cold war Flashcards
1
Q
when was the grand alliance formed and between who
A
The grand alliance was formed between the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain. Th alliance was formed when a force of 4 million German troops invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.
2
Q
Why was the Grand alliance set up
A
To mastermind the defeat of Germany and Japan in the second world war
3
Q
When were the conferences
A
Tehran - November 1943
Yalta - February 1945
Potsdam, July-August 1945
4
Q
What was agreed on in Tehran (4)
A
-The USA and Britain would open a second front y launching an attack on Germany to ease the pressure on the Eastern Front- The Germans would have to withdraw troops from the Soviet to fight the West
-Stalin would declare war against Japan and supply Soviet troops to help the USA - but only once the war in Europe was over
- Poland should receive land from Germany, but the Soviet Union could keep land it had seized from Poland in 1939
-There was a general agreement that an international body should be set up to settle disputes - this laid the ground for the future formation of the UN
-
5
Q
What impact did the Tehran conference have on international relations
A
Stalin was initially concerned that Britain and USA were trying to weaken the Soviet Union so he was pleased with the agreement of the ‘second front’. Churchill was less pleased as he wanted the ‘second front’ in the Balkans not in the West so there was some tension between the USA and Britain
6
Q
What was agreed on in the Yalta conference
A
- After the war Germany would split into 4 zones and each zone would be controlled by a power. Germany would also pay $20 billion in reparations. The Nazi Party would be banned and war criminals prosecuted
-A United Nations would be set up, with its first meeting on 25th April 1945, Stalin wanted all 16 Soviet republics to be given individual membership instead, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were admitted
-Stalin agreed that future governments in the east would be decided by free elections
-It was agreed that borders of Poland would be returned to their position in 1921 and that there would be free elections but the Stalin expected those elections to bring about a communist government, whereas the British supported the non-communist London Poles.
7
Q
What events took place between the Yalta and Potsdam conferences
A
-Roosevelt died and was replaced by Truman
- Churchill and the conservative party lost the election and was replaced by Clement Atlee
- Scientists in the USA had developed an atomic bomb
8
Q
How did Truman and Atlee compare to Churchill and Roosevelt
A
They were new to diplomatic discussions so it was much harder for them too get their way with Stalin
9
Q
Agreements made at Potsdam
A
- The whole German economy would run as a whole despite it being split into 4 zones
-Berlin would also be divided into 4 zones
-The Soviets wanted Germany to pay heavy reparations but Truman was concerned that this would make this harder for the German economy to recover.
10
Q
Why did Truman object to the control that then Soviet Union had over the countries it had liberated from Nazi rule
A
He was beginning to see the red army as an army of occupation
11
Q
Why did Truman object to the agreements for Poland and the borders that had previously been agreed
A
He wanted to see a new government with less communist influence
12
Q
What impacts did the conferences as a whole have on internal relations
A
Stalin wanted control of Eastern Europe to ensure the security of the Soviet Union but Truman believed that Stalin was trying to spread communism and looked upon Stalin’s ambitions as examples of communist aggression. In the years 1945-1946 this basic disagreement and mutual suspicion turned the wartime alliance into peacetime hostility.
