Cold War Flashcards
Study
In what month and year did the Yalta Conference take place?
February 1945
The Yalta Conference focused on what major topic?
Planning for the post-war world
One of the key agreements at Yalta was to divide Germany into:
Four zones of occupation
The Yalta agreement also aimed to:
Demilitarize and deNazify Germany
When did the Potsdam Conference take place?
August 1945
At the Potsdam Conference, what important decision was made about Germany?
The Soviet Union would control the eastern portion.
At Potsdam, Stalin promised to treat East Germany:
As a democratic society.
Was Stalin’s promise about East Germany kept?
No, East Germany became a communist dictatorship.
The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences ultimately contributed to:
Laying the groundwork for the Cold War.
What is the main point of the statement “Huge Lie!” in the notes?
Stalin’s promise about East Germany was demonstrably false.
How does ownership of resources like factories and land differ between communism and capitalism?
In communism, the government own and controls all industry as opposed to capitalistic countries in which people privately own them.
Which system prioritizes individual rights and aspirations more, and how does that impact decision-making?
Capitalism / Democracy
When was the United Nations established?
1945
What is the primary purpose of the United Nations?
To establish a single world government
Which two countries played a key role in founding the United Nations?
The United States and the Soviet Union (now Russia)
Which newly formed country did the US try to keep out of the United Nations?
Peoples’ Republic of China
Who delivered the Iron Curtain Speech in March 1946?
Winston Churchill
What was the main theme of the Iron Curtain Speech?
The division of Europe after World War II
Which date marked the announcement of the Truman Doctrine?
March 12, 1947
What was the primary goal of the Truman Doctrine?
To provide military aid to countries threatened by communism
According to the notes, the Truman Doctrine aimed to:
Make recipient countries reliant on the United States
How did the Iron Curtain Speech and the Truman Doctrine contribute to the development of the Cold War?
They solidified the division of Europe into two opposing blocs.
Why did the Soviet Union impose a blockade on West Berlin in 1948?
To pressure the Western Allies to abandon West Berlin and reunify Germany under Soviet control.
What kind of supplies were delivered to West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift?
Food, fuel, medicine, and other essential goods.
What challenges did pilots face during the Berlin Airlift?
The risk involved in flying through Soviet airspace
Why did the Soviet Union eventually lift the blockade on West Berlin?
They faced international condemnation and pressure from other countries.
OR.
They realized the Berlin Airlift was a logistical success and abandoned their attempt to starve the city.
The statement “Soviets blinked first” in the notes suggests:
The Berlin Airlift ultimately forced the Soviet Union to back down from their demands.
How did the world see the US, in terms of its determination to stop communism, as a result of the Berlin Airlift?
That the US would stop at nothing to stop the aggression of communism
How did the world order change as a result of the events of August 29, 1949?
The Soviets detonated a nuclear bomb, making them even with the US
How did the end of World War Two contribute to the Korean War? (consider the way in which territory, controlled by the aggressors in the war, after the conferences among Allies were held)
The territory that Japan had controlled during the war, Korean Peninsula, was divided between Soviet controlled communism in the north and US influenced democracy in the South
On what date did North Korea invade South Korea, sparking the Korean War?
June 25, 1950
Why did President Truman seek approval from the UN Security Council before sending troops to Korea?
What ultimately resolved the Cuban Missile Crisis and prevented a potential nuclear war?
The United States agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey in exchange for Soviet removal from Cuba.
What event directly inspired the Soviet Union to place nuclear missiles in Cuba?
The failed attempt at the Bay of Pigs invasion and attempted overthrow of Fidel Castro.
