, ports) damaged during the war.
(2) Europe was on the brink of famine because agricultural and other food production was disrupted by the war.
(3) Rebuilding the economy of Europe would allow the USA to trade with other countries in Europe (Europe was USA’s main export market) and check the spread of Communism.

Question 20

What did Stalin call the Marshall Plan?

Answer 20

Dollar Imperialism / American economic imperialism

Question 21

How did Marshall Plan lead to Cold War in Europe?

Answer 21

Divided Europe into 2 economic blocs

Stalin’s refusal to allow Eastern Bloc to receive the aid worsened the situation

Question 22

Which countries in Europe benefited from the Marshall Plan?

Answer 22

(1) Aid was distributed to 16 European nations, including Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, West Germany and Norway.
(2) Larger amounts given to major industrial powers, such as West Germany, France and Great Britain - recovery in these larger nations was essential to overall European recovery.

Question 23

Why did Stalin refuse to allow Eastern Europe countries to accept Marshall Aid? Provide 3 reasons. (Start with ‘Fear of …’)

Answer 23

(1) Fear of a prosperous Eastern Europe (may abandon communism)
(2) Fear of a strong Germany if Soviet zones receive aid (Stalin always fear a remilitarised Germany will attack USSR again)
(3) Fear of communism appearing as weak (to accept aid meant communism (COMECON) had failed)

Question 24

Which communist organisation was set up to spread communist propaganda and co-ordinate the activities of member communist parties (in Eastern Europe, France & Italy) against the West? Contact with non-communist countries were discouraged.

Answer 24

COMINFORM (Communist Information Bureau)

Question 25

The West saw COMINFORM & COMECON as USSR’s attempt to tighten their control over the communist sphere of influence. What was COMECON’s role?

Answer 25

An organisation to encourage trade and coordinate economic policies among the Communist countries

(Comecon profited mainly Soviet Union who forced members to sell their resources at low rates for Soviet oil)

Question 26

How did the setting up of COMINFORM and COMECON lead to Cold War?

Answer 26

Divided Europe into 2 competing blocs – American sphere of influence under Marshall Plan and Soviet sphere of influence under COMECON.

Question 27

Stalin blockaded Berlin because of his Fear of a strong economy in West Germany. List 3 reasons that contributed to the strong economy of West Germany.

Answer 27

(1) Britain, USA and France joined their zones of occupation (into Bizonia and later Trizonia)
(2) Mar 1948 – Marshall Aid to Europe – Economy stabilized for countries that received Marshall aid
(3) Economy stabilised in June 1948 - The West implemented a single currency, the Deutschemark, to the zones they occupied in Germany & Berlin

Question 28

Stalin blockaded Berlin because of his Fear of a strong economy in West Berlin. What was happening in West Berlin that contributed to Stalin’s fear? List 3

Answer 28

(1) People from East Berlin could travel freely and could see the benefits in West Berlin
(2) West Berlin that was under the West benefited & recovered economically from Marshall Plan.
(3) People in Eastern Europe began to change all their money into the new currency, which they thought was worth more

East Berlin under USSR was not prosperous as Stalin did not allow them to receive Marshall Aid

Question 29

What was the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 29

Stalin blocked all rail, road and canal access to the western zones of Berlin.

Food supplies and electricity to West Berlin were also cut off.

Question 30

What was the impact of Berlin Blockade on Berlin? List 2.

Answer 30

(1) 2.5 million people in West Berlin had no access to food, medicine, fuel, electricity and other basic goods.
(2) Western powers could not reach & supply their zones in Berlin.
(3) People and goods could not travel freely through the city

Question 31

How did the West view the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 31

Communist Aggression - that Stalin was trying to force USA out of Berlin

Saw the blockade as USSR’s attempt to spread communist sphere of influence.

Question 32

How did the world perceive Stalin’s Blockade of Berlin?

Answer 32

World saw USSR as ‘international bullies’ trying to starve innocent civilians.

Question 33

Stalin’s Berlin Blockade and the West’s Berlin airlift created a permanent impact on Germany. What was this impact?

Answer 33

Permanent division of Germany into East and West Germany.

Question 34

What is the Berlin Airlift (June 1948)?

Answer 34

Massive airlift of food, medicine, and necessary supplies by the West into West Berlin.

Question 35

In June 1948, President Truman ordered the Berlin Airlift. How did the Berlin Airlift benefit those in West Berlin? List 2.

Answer 35

(1) West Berliners would have starved without the Airlift - American & Allied planes delivered 2.3 million tons of cargo to supply West Berliners during the 15 months.
(2) Stalin failed to have total control over Berlin - lifted the Blockade in May 1949 & reopened the land and water routes into Berlin.

Question 36

Why did the Western powers set up NATO in 1949? Provide 2 reasons. (Start with ‘Fear of …’)

Answer 36

(1) Fear of spread of Soviet influence to Western Europe (Soviet already controlled Eastern Europe by 1944)
(2) Fear of further Soviet aggression in Western Europe (Stalin’s Berlin Blockade increased this fear - needed to be militarily prepared)

Question 37

What is NATO (1949)?

Answer 37

An anti-communist military alliance with the western nations committed to help each other to counter Soviet influence & aggression.

Question 38

West Germany joined NATO in 1955. This increased Stalin’s fear of __________________.

Answer 38

Stalin’s fear of a remilitarised Germany that could launched attacks on USSR.

Question 39

What did Stalin do in response to West Germany joining NATO in 1955.

Answer 39

Stalin set up the WARSAW PACT in 1955 - A military alliance with Eastern European countries against the perceived threat from NATO.

Question 40

How did formation of NATO lead to Cold War?

Answer 40

(1) With NATO & the Warsaw Pact, both superpowers led military alliance that were directly opposed to each other in Europe.
(2) The alliances increased tensions & increased arms race between USSR and USA.