13
Q
When did the USA explode an atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
A
6th August 1945 and 9th August
14
Q
How many people died in the bombings in Japan
A
120,000
15
Q
How did developing the atomic bomb help Truman
A
It made him feel more confident and determined in the conversations in Potsdam and Western Europe felt more secure about placing themselves under American protection
16
Q
How did the Soviet Union react to the atomic bomb
A
Stalin felt more determined to make the soviet union secure and his immediate aim was to make a buffer zone of countries that were sympathetic to communism
17
Q
When was the Soviets first successful test of the atomic bomb
A
29th August 1949
18
Q
How did the atomic bomb affect tensions
A
The bomb dramatically increased tensions and led to the arms race in which each side tried to make sure their nuclear weapons were more powerful than the other
19
Q
What did Kennan’s long telegram contain that worried the American Government
A
He said that Stalin wanted to see the destruction of capitalism and that he felt the world outside the Soviet Union was hostile and looking to destroy communism
20
Q
When did Churchill give his iron curtain speech
A
In March 1946
21
Q
What did the iron curtain speech talk about
A
In the speech Churchill made it plain that he thought the Soviet Union was a threat to freedom and world peace
22
Q
What provoked Churchill to make his speech
A
Communist governments had recently been set up in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria
23
Q
How did the Iron Curtain speech affect internal relations
A
Increased tensions and mistrust, and led to the Soviet Union strengthen its forces and step up a campaign of anti-western propaganda. Churchills speech intesified the growing hostility
24
Q
Why was Stalin reluctant to give up the Eastern European countries he had freed from Nazi control in the war and what did he end up doing with them
A
They were useful buffer zones between the Soviet Union and Germany and therefore turned them into satellite states with communist governments
25
What was Trumans reaction to the formation of the satellite states
Truman saw this as evidence that Stalin wanted to spread communism
26
What helped Stalin to spread communism and form satellite states
After the war many European countries were in ruins, with homes, infrastructure and factories destroyed, so a communist state where everyone was equal would be attractive to citizens.
27
When did the British government announce that it could no longer provide support to the Greek government
1947
28
When did Truman deliver his speech to the US congress (Truman doctrine)
On 12 March 1947
29
How much did Truman announce he was going to give to Greece and Turkey as an economic package
$400 million and sent American civilian and military personnel to the region
30
What did Truman also talk about surrounding communism in his speech in 1947
He spoke of 2 ways of life, one that offered majority rule and freedom, the other was for the will of minority to be forced upon the majority. Truman believed choosing democracy of communism was like choosing good over evil
31
How did the Truman Doctrine signal a new approach to international relations
before the war the USA had followed a policy of isolationism which was now being displaced by containment
32
What was the Marshall Plan
It was a practical outcome of the Truman Doctrine to help war torn countries in order to stop communism taking over
33
How much did the US give of aid to war torn countries in the Marshall plan
between 1948 and 1952 the US gave $12.7 billion dollars in addition to $13 billion already given by the USA before the Marshall Plan
34
What was the Soviet's response to the Marshall Plan
Dollar Imperialism- Stalin believed that Truman was trying to extend the US's influence in Europe and thought that he was undermining the role of the UN. He argued that the Marshall Plan was a way of using economic might to divide the world into 2.
35
How did the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan affect internal relations
- The grand alliance was destroyed
- Stalin's suspicions of the West were reinforced
- Europe was now divided into two economic and political camps
36
When was Cominform set up
22 September 1947
37
what was Cominform
a political organisation set up on Stalin's orders. The satellite states were encouraged to trade with other members of Cominform and contact with non-communist countries was discouraged
38
How many members did Cominform have and who
It had nine members; the communist party of the soviet union, and the communist party of the satellite states
39
Where was the Cominform headquarters and why
Yugoslav and it showed the most support for Cominform
40
Why were the headquarters for Cominform changed from Belgrade to Bucharest and when
growing tensions between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union led to the expulsion of Yugoslavia in June 1948
41
How did Cominform help the Soviet Union
the new body gave Stalin a way of directing and controlling the governments of the satellite states
42
Why did Stalin not allow Satellite states to accept Marshall Aid
He did not want the US to become influential in Eastern Europe
43
When was Comecon established
25 January 1949
44
what was Comecon
Comecon was the Soviet competition to the Marshall Plan and aimed to support economic development in it's member states.
