Cold War Flashcards
State the 4 reasons that the US-Soviet alliance began to break down
1
History of uneasy relations between the West (USA, Britain, Western Europe and allies (always trying to defeat communism)) and Soviet union (the USSR)
Started back in 1917 (Russia became communist)
Soviet union were dictatorships (stalin)
2
Ideological reasons
Was the break down inevitable?
Capitalism vs communism; liberal democracy vs single-party state
3
War time disagreements and suspicions
4
Attitude towards Germany and who would have influence over the post-war world.
what are the Ideological differences between the USA and the USSR.
USSR was Communist (controlled by state) as of 1917
USA
Capitalist
explain the Ideological diffrences vetween the USA and the USSR
USSR
was Communist (controlled by state) as of 1917
One party rule
No political opposition
A constitution was produced in 1936 where soviets gained a few rights
Religious beliefs were not tolerated
USA
Capitalist
a democracy with free, multi-part elections
Free to hold any religious and political belief
Freedom of speech
Written by constitution
State the agreements at Yalta
Japan
elections
war criminals
germany
united nations
eastern europe
What were the Political beliefs of USA
Some american believed that other countries should also be run capitalist
Government was chosen in free democratic elections
What were the Political beliefs of the USSR
One party dictatorship
Elections were held but all candidates were part of the Communist party
Communism taught the role of a communist state was to encourage communist revolutions world wide
Leaders made their decisions this way
USSR saw USA as a selfish country who wanted to increase their economic empire and political influence
What were the economic beliefs of the USA
Business and property were privately owned (controlled majorly by individuals and firms)
Some people were wealthy others very poor
What were the Economic beliefs of the USSR
All industry was publicly owned (run by the government)
Industries grew rapidly in 1920s and 30s
Living standards were very low compared to the USA
Unemployment = rare
extreme poverty = rare
What were the Social beliefs of the USA
Generally saw their policies as ‘doing the right thing’ rather that serving their own interests
Free of the Government was more important than equality
Idea of communism was intimidating
What were the Social beliefs of the USSR
Rights of individuals were seen as less important than the good of society as a whole
Lives were tightly controlled
Other countries should also be run communistly
Why were relations between western powers (USA, Britain and others) and the USSR were not good before the Second World War
1917 russia became communist
Fear of USA and capitalist attacks
Nazi-soviet pact for protection (august 1939)
Western political leaders were suspicious of soviet union
Fear communists had same opinions as tsars who wanter to expand into central europe and eastern mediterranean
Senior communists talked about a world wide revolution
Increased likelihood of conflict (capitalists vs communists)
Created tension and uneasy relationship during WW2
Positive relations between the western powers and the USSR during the war.
Positives
British merchant ships risked their lives to supply the USSR with essential materials
Britain agreed to extend to Lend-Lease programme to soviet union
Also sent airforce to deliver necessary resources
No more appeasement of dictators
every comunist action would meet an american reaction
Negative relations between the western powers and the USSR during the war.
Negatives
Tension and trust
Stalin was very secret and hard to gain his trust
Did not share battleplans with either Britain or USA
British and American pilots complained of Russians not trusting them
Sailors bringing supplies to USSR weren’t given much money and had little to no freedom around soviet ports
Churchill wouldn’t share knowledge of Enigma codes with USSR
state the disagreements at Yalta
poland
Why did the US-Soviet alliance begin to breakdown in 1945?
By end of 1944:
Culture
Uneasy relationship
Communist vs Capitalist
Each country feared the other
Capitalist attacking communist and vise versa.
Trust
US, Britain and USSR couldn’t trust each other
Britain didn’t share their knowledge (Enigma codes)
USSR did not share Battle plans with either countries
Difficult to make plans and decisions collectively
Was at a political level
Suspicion of the conduct of allies were voiced in Moscow, Whitehall and Washington
Describe the agreement dealing with Japan
-stalin agreed to enter the war against japan once germany had surrenderd
describe the election agreement at Yalta
agreeed that countries were liberated from occupation by the german army
would be allowed to hold free elections to choose the governmetn they wanted
Describe the War criminal agreements at Yalta
as allied soldiers advanced through germany they were revealing the horrors of concentration camps
big 3 agreed to hunt down and punish war criminals who were responsible for genocide
Describe the Germany agreemetns made a t Yalta
agreed that germny would be divided into 4 zones
American ,b,f,USSR
Describe the United nation agreements made in Yalta
3 all joined UN which aimed to keep the peace
describe the Eastern Europe agreemtn made in Yalta
USSR lost 20 million
stalin = concerned about future and security of the USSR
- risk of another invasion
3 agree that europe should be seen as a soviet sphere of influence
Describe the dissagreement regarding poland
Stalin wanted the border of the USSR to move westwards into poland
Stalin argued that poland in turn could move its border westwards into german territory
Churchill did not approve of stalin’s plans
Wasn’t much he could do
Stalins ‘red army’ was in total control of both poland and eastern germany
Roosevelt was unhappy about stalin’s plans
Churchill persuaded roosevelt to accept it
As long as the USSR agreed not ti interfere in greece where british were attempting to prevent the communists taking over.
