Cold War Flashcards
What is the Cold War
The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies, the eastern bloc and western bloc, after world war 2
What are the long term causes of the Cold War
The Russian revolution in 1917? The Nazi-Soviet pact in 1939, when Stalin called for a second front in 1942, the drop of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima in 1945 and Churchills iron curtain speech in 1946
Who is Joseph Stalin
He was the dictator of the Union of Soviet socialist republic (USSR) from 1929-1953. The USSR defeated Nazi germany during Stalin’s rule and the USSR was transformed into an industrial and military superpower under him. However he ruled with terror in his brutal reign.
Who is Harry Truman
The US president from 1945-1953. He made the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan, helped to rebuild post-war Europe, worked to contain the spread of communism and led the US into the Korean War
The Cold War us said to be a war of different ideologies. What were the ideologies during that time
The ideologies of capitalism and communism
When did Russia become a communist country
In 1917 after the 1917 communist revolution
What do communists believe in
Communist that wealth should be shared equally between people. The government is responsible for the redistribution of wealth.
What do communists not believe in
The do not believe in a few rich people controlling all the wealth in the country, they believe the government rule in the interests of all, not just the rich
What is a communist government centrally planned to do
To make sure there is economic equality
What happens in a communist government
- no one can own private property
- no one can make a profit
- they are not usually democratic
- the state takes ownership of all large industries and other sources of wealth
Why did communism become popular amongst poor people all over the world
It offered them hope to improve their circumstances.
What is the main ideology behind capitalism
The main ideology is that there is nothing wrong with some people being very rich and some people being very poor
What does capital mean
The making of money
What do capitalist governments believe
That the possibility of making a profit is thought to be an incentive or motive to work harder
What do capitalist governments do
They protect the rights of individuals who own huge industries and gather great wealth while the majority of people remain very poor