45
After 1953 what did the Soviets use Comecon for
to organise industrial planning across all satellite states. Each state had a five year plan, trade with the USA and Western Europe was discorouged
46
How did Bulgaria's trade with other Comecon members increase
in 1930s - 10%
in 1951 - over 90%
47
How did Comiform and Comecon affect international relations
increased tensions and played a significant part in the formation of NATO in 1949
48
What were the disagreements between the 3 powers regarding Germany
The Soviets wanted to take as much material back as possible to help the Soviet Union, but the Western countries wanted to build up the German economy
49
when was the Deutschmark given to western Germany
March 1948
50
Why were the Soviets furious about the decision to introduce the Deutschmark
The new single currency in Trizonia created a separate economic unit from the East and it acknowledged that there were in affect 2 Germanys
51
How did Stalin feel about Trizonia
He felt that the West were deliberately forcing the East into poverty. He was now even more determined to stand firm and protect soviet interests
52
What was the Berlin Blockade and when
In June 1948, Stalin decided to cut off the land routes across Soviet controlled Germany into Berlin
53
Why did Stalin make the berlin blockade
he wanted to show the USA. Britain and France that a divided Germany would not work. he was hoping that the western countries would give up their zones in Berlin and allow the whole of the capital to be controlled by the Soviets
54
consequences of the Berlin Blockade
the main section of Trizonia would not be able to communicate with Berlin and the people of Berlin would soon run short of food
55
What was the Berlin Airlift
The only way that the west could get supplies to their zones in Berlin without causing potential war was to fly them over and therefore flew food, coal and other necessities along the air corridors
56
How did the west carry out the berlin airlift
The people of West Berlin and Western troops in the city came together to build a new runaway the old airport so that supplies could be landed in the Western zones
57
How much supplies could the Americans fly in everyday (BAL)
1,000 tonnes
58
when was the peak month of flying and how many supplies did the Americans bring in
January 1949, no fewer than 170,000 tonnes
59
When was the Berlin Blockade lifted
9 May 1949
60
How did the Berlin Blockade make the soviets look
The wests peaceful reaction to the blockade made the act look unwise and aggressive
61
What was the Federal Republic of Germany and when was it set up
On 23rd May 1949 the USA, Britain and France permitted zones to come together as a state known as the Federal Republic of Germany
62
What was Stalin's response to the Federal Republic of Germany
German Democratic Republic
63
Why and when was NATO set up
The Western Powers felt they needed a formal military alliance to protect themselves - April 1949
64
What did members of NATO agree on
agreed that if any member was attacked, all members of NATO would come to its assistance
65
When and why did the Soviets create the Warsaw Pact
After the Federal Republic of Germany was allowed to join NATO in 1955, Stalin feared the armed and powerful Germany on its borders
66
What were the countries that joined the Warsaw Pact called
The Eastern Bloc
67
What were the developments in the arms race 1945-58
1945 - atomic bomb US
1949 - atomic bomb Soviet Union
1952 - hydrogen bomb US (100 times more powerful than atomic bomb)
1953 - hydrogen bomb Soviet Union
1957 - ICBM US
68
How far could an ICBM fire
could fire a nuclear warhead at a target more than 4500 kilometres away
69
what was difference about the arms race compared to conventional wars
Previously weapons and armed forces were developed to win wars but they were being developed to stop the other side from going to war at all
70
When was Eisenhower elected president
1952 and took office in 1953
71
When was Khruschev appointed the ruler of the Soviet Union and how did he challenge Stalin
1956 - Khruschev openly criticised Stalin's policies and suggested there should be a peaceful coexistence with the west
72
Why were people more hopeful that tension between the Soviet Union and USA could be reduced in 1950's
- there was a change in leadership
- the war in Korea, in which the Soviet Union and America were on different sides had come to an end in 1953
73
When and what was the Hugarian uprising
In 1956 the people of Hungary began to protest about their lack of political freedoms and problems created by a fuel shortages and poor harvests
74
Why did Khruschev replace Rakosi and who with
In October 1956, Khruschev replaced Rakosi with Nagy who he believed that within a communist regime, there should be personal freedoms so Khruschev hoped Nagy's appointment would end protests
75
What were some of Nagy's reforms
- got rid of the one party state
- authorised the release of many political prisoners
- reorganised the Hungarian government to include members of non-communist parties
76
When did Nagy announce that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact
1 November 1956
77
What was Khruschev's response to Hungary leaving the Warsaw Pact
He could not allow this as he worried that if Hungary left then other Eastern European countries might follow. Then the whole strategy of having pro-communist governments around Soviet Borders would be a threat. Khruschev therefore ordered an invasion on Hungary
78
How did the Soviets invade Hungary
1000 tanks
79
How many people died in the Hungarian uprising
20,000
80
How did Khruschev describe Nagy's death
as a lesson to the leaders of all Socialist countries
81
What was the international reaction to the Soviet invasion of Hungary
the US had been expected to support Hungary after the Marshall Plan however no military support was offered.
