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History > Cold War > Flashcards

Cold War Flashcards

1
Q

Why did the USSR want control over Greece?

A

They wanted it to be a Soviet Republic

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2
Q

What did the monarchists want in Greece?

A

The return of the monarchy and free elections (under supervision of Britain)

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3
Q

What did the USSR want in Turkey

A

Access to the Mediterranean sea for Soviet ships through the Black Sea Straits
Stepping stone for communism into the Middle East
Important to USA because oil

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4
Q

Yalta Agreements

A

Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan after Germany surrendered
Germany would be divided into 4 zones USA, France, UK, USSR
To hunt down those responsible for genocide in Germany
Countries liberated from Germany would hold free elections
Join UN
Eastern Europe is Soviet sphere of influence

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5
Q

Yalta disagreement

A

Stalin wanted have Poland and he took it and Churchill was unhappy but persuaded Roosevelt to accept if USSR didn’t interfere in Greece
Accepted

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6
Q

Potsdam circumstances - Europe occupation

A

Stalin occupied most of Eastern Europe

USA and Britain protested but USSR insisted that it was a protective measure against possible attack

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7
Q

Potsdam circumstances - USA president

A

Roosevelt died in 1945 and was replaced by Truman
Truman was more anti-communist and suspicious of Stalin
Thought the Soviet actions in Eastern Europe was preparation for takeover of whole Europe

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8
Q

Potsdam circumstances - Bomb

A

USA had developed an atomic bomb that increased tensions between the super powers

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9
Q

Potsdam disagreements - Germany

A

Stalin wanted to cripple Germany to protect USSR from future threats but Truman didn’t want a repeat mistake of WW1

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10
Q

Potsdam disagreements - reparations

A

Stalin wanted $10 billion in reparations from Germany but Truman didn’t want to cripple Germany too much so they become aggressive again (WW1)

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11
Q

Potsdam disagreements - Soviet Policy in Eastern Europe

A

Stalin argued that if East Europe was united, no-one would dare attack them
Truman thought that this meant that Stalin wanted to build a soviet empire in Europe

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12
Q

Atomic bomb

A

Showed the distrust between two superpowers - USSR had known about its development since 1942
Truman used the bomb as a warning to Stalin

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13
Q

Iron Curtain

A

Winston Churchill’s description of the border of Soviet controlled countries

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14
Q

Soviet expansion - East Germany

A

Allies gave it to the USSR

Run by Red Army until 1949 when German Democratic Republic was created

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15
Q

Soviet expansion - Poland

A

Communist formed a coalition government after war but in 1947, forced the non-Communist leaders into exile

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16
Q

Soviet expansion - Czechoslovakia

A

Left-wing coalition won election in 1945 and in 1946 Communist joined coalition
In 1948, they banned all other parties and made Czechoslovakia completely communist

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17
Q

Soviet expansion - Hungary

A

Communist became largest party in 1947

They imprisoned opposition politicians and attacked Church leaders

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18
Q

Soviet expansion - Romania

A

1945, Communist Prime Minister elected in coalition

1947, monarchy abolished

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19
Q

Soviet expansion - Yugoslavia

A

Marshal Tito led wartime resistance against Nazis and was elected President in 1945
determined to apply communism in his own way and was expelled from Cominform

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20
Q

Soviet expansion - Albania

A

Communist gained power quickly after war - no opposition

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21
Q

Soviet expansion - Bulgaria

A

Left-wing coalition in 1945

Communists then executed leaders of other parties

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22
Q

Cominform

A

Coordinated work of Communist parties in Europe and briefed them in Moscow often
He could pick out and replace leaders who he didn’t think were loyal to him (except Yugoslavia)

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23
Q

West’s reaction to Communist domination

A

Unexpected - thought the governments would be democratic

Truman saw spread of Communism

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24
Q

Truman help to Greece and Turkey

A

He gave $400 million in aid to them and secured Turkey as a US ally and propped up Monarchist government in Greece

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25
Q

Truman Doctrine

A

It meant that the USA was prepared to send equipment, money or advice to any country threatened by Communist takeover
Containment

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26
Q

Containment

A

Truman’s policy to stop communism spreading any further

If communism was to spread any further, it would’ve been met with military force

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27
Q

The Marshall Plan

A

Communism spread to areas of poverty and hardship so US sent General Marshall to assess economy of Europe - they were completely broken, food shortages, coal shortages.
At first, in 1947, Congress didn’t accept the plan of sending $17 billion from Truman but in 1948, after Czechoslovakia was taken control of violently (through killing of Anti-Soviet leaders, Congress accepted Marshall Plan

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28
Q

Stalin’s view of Marshall Plan

A

He viewed with suspicion and forbade any eastern European states to apply for Marshall Aid and set up Cominform and Comecon

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29
Q

Yugoslavia and Tito

A

TIto resisted the control of Stalin

USSR took no military action but used propaganda

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30
Q

Berlin Blockade

A

After West Germany was united and a new currency was made, Stalin saw these actions as provocative and wanted to have authority in Berlin.
So he blocked all Western help to West Berlin so West Berlin would be dependent on USSR
If US tried to help West Berlin by ramming roadblock etc. it would’ve been seen as an act of ware

31
Q

Berlin Airlift

A

Truman wanted to show he was serious about Containment so he airlifted supplies into West Berlin and the Soviets didn’t shoot the planes down
Planes gave all the supplies needed for West Berlin

32
Q

Impact of Berlin Blockade and Airlift

A

Showed that USSR and USA wouldn’t go into direct conflict but would try to obstruct each other

33
Q

China becomes Communist, 1949

A

Civil War going on in China since 20s and in 1949, Mao Zedong (the communists) won and the nationalists were exiled to Taiwan (nationalists supported by UN).
In 1950, the USSR and China allied and changed the power balance between East and West in Asia.
Containment failed in Asia

