Cold War

Question 1

Tehran - Date

Answer 1

Nov-Dec 1943

Question 2

Tehran: Co-operation

Answer 2

-Agreed about spheres of influence : (USSR in E Europe, Britain and US in W Europe).

-Western allies agreed to launch attack on Germany from the West (D-Day)

Question 3

Tehran : Tension

Answer 3

-Disagreed about Germany’s future.

-Stalin wanted reparations from Germany, Roosevelt and Churchill wanted Germany rebuilt

Question 4

Yalta : Date

Answer 4

Feb 1945

Question 5

Yalta : Co-operation

Answer 5

-Russia to help US defeat Japan
-Work for ‘democracy’ in Europe
-Set up UN
-USSR sphere of influence in E Europe

Question 6

Yalta:Tension

Answer 6

-They disagreed about what was meant by ‘democracy’
-Roosevelt had a good relationship with Stalin - after his death Truman was less willing to compromise

Question 7

Potsdam: Date

Answer 7

Jul-Aug 1945

Question 8

Potsdam: Co-operation

Answer 8

-Ban Nazi party and prosecute war criminals
-Reduce size of Germany
-Divide Germany and Berlin into 4 zones (USSR, Britain, France, USA)

Question 9

Potsdam: Tension

Answer 9

-Reparations on Germany
-USA had the Atom Bomb

Question 10

Iron Curtain Speech

Answer 10

1946

-Churchill mentions increasing control from Moscow. This implies that Stalin wants to control Europe.
-The use of the term ‘iron curtain’ implies that Stalin wants to create division between communist and capitalist Europe
-The speech implies that Stalin is a threat to much of Europe, not just Britain.
-He wanted US support to help prevent communism spreading further

Question 11

Truman Doctrine

Answer 11

March 1947
-The TRUMAN DOCTRINE said that America should help countries resist communist takeover with economic resources and troops if necessary

-It marked an official change in policy away from isolationism, divided the world in terms of ideology and also showed that the Grand Alliance was finished

-Truman also made it clear that the US should try to CONTAIN communism which becomes central to American foreign policy in the post-war years (e.g. Korea and eventually Vietnam)

Question 12

The Marshall Plan

Answer 12

April 1948
What it was:
$13 bn of US money to help rebuild post-war Europe

What it hoped to achieve:
Help Europe recover
Make communism less attractive
Help US economy as countries had to agree to trade with America

What the impact was:
USSR furious at US attempt to split Europe
Stalin insisted that Eastern European countries should refuse it
Makes the division of Europe bigger

Question 13

Cominform: Date + Aims

Answer 13

1947
-To control Communist Parties and ensure loyalty of Eastern European governments
-Removed ‘disloyal’ government members

Question 14

Comecon: Date+ Aims

Answer 14

1949
To encourage economic development of Eastern Europe (Stalin’s answer to the Marshall Plan)

Question 15

Cominform effects

Answer 15

Consolidated the power of the USSR by stamping out opposition, sometimes with violence

Question 16

Comecon Effects

Answer 16

Political and economic division of Europe cemented

Question 17

Key events of Cuba 1959-62

Answer 17

After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the USA tried to remove Castro in several ways and this made Castro look to the USSR for support. Khrushchev saw an opportunity to balance the Arms race and began constructing missile bases on Cuba , only 90 miles away from the USA. These missiles were discovered by American U2 spy planes in October 1962 and after much deliberating Kennedy chose to blockade Cuba. After almost 2 weeks of tension and uncertainty, the crisis was solved and war averted by a secret deal in which the missiles in Cuba would be removed in return for the removal of US missiles in Turkey.

Question 18

Cuban Crisis: Consequences

Answer 18

-Hotline set up – communication between two sides made easier
-Limited Test Ban Treaty – all overground nuclear tests banned
-Khrushchev’s authority affected – eventually replaced in 1964
-USSR more determined to catch up in Arms race
-Theory of MAD widely accepted

Question 19

Was the Berlin Wall a successful resolution to the Berlin Crisis? (Khrushchev)

Answer 19

YES:
-it stopped the refugee problem
-allowed khrushchev to avoid war whilst appearing strong

NO:
-Khrushchev had been unable to force the West out of West Berlin
-Humiliating that the soviets had to build a wall to keep the people of East Germany in

Question 20

Was the Berlin Wall a successful resolution to the Berlin Crisis? (Kennedy)

Answer 20

YES:
-Avoided a war
-Khrushchev had admitted he was unable to force the West out of Berlin
-It was a propaganda victory for the West

NO:
-West Berlin was now encircled by a wall which limited their freedom and America had not done anything to stop this being built.

Question 21

THE PRAGUE SPRING AND SOVIET INVASION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA-
Antonin Novotny was unpopular…

Answer 21

-secret police were feared
-no political opposition allowed
-economic problems and poor living standards

Question 22

Antonin Novotny replaced by Dubcek

Answer 22

-Friend of Brezhnev but wanted to make a more popular form of Communism
-’Socialism with a human face`
-Opposition groups allowed, less censorship, political criticism, some aspects of Capitalism allowed.

Question 23

Brezhnev replaces Dubcek then…

Answer 23

-Brezhnev ordered invasion of Czechoslovakia
-Brezhnev Doctrine - USSR will invade any East European country if the security of Eastern Bloc is threatened
-Dubcek forced to sign Moscow protocol

Question 24

Results of Czech invasion

Answer 24

Czechs were told not to fight back

-Further evidence of unpopularity of Soviet style control

-Showed Soviet commitment to protecting Eastern Bloc

-Condemned by US but no military help

-Other Communist parties across Europe condemn it – showed that Soviet Communism had lost support and authority

Question 25

Reasons for Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (Dec 1979)

Answer 25

-Extend influence in oil-rich Middle East
-Optimistic that the communist Karmal would win since he assured the USSR that he was popular
-USSR did not trust Amin and Brezhnev feared that Muslim groups would take control
-Fear that if Amin won then it would encourage other states with large Muslim populations within the USSR to become independent Islamic states.

Question 26

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan Key events

Answer 26

-April 1978 – pro-Soviet government under Taraki came to power in Afghanistan with assistance from Moscow
-September 1979 – government overthrown by Amin – Soviets initially support Amin but began to suspect he was looking to the US for support
-December 24th 1979 – Soviets invaded Afghanistan (they claimed they had been ‘invited’ by the government)
-December 27th 1979 – Amin assassinated and replaced by Karmal (a pro-Soviet politician)

Question 27

Dètente - Helsinki Conference 1975

Answer 27

Three baskets - agreed greater co-operation in terms of:

1) European Borders - improved the security of country boundaries
2) International co-operation e.g. economy and trade
3) Human Rights – freedoms of speech, religion etc.

Stabilised their relationship in Europe so limited the possibility of conflict there.

Question 28

Collapse of Communism in E Europe 1989

Answer 28

Gorbachev’s reforms (e.g. Glasnost and Perestroika withdrawing troops) led to increased desire for more change and communist regimes across E Europe collapsed.

Fall of the Berlin Wall (Nov 1989)
After collapse of Hungarian communist government people started leaving E Germany through Hungary. This forced the E German government to open the Berlin Border and when this was announced people flooded to the wall and began dismantling it. This was broadcast around the world and was a hugely significant event.

Question 29

End of the Cold War ( Fall of the Soviet Union 1991 )

Answer 29

After a coup (‘The gang of Eight’) against Gorbachev failed in August, he tried to save Communism by introducing a new constitution.
This was never accepted and he officially announced his resignation and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December.
This finally signalled the end of the Cold War.