82
What was the impact of Hungarian uprising on international relations
The Hungarian Uprising made Khruschev's position in the Soviet Union much more secure and gave him a stronger position in the Warsaw Pact. He also felt more confident when dealing with the USA as he knew they were unlikely to take military action.
83
Why was the communist regime unpopular in east Germany
East Germans suffered from a low standard of living and shortages of basic goods. There were many restrictions on what the East German citizens could say and do and were constantly monitored by the secret police
84
Why did many east Germans choose to leave home and move to the west
They knew that the quality of life in West Germany was much better and they were able to cross easily
85
What type of people left East Germany for the West
people with skilled professions like engineers, technicians and teachers as they knew that they could be getting a higher salary
85
By 1958 how many East Germans had moved to West
three million, over a sixth of the countries population
86
What was Khrushchev's answer to the refugee crisis
In November 1958 Khruschev demanded that Western countries should officially recognise East Germany as an independent country, but because they still believed that Germany could still be reunited they refused to do it
87
When did Khruschev issue his Berlin ultimatum
27 November 1958
88
What was included in the Berlin Ultimatum
- Berlin should be demilitarised and Western troops withdrawn
- Berlin should become a free city
The West had 6 months to comply or Khruschev would hand over control of all routes into Berlin to the East German government
89
How did the Berlin Ultimatum affect internal relations
The west was outraged by Khruschevs demand and saw it as another example of the Soviets trying to spread communism
90
What was the first summit meeting
Geneva - May 1959
- Both sides put proposals for how they believed Berlin should be governed but no agreement was reached
91
What was the second summit meeting
Camp David - September 1959
- No agreement about the way forward for Berlin but the soviets did agree to withdraw the Berlin Ultimatum - the meeting appeared to establish better relations between the powers
92
What event happened that affected the Paris summit meeting in 1960
On may the first 1960, the soviets had shot down a u2 spy-plane as it flew across the soviet union. Although they tried to cover it up by claiming the plane had blown off course, after interrogating the pilot Gary Powers it was found to be a spy mission. Although Eisenhower was embarrassed about what happened, he refused to apologise.
93
What happened at the 3rd summit meeting
Paris - 1960
- Khruschev walked out of the meeting and it ended with no decision being made
94
What event affected the Vienne summit meeting in 1961
In January 1961, JFKK was elected president and followed a policy of building up the USA's military forces
95
How did Khruschev view Kennedy when he was first elected
Khruschev believed that as Kennedy was inexperienced in foreign affairs, he would be an easy opposition.
96
What happened in the 4th Summit meeting
Vienne - June 1961
- Khruschev took a tough stance and renewed the Berlin Ultimatum of 1958
97
What did Kennedy do after the Vienna meeting
Increased spending on American armed forces by over $2 billion to protect the USA if war broke out
98
What was the peak day for the amount of East Germans moving to the West
In August 1961, 40,000 East Germans crossed to the West
99
When and how did Khruschev first border of East Germany to the West
On the night of August the 12th 1961 East German troops built a barbed wire fence around Berlin and between East and West Germany
100
What was the impact of the Berlin wall
- The wall cut through streets and buildings and prevented families and friends from seeing each other for years on end
101
what were some positive outcomes of the Berlin Wall
- There was less likelihood that the US and Soviet Union would go to war over Berlin - Kennedy said a war was better than a wall
102
When and who toppled the pro-American government of Cuba
Fidel Castro and Che Guevara in January 1959
103
Why was President Eisenhower worried about the Cuban revolution
America and Cuba had very close ties to each other - American buisnesses invested heavily in Cuba and most of the land was owned by Americans
104
What political stance did Fidel Castro take
Castro was a nationalist who didn't want his countries economy to be under American control
105
In the aftermath of the Cuban revolution what were the three main tensions
- The American government, although recognising the new government, refused to provide economic aid unless Cuba followed the guidelines set out by the International Monetary Fund
- The Cuban government took over all land in CUba owned by foreign nationals
- In February 1960, Castro made an agreement with the Soviet Union and Khruschev agreed to buy Cuban sugar and provide economic aid . There was also a secret clause saying that Cuba would receive arms from the Soviet Union
106
What did Eisenhower do about his concerns that a pro-communist government was going to be set up in Cuba - just 145 km from the US mainland
In July 1960 Eisenhower reduced the amount of sugar he was buying from Cuba and in October banned all trade with the country. In January 1961 the US broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba
107
What was the Bay of Pigs
Kennedy didn't want a communist ally so close to American borders and therefore gave his support to a plan agreed by the CIA that suggested that a group of Cuban exiles could be trained to launch an invasion and overthrow Castro.
