Cold War Flashcards
Tehran conference summary and when it happened
In 1943, focuesed mainly on plans to defeat Nazis but also what would happen to Europe and Germany after the war. Britain and USA were politically very different from the USSR and there were tensions but these were put aside as they fought a common enemy(Germany). Eventually British PM Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed the USSR could claim a ‘sphere of influence’ after the war was over.
Yalta conference summary and when it happened
February 1945. Free elections would be held in previously occupied countries in Eastern Europe. The United Nations (UN) would replace the failed League of Nations
Postdam conference 3 agreements and when it happened
July/August 1945. 3 important agreements were made: 1. The new boundaries of Poland were agreed 2. The ‘big three’ plus France would divide Germany and Berlin between them 3. Nazi leaders would be tried for war crimes at Nuremerg
Things in Postdam other than the 3 agreements
It was undecided when the four zones of Germany would rejoin and form a country. Roosevelt had died and Truman took his place. Truman was more suspicious of USSR and less willing to compromise. Stalin introduced a gov. of pro communist members in Poland and the other two countries felt that it went against Yalta agreement
How the Iron Curtain came about
When USA dropped a nuclear bomb on Japan, Stalin felt as though they were trying to intimidate him, therefore he made some nuclear bombs as well. At the end of the second world war Stalin occupied Eastern Europe and made them all communist. There was increasing tension between USA and USSR and most of the west supported USA and the same for the east and USSR. In a famous speech in 1946, Winston Churchill warned there was an ‘Iron Curtain’ dividing Europe
What events led to the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan
The tensions were high and they had both just received secret telegrams about the other which caused panick to the Russian and American governments. Truman was afraid of communism spread to western europe and many countries were undergoing economic hardships which made communism look more appealing so to try contain the spread he introduced the truman doctrine and the marshall plan
The Truman Doctrine and when it was announced
March 1947. USA pledged to support any nation threatened by a communist takeover. This support could be diplomatic, military or financial. For example the USA gave $400 million of aid to Turkey and Greece to stop communism spreading
The Marshall Plan and when it was announced
June 1947. Promised $17 billion of aid to European countries to help rebuild their economies- the areas of Germany under Western occupation benefited massively. Stalin ordered all of his satellite states to reject the plan. He believe USA was trying the lure Eastern European states away from the USSR
What led to the Cominform
Stalin felt threatened by The Marshall Plan and created the Cominform and Comecon
The Cominform and when it happened
Set up in 1947 and brought together all European communist parties and placed them under the control of the USSR
The Comecon and when it happened
Established in 1949. Countered the Marshall Plan by nationalising industries and offering economic aid. Stalin hoped it would help discourage Eastern Europe from trading with the West. Also appeased the satelitte states as they were ordered to not take help from the USA
After effects of the Berlin Wall setting up
Cold War tensions over Berlin stabilised. The west condemned the east however they were actually relieved with this wall because they were going to do a confrontation of some sort so a wall is a lot better than a war. The wall succeeded in stopping mass emigration into west Berlin and gave East Germany a chance to rebuild its economy and strengthen itself. In the west the wall was a symbol of opression and the failure of communism but in the USSR it was a symbol of strength
The Prague Spring
It was a time period when Czechoslovakia wanted more freedom and it was tolerated by the USSR for 4 months. In Jan 1968, Alexander Dubcek became leader of Communist Party in Czechoslovakia and introduced a series of reforms that went against Soviet-style communism, many of the reforms were aimed at improving their economy which mean closer relations with the west, which worried the USSR. However Dubcek promised that they would stay loyal to Moscow and in the Warsaw Pact
2 of Dubcek’s refoms
Travel to the West was made available for all.
Freedom of Speech and opposition parties were allowed
What triggered the Czechoslovakia invasion
President Tito of Yugoslavia visited Prague and had refused to sign the Warsaw Pact and never accepted the USSR version of communism. It was a sign to Brezhnez that Czechoslovakia was no longer loyal to the USSR. They then received a letter from communists in Czechoslovakia asking for help
Facts about the Czechoslovakia Invasion
On 21st August 1968. 500,000 Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia. They responded with non-violent demonstrations. In April 1969, Ducbek was forcibly removed from office, and replaced with Gustav Husak. He ensured that Czechoslovakia remained close with the USSR
What and when was the Helsinki Agreement
In 1975. A pact USA, the USSR, Canada and most of Europe. All countries agreed to recognise existing European borders and to uphold human rights. Both superpowers accepted the division of Germany and the USSR’s influence over Eastern Europe
What were the 2 superpowers’ views on the Helsinki agreement
The West viewed the USSR’s agreement to uphold human rights as great progress, but the USSR didn’t stick to its word. It didn’t grant freedom of speech or freedom of movement to its citizens. This undermined the Helsinki agreement and made the USA distrust the USSR
What happened in Afghanistan and when
In 1978, a civil war broke out in Afghanistan. Rebels were protesting at new radical reforms brought in by the Afghan communist government. The Afgham gov. asked for help from the USSR which invaded Afghanistan in December 1979. This decision was a disaster because the USSR found themselves in a seemingly unwinnable conflict
Why was the USSR invasion on Afghanistan such a disaster
15,000 Soviet troops were killed and the gov. spent huge amounts of money but the USSR couldn’t win. The war led to a loss of public support in the USSR for communist regime and the Soviet people were angry at falling living standards which fell from high spendings in Afghanistan. The war was also an embarrassment as it undermined the USSR’s strong military
What started the collapse of eastern europe
Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’ and decisions to abandon the Brezhnev Doctrine led to the USSR losing control of its satellite states. For example In 1988, he announced the withdrawal of Soviet troops, tanks and aircraft from Eastern Europe
What did the fall of the Berlin Wall mean to Eastern Europe
People who were stuck in or not enjoying the East could now cross over to the West and the fall of the Berlin Wall showed that the relationship between East and West was transforming, and that the USSR was losing its grip over communist territory
Which communist govermens fell after the fall of the Berlin Wall
Free elections were held in Poland in June 1989 and in 1990 a new non-communist gov came to power. The USSR didn’t intervene. In December 1989, communist govs collapsed inCzechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.
The final blows to end communism in eastern europe
Republics of the USSR wanted independence, for example in 1990 some important regions in the Soviet Union demanded independence, especially the Baltic republics.
There was a Political Crisis in the USSR for example the communist party was divided and most opposed Gorbachev and they plotted a coup against the gov in 1991 then they arrested Gorbachev and tried to force him to resign.
Finally christmas of 1991 Gorbachev resigned and the next day the USSR was disolved