Stalin accepted this
Explain what Stalin gained from Yalta?
gained land Gained Poland total control eastern germany total control Gained eastern europe Security (feared war
Explain what western powers gained? [2]
Joined united nations
Had a chance to actually keep the peace after war
Insight on the german concentration camps
Allowed the hunting of war criminals
Explain western concerns/worries after the Yalta conference [2]
Stalin would try and take more
Interference with greece
Concerned about communists taking over
The impact of Yalta decisions on Poland [1]
moved poland further west
expanded boarder into east prussia
Stalin moved USSR borders into Poland
impact of Yalta decisions on Germany
Lost eastern europe
Was divided into 4 zones (american, british, french, soviet)
Concentration camps were exposed and war prisoners were hunted
Lost control of any country that their army ran
Describe the Posdam Confrence {4}
consisted of big three
took place in suburb of berlin potsdam
after july 1945
germany had surrendered
war with Japan was still going on
big 3
= USSR - joseph stalin
USA - harry truman
UK - winston churchill
since yalta
stalins armies had occupied most of eastern europe
america had a new president (Harry truman)
moch more anti-communist than roosevelt
suspicius of stalin
the allies had tested an atomic bomb
16 july 1945, american succesfull tested an atomic bomb at a desert site in the USA
List the agreements made in Potsdam
Polish/German border was to be settled at the oder-neisse line
germany would be denazified and war crime trials were to be held in G+J
Germany would be governmed by allied control council in Berlin
each decision reuqires a unanamus erdict
country would be treated as a single economic unit
List the dissagreements at Potsdam
future gov. poland and soviet controlled gov. at lublin continued to run the country
disagreed over future of germany
stalin wanted to dismember germany
wanted to prevent germ. insustry develpment
USSR wanted access to g. industrial heartlland in Ruhr
rjected
stalin wanted to gain foot hold in japan
rejected
g
stain wanted to protect USSR against future threats
wanted g. destroyed
truman didnt want repeat of TOV
reparations
20 mill russians perished in war
stalin wanted compensation from g.
truman didnt want to repeat mistakes of WW2
rejected demand
eastern europe
at yalta
stalin signs agreement from allies to set up pre-soviet gov. in eastern europe
truman adapts stren attitude towards stalin
unhappy with russian actions
USSR used force or threat to gain control of eatern europe by 1948
poland
Soviet troops stayed after liberation
Arrested and murdered opposing leaders
Romania
Soviet troops remained after liberation (again)
Soviets accepted a coalition government in 1945
Accepting key positions for communists
First step to gradually take over police and security forces
Bulgaria Soviet troops remained after liberation Monarchy was abolished in 1946 New constitution 1947 Effectively destroyed parliament democracy COpposition parties were disbanded
Czechoslovakia
Foreign minister Jans Masaryk, (popular and non-communist politician) was murdered in may 1947
The USSR used political manipulation and election fraud to gain control of Eastern Europe by 1948
Poland
Rigged elections 1947 (soviets established control)
Communists gain 80% of vote
Romania Accepting key positions for communists First step to gradually take over police and security forces Rigged elections 1946 Communists got 90% of vote ‘Show trial’ of main opposition leader Oct 1947
Bulgaria
Purged rival groups from Fatherland Front
Monarchy abolished in 1946
New constitution
1947
Destroyed parliamentary democracy and opposition parties were disbanded
Czechoslovakia
Gradually assumed control of key government ministries allowing them to arrest political opponents
Hungary
Used secret police to discredit and persecute rival politicians and paries
Rigged elections in 1947 gave communists control of a coalition government
Social democratic party and communist party merged in 1948
What was Comecon
stands for Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
set up in 1949 to co-ordinate the industries and trade in eastern europe
idea
members of comecon traded mostly w/ one another rather that tradeing with the west
favoured USSR
provided a market to sell their goods
guarenteed a cheap supply of raw materials
e.g. Poland was forced to sell its coal to USSR at 1/10 price
set up a bank for socialist countires
What was cominform
Communist Information Beuro
Stalin set up Cominform in 1947 as an organisation to co-ordinate the various communist governments in eastern europe
office originally based in Belgrade in Yugoslavia but moved to Bucharest in Romani in 1948 after Yugoslavia was expelled by stalin
wouldent do what USSR told them to do
cominform ran meetings and sent out instructions to communist governments about what the soviet union wanted them to do
Describe the impact of Soviet rule on the people of Eastern Europe. [4]
Communism sometimes brought hope
Easier to achieve faster industrial growth before WW2
Freedom
Freedom of speech + democratic government