108
When did the invasion force land on the Bay of Pigs
On 17 April 1961 1400 Cuban exiles landed on the bay of pigs
109
Why was the attempt coup (Bay of Pigs) a failure
- The volunteers had little military experience
- The USA wanted to present the attack as a Cuban effort to get rid of Castro but this meant they could not support
- Castro's government found out about the invasion plans and sent 20,000 soldiers ready and waiting
- Many ordinary Cubans felt happy with Castro and therefore didn't support the coup
110
How was the defeat at the Bay of Pigs a public humiliation
Castro showed aeroplanes and other evidence of the failure to journalists from around the world
111
How did the Bay of Pigs incident affect international relations between the US and Soviets
- The USA had previously accused the Soviet Union of trying to build an empire in Eastern Europe but now kit looked like Americans were acting in the same way to restore American influence in an independent country. Khruschev said that the lack of support for the coup was an indicator of the popularity of communism
112
How did the Bay of Pigs incident affect relations between the Soviets and Cuba
- Inevitably the relations were improved and Castro declared himself a communist and asked Khruschev to defend him against any future attacks from the USA
113
When did Khruschev publicly announced that he would provide arms for Cuba
September 1961
114
Why was Kennedy worried about the announcement that Khruschev made in September 1961
If the soviet Union placed nuclear weapons on Cuba the USA would be under direct threat. Cuba woyld now have modern military equipment and training from Soviet experts
115
Why did Khruschev put nuclear weapons on Cuba
- NATO had missiles based in Turkey a short distance from the Soviet Union
- The building of the Berlin Wall was portrayed as a failure for Khruschev, and therefore if he could outwit Kennedy it would restore his prestige
- Because he feared another American attack
116
How did Kennedy practically react to the Cuban Missile Crisis
After several days of discussion, on 22 October 1962 Kennedy set up a naval blockade around Cuba, no ships would be allowed to pass through the blockade without the US's permission. Kennedy was aware that the Soviet Union may ignore the blockade and therefore prepared 54 bombers in case war broke out
117
When was it agreed that Khruschev would remove the missiles from Cuba
On 28 of October Khruschev sent his agreement that he would remove missiles from Cuba if he Americans agreed not to invade, following the telegram sent to Kennedy.
118
What were the consequences of the Cuban Missile crisis that made sure that war would not break out
- In June 1963 a direct communications line was set up between Washington and Moscow. This became known as the 'hotline'
- In August 1963 a Test Ban Treaty was signed by the US, Soviet Union and Great Britain where the three states agreed to prohibit testing of nuclear weapons
- In 1967 the Outer Space treaty was signed where both powers agreed not to use outer space for military purposes
119
How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect internal relations
The Cuban missile crisis in some ways improved relations as it gave Kennedy more confidence in dealing with the Soviet Union. However in Moscow the military felt that they had been forced unto a humiliation withdrawal.
