Cold War Flashcards
Yalta
Feb 1945
Unconditional surrender of Germany
Reparations of 20$ billion half to USSR
United Nations to be set up
USSR enter war against Japan in return for territory lost in Russo Japanese war
Germany to be split up into occupational zones
German eastern border to move westwards
Provisional government in Poland with free elections
Postdam
July/August 1945
Polish German border settled at Oder Neisse line
Germany to be governed by allied control centre in Berlin
Reparations could be taken from occupational zones
Council of foreign ministers to be made to deal with defeated countries
Germany to be de nazified
Problems at Potsdam
Didn’t agree over Poland’s government so soviet controlled one stayed
Disagreed over Germany - USSR wanted to take reparations and stop industry
USSR wanted access to the Ruhr Germany’s heartland - rejected
USSR wanted foothold in Japan - Truman rejected
Changes between Yalta and Potsdam
America had new president of Truman who was much more wary of communist USSR Victory in war removed common enemy Stalins armies occupied Eastern Europe Allies test atomic bomb Churchill replaced by Attle
Germany defeated
May 1945
What did Stalin gain from Yalta
Large amounts of reparations - 10$ billion
Would regain territory by fighting against Japan
Had largest area of Germany and Berlin
Was allowed to gain spheres of influence like Manchuria
Iron curtain
March 1946 (speech at Fulton)
Stetin to Trieste
Long telegram
Kennan Feb 1946
What did long telegram say
USSR was hostile due to long term feeling of insecurity and fear of outside world
This was not caused by communism but it fitted well
The USSR would never stop trying to take over world but could be stopped at any one pint of pressure
Containment should be adopted
Communist USSR would eventually collapse due to internal power struggle
Cominform
Oct 1947
Containment
1945 - 1947
Aim of containment
To stop the spread of communism and help other countries recover from WW11
Truman doctrine
Promise of open ended aid to countries threatened by aggressive neighbours
400$ million in economic and military aid given to Greece
Marshall plan
Plans to stabilise economies in Europe and stop communism
13.3$ billion
Wanted strong markets for US exports
Felt weak economies would encourage communism
Why eastern bloc
Buffer zone against western attack
Strengthen USSR
Felt he deserved land after war
Spread of communism
Features of communist control in Eastern Europe
Secret police inprisoned anyone who opposed communism
Cominform set up to coordinate work and help Stalin keep an eye on leaders
Replaced independent minded leaders with loyal ones
1948 leader of party in Yugoslavia expelled for hostility to cominform
How does Stalin establish eastern bloc
During war the red army drives out Germans
In may 1945 soviet trooos control all states except Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece
1944-1945 ‘fair’ coalition government set up
1946-1949 backed by red army and Moscow all non communists are forced out of government through vote riggery and show trials
1949 Stalin has control of all states behind iron curtain
Stalin in Poland
1940 red army massacres 4500 polish officers who were likely to oppose communism
1944 red army renter having been pushed out and set up provisional government
1945 at Yalta Stalin allows free polish government members to join PG
1947 member of non communist parties imprisoned and communists win election to become 1 party state
Stalin in Czechoslovakia
Before war they had free press
1945 Czech president benes enlists soviet help to rebuild country
1946 coalition government set up
1947 stalin forbid Czechs to accept Marshall aid
1948 senior police officers replaced with communists and press censored
Purge of non communists
Berlin blockade causes
Jan 1947 Britain and USA combine zones to form bizonia and stalin feels they are trying to force him out of Berlin
March 1947 secret political union
Marshall aid made available and stalin inspects freight shippings into east
June 1948 new currency created and stalin blockades Berlin
Airlift
2 million tonnes of cargo
300 000 flights
Stalin blinds pilots with lights and jams radios
