Cold War Flashcards
Yalta
- Stalin agreed to join USA in fighting Japan once Germany surrendered
- Germany and Berlin divided into four
- Trial of Nazi war criminals
- United Nations set up
- Countries freed from nazis to hold democratic elections
- Big three agreed that Eastern Europe should be seen as a soviet sphere of influence
- Disagreement on p9ish border with USSR moving westward
Potsdam
- Stalin did not intend to allow democratic election in Germany
- Stalin wanted Germany to pay reparations but Truman did not want to repeat Versailles
- USSR setting up communist government in Poland
- Truman disagrees to communist government in Easter Europe
Why did things get worse between Yalta and Potsdam
Death of Roosvelt / Replacement by Truman
- Truman was less tolerant to soviets and more anti-communist than Roosvelt
- Less tolerance and ability to work together
Situation in Eastern Europe
- Stalin did not intend to allow democratic elections
- Red army was in control I; poland and was setting up a communist government
Testing of the atomic bomb
- Truman hinted at the atomic bomb during the conference
How did the USSR gain control of Eastern Europe
- Winning democratic elections
- Forming coalition governments
- Imprisoning non- communist leaders
- Lonaing other governments
- Supporting existing communist governments
Why did Stalin take control of Eastern Europe
- Determination to avoid another invasion of the USSR
- Stalin felt he had the permission of the west
- Stalin claimed he needed to protect the western capitalism and imperialism
- The west believed the USSR expanded the extend communism and create a soviet empire
to avoid another invasion of the USSR
USSR had been invaded via Poland in 1914 and 1941, therefore Stalin intended to create a ‘buffer zone’ via his sphere of influence
Stalin felt he had the permission of the west
- Stalin and Churchill had a secret known as the percentages agreement which divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence
- During the Yalta conference, there was mutual agreement on the idea of a soviet sphere of influence
Stalin claimed he needed to protect the USSR from western capitalism and imperialism
Stalin believed that the USA intended to spread goods worldwide and increase its power and influence
Greek civil war
- 1941
- British troops supported monarchy against communists
- Once a civil war developed, the British could not afford costs of war and announced withdrawal
- Truman paid British to stay and rpopped up the monarchist government
- Set up Truman doctoring and policy of containment
Marshall Aid
- Truman intended to give 17 billion USD for rebuilding of European economy
- Plan not accepted in 1947but accepted after communist takeover of Czechoslovakia government
- Intention of creating new market for American goods too
- Stalin viewed Marshall aid as a a US attempt top dominate
Berlin blockade
- Britain, France and USA combined their German zones in 1946 to form Trizonia
- Reformed the currency in 1948 leading to economic recovery in western areas
- Stalin viewed actions in Trizonia as provocative and blocked all supply lines into berlin from the west, intending to make Berlin entirely dependent on the USSR
- Allies airlifted supplies into berlin (Berlin Airlift)
Consequences of the Berlin blockade
- Germany is firmly divided, becomes a symbol of the Cold War (Berlin crisis)
- Pattern of Cold War, use of unwilling to go to war
- NATO formed in 1949 and charter stated that an attack against any member would be an attack against all
- Provoked formation of the Warsaw pact
Iron Curtain
First used by Churchill to describe the border between soviet controlled countries and the west
Truman doctrine
Under the doctrine, the USA was willing to send money, equipment and advice to any country, which was, in American view, threatened by a communist takeover. accepted Eastern Europe as Communist but intended to prevent further spread
Cominform
Set up by Stalin top coordinate the work of communist parties ion Eastern Europe
USSR/Stalin to blame for the cold war
-Stalin opposed the idea of democratic elections
- Stalin waned a sphere of influence in eastern europe
- Stalin imposed Berlin blockade causing a rise in tensions
- USSR led the creation of the warsaw pact
USA/west/Truman to blame for the Cold War
- Truman doctrine established USAs strong opinions during the Greek civil war
- Western powers consolidated their German territory in Germany, creating a divide between the east and the west
- Churchill offered Stalin a sphere of influence via the percentages agreement
- Currency reforms in Trizonia triggered the Berlin blockade
- USA led creation of NATO triggering formation of Warsaw pact
Why did the Korean War happen
DUCKS
Domino Theory
Undermine communism
Cold War
Kim II sung visited the USSR
Syngman Rhee
DUCKS Domino Theory
Truman believed that if one country fell to communism, then the others would follow. He was worried about Japan becoming communist.
DUCKS undermine communism
In April 1950, the American security council issued a report recommending that America abandon’containment’ and start ‘rolling back’
DUCKS Cold War
Truman realised that the USA was in competition for world dominance with the USSR. By supporting South Korea, the USA could fight communism without attacking the USSR.
DUCKS Kim II sung visited the USSR
in 1949, the leader of north Korea visited Stalin and Stalin saw a fight against the south as an opportunity to fight the USA without attacking. Kim Sung II also visited Mao Zedong
DUCKS Syngman Rhee
In 1950, the president of South Korea boasted of attacking North Korea, giving the North Korea an excuse to invade the South.