120
How was life under communist rule difficult for the Czech people
The country was ruled by the Soviet Union which used the secret police to maintain control and the economy was run for the benefit of the Soviet Union
121
When were protests for the low standard of living in Czech
1966
122
When and who was elected as First Secretary of the Czech Communist Party
1968 - Alexander Dubcek
123
What political stance did Alexander Dubcek have
He believed that communism was the right political path but should not make life miserable. A communist government should offer socialism with a human face. He believed in the freedom of speech.
124
What were the reforms of the Prague Springs
- Censorship was relaxed and critisism of government action was allowed
- Trade unions were given wider powers
- More power was given to Czech regional governments
- Trade with the West was increased
- Czech people were given greater freedom to travel abroad
125
What was the Soviet's reaction to Dubcek's reforms
Brezhnev remained in contact with Dubcek, urging him not to endanger communism in Czechoslovakia by going too far with his reforms. He also ordered Warsaw troops to carry out manoeuvres in Czechoslovakia to threaten Dubcek
126
How did Brezhnev control Dubcek
On 20 August 1968, 500,000 Warsaw troops invaded Czechoslovakia and ended 'Prague Spring'
127
What was the Brezhnev Doctrine
As a result of the invasion of Czechoslovakia, which Brezhnev said was necessary to protect the unit of the communist movement, in the Soviet paper Brezhnev said that the actions of any individual communist country affected all communist countries. So if one countries actions threaten all other countries actions then it is the duty of other countries to take steps to stop the actions.
128
How did the "Prague Spring" affect relations between other communist countries in Europe
- Yugoslavia and Romania condemned the Soviet Invasion, straining the relationship between their governments and Moscow.
- The communist Parties of Italy and France cut links to Moscow
- East Germany and Poland welcomed Brezhnev's actions as they felt more secure.
- The suppression of 'Prague Spring' led to greater Soviet control of the members of the Warsaw pact, this was emphasised by the Brezhnev Doctrine
129
How did the 'Prague Spring' impact relations between the USA and the Soviet Union
- The USA and other Western governments were outraged by the invasion and many of the m made strong protests to the Soviet Union
- There was an attempt to pass a formal resolution condemning the invasion in the UN but the Soviet Union vetoed it
130
Why was the policy of detente attractive to the US
In 1968 Richard Nixon was elected president of the US and was determined to take the US out of the Vietnam war, which had cost the US billions of dollars and killed almost 60,000 American soldiers. The USA also had many social problems such as inequality between rich and poor, white and black which led to urban rioting on a massive scale in 1968. - A policy of detente with the Soviet Union would allow the USA to spend less money on weapons and more money on trying to solve social problems.
131
Why was the policy of detente atrractive to the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union was facing economic problems and wanted to cut spending on weapons and devote more resources to improve living standards and updating its economy.
132
When was SALT 1
signed in May 1972
133
what was SALT 1 a result of
several years of difficult negotiations between the USA and the Soviet Union about which weapons should be limited
134
What were the areas of agreement that was set out in SALT 1
- The anti- ballistic missile treaty stated that ABMs were only allowed at 2 sites and each site should have a maximum of 100 missiles.
- The interim treaty - the USA was allowed 1054 ICBMs and 740 SLBMs. The Soviet Union was allowed more ICBMs because the USA had more strategic bombs
- The Basic Principles agreement set out steps to avoid nuclear war. For example both agreed that if war looked likely they would both 'make every effort to avoid this risk'
135
What were the weaknesses of SALT 1
- In the events of war it was unlikely that this treaty could prevent it
- The treaty did not cover the latest technological development like MIRVs which carried multiple nuclear war heads on a single missile
136
How did SALT 1 affect international relations
It had a major symbolic importance as both the USA and Soviet Union wanted to reach agreement and wanted to display their better relations publicly
137
When was the Helsinki Accords
In 1973, 33 nations from the Warsaw Pact and NATO met to build on the spirit of cooperation which had been established in SALT 1. In August 1973 an announcement was made to say agreements had been made in three areas.