Lost the right to criticise the government
Non-communists
Imprisoned fro criticising the government
Forbidden travel to countries in western europe
Protests were crushed by security forces
Wealth
Between 1945 and 1955
Eastern european countries recovered
Wages in eastern europe fell behind other countries
Short of coal for heating
Prices became very high
Consumer goods
No longer available (radios, electric kettles, TVS) in West
Economies of eastern europe aimed towards helping the USSR
Factories produced what consumers DID NOT want
Why was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956? [6]
Reason 1: Resentment of Soviet rule and unpopular communist policies (use the second attachment)
Reason 1: Resentment of Soviet rule and unpopular communist policies (use the second attachment)
Patriotism Hungarian = proud and patriotic Aware of traditions and long history Didn't want to cooperate with soviets Education Thought communist versions of history and ignored hungary’s close links with western europe Religion Hungarians were strongly christian Communism discouraged these beliefs and penalized the catholic church Cardinal Minszenty was imprisoned Leader Standard of living Food shortages Blame placed on collective farming Industrial workers Poorly paid Many goods shipped to USSR Censorship No freedom of expression Government controlled press, theatre, art and music Secret policies State protection group (AVO) Used terror and torture to surpress criticism of governemnt, communism or USSR Soviet troops Hungairans objected to extended presence of soviet troops Reminder of soviet control
Why was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956? [6]
Reason 2: Hope for the possibility of change or reform in 1956
Reason 2: Hope for the possibility of change or reform in 1956
1956
Yugoslavia successfully became independent communist country under the leadership of Tito
New soviet leader (khrushchev)
Supported independence and non-interference
Hungarians thought UN or new American president (Eisenhower, would help them after he made supportive comments in speeches)
Stail dies in 1953
Russia tried to move away from some of his policies
Including brutal aspects
New leader
Nikita Khrushchev
Refused to allow arrest of 400 political opponents in hungary
June 1956
Polish workers risen against soviet rule and wanted change
Russia eventually gave into some demands
Gave hungarians hope that it could happen there
Describe the impact of Soviet rule on the people of Eastern Europe.
Communism sometimes brought hope
Easier to achieve faster industrial growth before WW2
Freedom
- Freedom of speech + democratic government
- Lost the right to criticise the government
- Non-communists
- Imprisoned fro criticising the government
- Forbidden travel to countries in western europe
- Protests were crushed by security forces
Wealth
- Between 1945 and 1955
- Eastern european countries recovered
- Wages in eastern europe fell behind other countries
- Short of coal for heating
- Prices became very high
Consumer goods
- No longer available (radios, electric kettles, TVS) in - West
- Economies of eastern europe aimed towards helping the USSR
- Factories produced what consumers DID NOT want
Why was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956? 1
Reason 1: Resentment of Soviet rule and unpopular communist policies
Reason 1: Resentment of Soviet rule and unpopular communist policies
Patriotism
Hungarian = proud and patriotic
Aware of traditions and long history
Didn't want to cooperate with soviets
Education
Thought communist versions of history and
ignored hungary’s close links with western europe
Religion
Hungarians were strongly christian
Communism discouraged these beliefs and
penalized the catholic church
Cardinal Minszenty was imprisoned
Leader
Standard of living
Food shortages
Blame placed on collective farming
Industrial workers
Poorly paid
Many goods shipped to USSR
Censorship
No freedom of expression
Government controlled press, theatre, art and
music
Secret policies
State protection group (AVO)
Used terror and torture to surpress criticism of
governemnt, communism or USSR
Soviet troops
Hungairans objected to extended presence of soviet troops
Reminder of soviet controlWhy was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956? 2
Reason 2: Hope for the possibility of change or reform in 1956 (use the third attachment)
1956
Reason 2: Hope for the possibility of change or reform in 1956
1956
-Yugoslavia successfully became =independent
-communist country under the leadership of Tito
New soviet leader (khrushchev)
-Supported independence and non-interference
-Hungarians thought UN or new American president
Eisenhower, would help them after he made
supportive comments in speeches)
Stail dies in 1953
-Russia tried to move away from some of his
policies
- Including brutal aspects
New leader
-Nikita Khrushchev
-Refused to allow arrest of 400 political
opponents in hungary
June 1956
- Polish workers risen against soviet rule and
- wanted change
- Russia eventually gave into some demands
-have hungarians hope that it could happen
there