Why did Krushchev arm Castro
TO BARGAIN WITH THE USA;
Khrushchev could negotiate the removal of missiles from Cuba in return for American concessions (eg. removal of missiles from Turkey)
TO TEST THE USA:
The failure of the Bay of Pigs incident encouraged khrushchev to test the US policy of containment
TO TRAP THE USA:
Khrushchev wanted the USA to find the missiles and be drawn into a nuclear war which they would have an advantage in
TO CLOSE TO MISSILE GAP:
Missiles in Cuba would prevent the USA from war, launching a ‘first strike’. The missiles acted as a nuclear deterrent
TO DEFEND CUBA:
Cuba was the only communist country in the western hemisphere and was in the USAs ‘backyard’. This provided an excellent propaganda tool for the USSR
TO STRENGTHEN KRUSHCHEVS POSITION IN THE UhSSR:
US superiority in terms of missiles undermined Khrushchev’s reputation in the USSR. Cuba was an opportunity for Khrushchev to show his strength and the USSRs power as a nuclear country
Outcomes of the Cuban missile crisis for Kennedy and the USA
- Kennedys reputation improved as he stood up to Khrushchev and made him back down
- NATO allies unhappy with secret removal of missiles from Turkey
- Kennedy had to accept communist Cuba in backyard
outcomes of the Cuban missile crisis for Khrushcev and the USSR
- In public, Khrushchev was seen as a peacemaker as he was willing to compromise
- kept valuable ally in Cuba safe
- Able to get missiles out of Turkey but due to secret nature of agreement, he was unable to use it for propaganda
- Soviet military humiliated by withdrawal
- USSR still trailed in the missile gap
- Cuban missile crisis contributed to Khrushchev’s downfall in 1964
Oucomes of the Cuban missile crisis for castro and Cuba
- Castro kept control of American companies and other economic recourses
- Cuba remained communist and highly armed
-Upset with USSRs deal with the USA but intended to continue to support the USSR
Why did the USA go to war in Vietnam
DOMINO THEORY:
- Communism in Vietnam would lead to a spread of communism in south-east Asia
US SUPPORT FOR NGO DINH DIEM:
- US supported the prime minister of Vietnam who was a hard Anti-Communist
-His regime showed little respect for Buddhism, was corrupt and treated peasants with contempt
EMERGENCE OF VIET CONG:
- Viet cong started a guerilla war against South Vietnam
- Targeted government forces and American supplies
JFK ASSASINATION AND GULF OF TONKIN:
- Lyndon B Johnson took over after JFK assassination. He was more prepared for full state conflict in Vietnam
- After gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 where North Korean troops fired at US ship, US congress passed Tonkin Gulf resolution giving president to ‘take all necessary measures’
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER:
- Johnson took advantage of the Tonkin Gulf resolution to launch a bombing campaign against north Vietnamese
US Army strengths and weaknesses during the Vietnam War
- During initial years, soldiers were well trained but after new policy of one year service, many were young conscripts
- Troops lacked morale and faced devastating psychological effects
- Used chemical weapons such as agent orange (weedkiller sprayed from planes to destroy jungles, very toxic) and napalm (destroyed jungles and burned through skin and bones)
- Relied on bombing and search and destroy tactics
- Bombed industrial targets and Ho Chi Minh trail
- Bombing made US soldiers unpopular with peasants
- Most well equipped army in the world
Viet kong strengths and weaknesses
- Heavily outnumbered and outtrained
- No match for US forces in open warfare
- Suffered greater losses but refused to give in
- Used Guerilla tactics and forces US army into close quarter combat to overcome weakness of poor technology and weapons
- Used ambushes and booby traps such as pits or sharpened bamboo sticks
- Used tunnel complexes to avoid being bombed
- Viet song helped peasants but were also willing to kill those who opposed
- Later received equipment from China and the USSR
- Relied on supplies which came along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Why was the Vietnam war unpopular
- Tet offensive
- Cost: Money could be used for better purposes back home
- Racism: African Americans were more likely to get drafted and accounted for a majority of the casualties
- Purpose, did not feel the war was needed
- Media: Showed pictures of bombings and Mai Lai massacre, removed illusion of winning the war
- Anti war protests
- Mai Lai Massicare
Tet Offensive
- The US put in lots of resources into the war but the surprise of the offensive served as a realisation for people
- Made people question if the war was worth it
- Viet cong offensive on US embassy in Saigon took people by surprise
Mai Lai Massicare
- 300-400 people killed and no Viet song found, only 3 weapons found
- Photographs of massacre were published, triggering investigation
Ending the Vietnam War
1968 - Nixon elected president. Worked to ending the war with Kissinger, wanted peace and honour
IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE USSR AND CHINA: In 1968, China and USSr pull out, thus trying to improve relations with the USA
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WITH NORTH VIETNAM: From 1969, Kissinger had regular meetings with the chief Vietnamese negotiator
‘VIETNAMISATION’ OF WAR EFFORT: Began handing responsibility to south Vietnamese and started withdrawal of US troops
INCREASED BOMBING: Increased bombing campaigns in North Vietnam to show that he was not weak
How successful was containment KOREAN WAR
- Showed that the USA had the means and the will to contain communism
- Containment succeeded but rolling back did not and the USA had to accept communism in North Korea
- North Korea later become a hardline communist and nuclear power
- Communism did not spread to other countries such as Japan
Bay of Pigs invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis
- Communist state established in USAs backyard
- Failure of Bay of Pigs wakened Kennedy’s position
- Communism did not spread to any other country in the western Hemisphere
The Vietnam war
- Containment as a vast military strength could not stop communism
- Could not stop south Vietnam going communist
- By 1975, both Laos and Cambodia had communist governments, enabled by US bombing so US policy sped up the domino effect
- Propoganda disaster due to failure
- Improved relations with USSR and China after the war