138
What were the three 'baskets' that were agreed on in the Helsinki Accords
- European Borders - borders are inviolable they cannot be altered by force
- International cooperation - better relations between the Soviet Union and the West will be worked for including a joint space mission and trade agreements
- Human Rights - They will respect human rights such as free speech, religion and free movement across Europe
139
What was the most significant basket to come out of the Helsinki accords
Basket 1 was very significant as this was the first time that the boundaries were formally accepted
140
How did the Helsinki Accords affect international relations
the Helsinki accords was the high point of detente as it marked the dawn of a new approach to international relations
141
When was SALT 2
18th June 1979
142
What did SALT 2 include
restrictions on missile launching and strategic bombers, as well as a ban on testing or deploying new types of ICBM
143
How did the improved relations in 1970s begin to fade
- in USA there was a growing belief from both the republicans and democrats that the Soviet government. Any agreements between the Soviet Union was seen by some Americans as a sign of weakness
- In November 1979, Islamic militants captured the American embassy in Tehran. American diplomats and their families were publicly humiliated and mote than 60 of them were held hostage 444 days. Many angry Americans wanted to see an end to detente and for America to restore its position as a powerful nation.
144
When did the Soviets invade Afghanistan
In December 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan bringing the period of detente to an end
145
Why was the Soviet Union interested in Afghanistan
Afghanistan was viewed as an important neighbour. In 1979 a revolution in Iran the Shah. Afghanistan now formed a good buffer between Iran and Soviet Union. Moscow was determined not to let Muslim fundamentalism spread to its borders: Soviet Union had many Muslim citizens. To protect soviet interest it was important to ensure that there was a pro-soviet government in Afghanistan.
146
Describe the build up to the invasion
- In april 1978 a pro soviet government took control of Afghanistan and recieved economic assistance from Moscow,.
147
What was the American reaction to the invasion of Afghanistan
President Carter went as far as saying that the invasion posed the biggest threat to world peace since the second world war. He withdrew the SALT 2 proposal from the Senate and increased spending on arms.
148
What was the Carter Doctrine
As a result of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Carter said that the US was prepared to repel by force, if necessary, any threat to American interests in the Persian Gulf. Carter began sending weapons and funding to the mujahideen.
149
How did the invasion of Afghanistan impact USA-Soviet relations
Detente was already close to breaking up before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. After the invasion it was finished.
150
How did Reagan criticise Carter
In the 1980 presidential elections Ronald Reagan ridiculed Carter as weak and argued that the time had come for America to regain position on the world stage and stand up to communism
151
How did the US boycott the Olympics
The USA led a boycott of the 1980 Olympic games, which was held in Moscow. Over 60 nations supported the US. American athletes were told that if they tried to go to Moscow, their passports would be taken.
152
Why was the boycott of the Olympic games in 1980 so significant
The Soviet Union was hoping to use the event to promote communism to the huge television audience who would watch the Olympics around the world.
153
How was the boycott of the Olympics affective
Many athletes stayed away and some events were made to look second-rate
154
How did Reagan's presidency differ to Carter's
Reagan's tougher approach to the Soviet Union led to a period of tense and hostile relations - 'second cold war'
155
What were some of Reagan's policies
- In 1983 Reagan described the Soviet Union as an 'evil empire' and said that the USA represented the forces of 'good'
- Reagan persuaded the US congress to boost America's armed forces by increasing spending on arms. In 1982 13% more was spent with a further 8% in 1983 and 84.
- He announced the Reagan Doctrine
156
What was the Reagan Doctrine
The USA would not only support anti-communist governments, but also anti-communist groups trying to overthrow communist governments. US forces toppled the communist government of Grenada in an invasion.
157
What was the SDI and what did it stand for
In 1983 Reagan announced a new policy that would put the Soviet Union under even more pressure. The Strategic Defense initiative or 'Star Wars' as it was popularly called, would place a series of satellites in orbit. These satellites had powerful lasers that could shoot down any Soviet Missiles and prevent them from arming the USA. This was of course against the terms of the Outer Space Treaty signed in 1967.
158
How did the Soviets react to SDI
The Soviet Union leaders knew that they would have to invest a lot of money to develop an equivalent system to SDI.
