Cold War Flashcards
What was the cold war?
Between USA and USSR. Never directly fought against each other but was conflict in Vietnam, Cuba, Korea and Afghanistan. Both sides had nuclear tech
When was the Yalta conference?
Feb 1945
Which 3 countries met at Yalta and name the leaders
Britain -> Churchill
Russia -> Stalin
USA -> Roosevelt
When was the Potsdam conference?
July to Aug 1945
Which 3 countries met at Potsdam and name the leaders
Britain - Attlee
Russia -> Stalin
USA -> Truman
What was discussed and agreed at Yalta?
Germany split into 4 zones and pay reparations
Free elections in Eastern European countries
UN formation
Russia to join war against Japan after WW2
What was discussed and agreed at Potsdam?
Nazi war criminals should face justice
Nazi party banned and leaders to be trialled
What were the disagreements at Potsdam?
What would happen at Germany
Reparations
Soviet policies of Eastern Europe
Boundaries between Soviet Union and Europe
Why was Germany disagreed at Potsdam?
Stalin wanted to cripple it to protect the USSR, but Truman didn’t want to repeat the mistake of Versailles
Why were the reparations disagreed at Potsdam?
Stalin wanted lots of compensation but the allies disagreed -> Stalin got whatever he wanted from the Soviet zone and 10% of equipment of the Western zones
Why were Soviet policies of Eastern Europe disagreed?
Stalin said “If the slav people are united, nobody will put a finger against them”
Soviet Gov in Poland which angered Truman
Describe The Berlin blockade?
Lasted 318 days
Allies delivered 5000 tonnes of coal, food, oil per day
Lifted on May 5th 1949
Stalin blocked roads, railways and canals
What was the iron curtain?
The boundary dividing the EU into 2 separate zones
Divide between Comm and Capitalism
A term introduced in a speech by Churchill in March 46
9 months after Potsdam when Stalin got total control of East EU
What was the policy of containment and who made it in which doctrine?
Prevention of the spread of Communism. Truman said it in a speech which is known as Truman Doctrine
What was the trigger of the Truman Doctrine
When Britain couldn’t defend Greece anymore
What was going on in Greece at the time when Britain was involved in it?
Civil war between Communists and Monarchists
Which side were Britain fighting on in Greece, and when they wanted to pull out, who funded them?
Monarchists. Feb 1947 - Truman provided money to pay for the British army
Why did Truman send George Marshall to Europe? (Why did he think Communism would spread?)
He believed Communism spread when people faced poverty and hardship. Marshall was sent to assess the economic state of Europe
How much money did European countries owe to America before the Marshall plan?
$11.5 billion
What did Churchill describe Britain as after WW2?
A rubble heap and a breeding ground of gate
How much money did Marshall tell Truman was needed?
$17 Billion
Why did Truman want to implement the Marshall plan?
Because he wanted to still be able to trade with the countries and avoid another depression
What did Stalin do when he heard about Marshall aid?
Forbid any East European country to apply for it
Why did Stalin launch the Berlin blockade?
Wanted to keep Germany crippled and would force Allies out and make them dependent on USSR
He didn’t want Capitalism in East Germany or Berlin
He thought the West were making it too strong
What was the new currency the allies introduced in West Germany?
Deutschmarck
Why was West Germany embarrassing East Germany and what was the effect of this?
The wealth of West Germany was embarrassing Communism. People from East Germany were moving to West Germany as the quality of life was better
Why did the Allies launch an airlift?
Needed to supply 2 million people
Make West Berlin stay democratic
Truman wanted to show he was serious and not bow down to aggression
They were fairly confident Stalin wouldn’t shoot their planes down