159
When did Gorbachev become leader of the Soviet Union
March 1985
160
What problems were the soviet union facing when Gorbachev came into power in 1985
- During the Brezhnev era huge sums were spent on developing arms to keep pace with the USA, there was barley any industrial growth in the soviet union or its satellite states. Standards of living were miserable in comparison to the west.
- Low standards of living and a lack of human rights were leading to unrest in some satellite states. In Poland the union 'Solidarity' posed such a threat to the communist government that it was banned
161
What were Gorbachev's aims
To reform communism in the soviet union and introduce a series of policies that would have a positive impact on foreign policy and relations with the USA
To work with the USA to reduce cold war tensions
162
First element of Gorbachev's new thinking
Perestroika - Proposed that the Soviet State and economy should be reformed to include some of the practices that made capitalism successful
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Second element of Gorbachev's new thinking
Glasnost - There should be openness and less corruption in thew government. People should not need to fear the state or fear expressing their opinions. This policy would allow opposition to the government and give the people a better understanding of how the country was run.
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Third element of Gorbachev's new thinking
The Brezhnev Doctrine which had dominated the Soviet Union's relationship with it's satellite states and the west, would now be dropped. The soviet union would no longer get involved with the domestic affairs of other communist countries
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First summit meeting - when and what happened
Geneva - November 1985
At Geneva Gorbachev and Reagan met for the first time
No formal agreements were made but Reagan and Gorbachev established a good working relationship, and a mutual desire to improve relations between their countries
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Second summit meeting
October 1986
Gorbachev was increasingly anxious about the development of nuclear weapons and the threat it posed to the world, this anxiety may well have been strengthened by the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986. Gorbachev proposed phasing out the use of nuclear weapons if the Americans gave up the SDI programme. Although both powers knew that America would not be prepared to do so and again no outcome was made, relations were further improved.
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Third summit meeting
Washington December 1987
Gorbachev had accepted the Americans were not going to give up the SDI. The meeting was the first US-Soviet summit to lea to the signing of a formal treaty - the INF Treaty. The treaty said that both countries would abolish all land based missiles with a range of 500-5500km
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Fifth summit meeting
Malta Summit 1989
Gorbachev met with the new American president George Bush, no agreement was made but both the Soviets and the US saw this meeting as an end to the cold war
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At what point were the Soviet satellite countries free to choose how they were to be governed
After the Brezhnev doctrine had been dropped, they would no longer have to fear that the soviets would intervene like they did in Hungary in 1956 or in Czechoslovakia in 1968
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Examples of changes introduced due to the freedom of the satellite states
Czechoslovakia 1989 - the 'Velvet Revolution'
Romania 1989 - demonstrations against the communist governments
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The significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall on a personal level
On a personal level for many citizens of East and West Germany it meant they could be reunited with relatives and friends who they had not seen for almost 30 years.
People wanted to commemorate the day the Wall fell and they took hammers and chipped away to break off their own souvenir piece to take home
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The significance of the fall of the Berlin wall politically
In political terms the wall was mainly a symbolic event. By 1989, East Germans could already travel to the west through Austria. Throughout Europe communist governments were falling and the Soviet Union showed it had no intention of stepping in to stop the wave of protests.
The wall was a symbol of the end of the cold war and soviet control.
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The significance of the end of the Warsaw pact
The pact was a symbol of the division within Europe between the east and West and therefore the end of the Warsaw pact signified an improved relations.
The pact also symbolised Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe as it was a highly useful way for the Soviets to keep control of their satellite states.
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Why did Gorbachev fall from power
Losing control of the Satellite states played a major part in the downfall of Gorbachev in the Soviet Union as hard-line communists blamed him for losing control over Eastern European and threatening soviet security.
Gorbachev could not continue in these circumstances and on 25 December 1991 he announced his resignation as Soviet leader.
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How did Gorbachev fall from power
In August 1991 the communist hardliners staged a coup against Gorbachev. Boris Yeltsin rallied people of Moscow to oppose the coup and Gorbachev continued in government, but the coup severely damaged his authority.