34
Q

Korean War, 1950-53

A

Korea divided by 38th Parallel
North Korea invaded South and South were pushed to Pusan and appealed to the UN for help
USSR boycotted meetings of UN security because UN supported nationalists of Taiwan still so UN could help South Korea unopposed
UN troops fought for South Korea and retake the country
Ceasefire causes stalemate.
Tensions rising

35
Q

Significance of Korean War

A

War was used to test new deadly weapons
Stalemate for 2 years until ceasefire in 1953 increased tensions
UN proved it could act
Korea not united - tensions
USSR never missed another meeting - distrust

36
Q

Vietnam War, 1960s

A

Communist Viet Cong fighting against the French and the USA as they were providing aid.
US used search and destroy tactics to fight - brutal tactics increased tensions
USSR vs USA - distrust
Power balance shift

37
Q

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), 1949

A

Western powers met in 1949 during Berlin Blockade and signed an agreement to work together
It meant that US could have secure bases in Europe that could resist any advance that Stalin might make

38
Q

The Warsaw Pact, 1955

A

Khrushchev wanted to keep the buffer zone like Stalin and after West Germany joined NATO and had its own armed forces again, he created the military alliance where the members would defend each other if one country was attacked.

39
Q

The arms race

A

Started with the dropping of the atomic bomb, 1945
Soviets had their own bomb by 1949 through expensive research and development, much earlier than USA thought
USA identifies 6000 places in USSR to be hit, 1951
USA detonates hydrogen bomb 1000 times more powerful than atom bomb, 1952
USSR detonates own H-bomb, 1953
USA develops H-bomb small enough to be dropped from bomber 1954
USSR drops test H-bomb from bomber, 1954

40
Q

Bomber gap

A

The fact that the USSR could hit american cities
Created through exaggeration and paranoia
Eisenhower knew there wasn’t one but he couldn’t tell everyone he knew because he found out through spying

41
Q

How much defence spending of the USA went to the Air Force?

A

40%

42
Q

Significance of Arms Race

A

USA and USSR could hit each other with missiles very quickly - Mutually Assured Destruction
Tensions and panic in the public

43
Q

‘Duck and Cover’

A

Campaign to warn children how to protect themselves in case of a nuclear attack
Public shelters and alarms to warn public

44
Q

Space Race

A

Eisenhower announced a programme in 1955 to launch a man-made satellite but in 1957 the Soviets launched Sputnik and Sputnik 2 with a dog inside it
1958, US launches Explorer 1 satellite and NASA was made
1961, Yuri Gagarin first man in space
1969 Apollo 11 Armstrong and Aldrin first men on moon

45
Q

Importance of Space Race and the Arms Race

A

Space technology could be used to build missiles to carry nuclear weapons

46
Q

ICBM

A

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile - Soviet missile developed in 1957 that launched a missile into space and back down
Developed in 1959 by the US, could also be fired from undetectable submarines

47
Q

When did Stalin die?

A

1953

48
Q

Khrushchev’s thaw: what did he do?

A

Ended feuds with China and Yugoslavia
Talked of peaceful co-existence with the West
Made plans to reduce expenditure of arms
Attended first post-war summit in 1955
Relaxed control of Soviet Union - pulled Soviet troops out of Austria

49
Q

De-Stalinisation

A

Khrushchev denounced Stalin in Communist party conference in 1956
He released more political prisoners
Closed down Cominform to reconcile with Yugoslavia
Invited Marshall Tito to Moscow
Dismissed Molotov, Stalin’s foreign minister
Improve living standards of Soviet citizens

50
Q

Hungary, 1956

A

Hungary under iron control of Soviet Union
Rakosi was communist ruler of Hungary who had opposition within communist party but Moscow wouldn’t help and had him retired.

51
Q

How Nagy got into power, 1956

A 
New leader (Erno Gero) was similar to Rakosi and students pulled down a statue of Stalin as protest
Nagy, a well-respected leader formed a new government, allowed by the USSR and Soviet troops and tanks began to withdraw 
Local councils were made to replace Soviet power and many Hungarian soldiers defected to join rebel cause
52
Q

What were Nagy’s reforms that angered Khrushchev?

A 
Hold free elections
Create impartial courts
Restore farmland to private ownership
Withdrawal of Soviet Army from Hungary
*Leave Warsaw Pact and declare neutral in Cold War between East and West*
53
Q

Soviet fears and reactions of Nagy’s reforms

A

Optimism that Eisenhower would support independent Hungary (no help sent in the end)
Khrushchev didn’t accept Hungary leaving the Warsaw Pact and in 1956, sent thousands of troops and tanks and fought the Hungarians
Imre Nagy and fellow leaders executed and resistance crushed in 2 weeks and new leader Kadar put in

54
Q

Hungary effects on Cold War relations

A

West were distracted by crisis in Suez Canal in Egypt meaning that they couldn’t react to events in Hungary
USA couldn’t help Hungary because it was too close to USSR and they didn’t want to start a war
Proved that ‘peaceful co-existence’ was going to be difficult
Proved that the Buffer Zone was important as he didn’t let anyone leave the Warsaw Pact

55
Q

The U-2 Crisis backstory

A

Spy flights since 1950 without Truman’s permission but banned by Truman because violated Soviet airspace
Eisenhower started these flights again with the U-2 plane that flew so high that it couldn’t be shot down.
Khrushchev said each flight ‘spat in the face of the Soviet people’ but he couldn’t complain because he couldn’t admit that he couldn’t shoot them down

56
Q

The U-2 Crisis, 1960

A

The Four Power Summit in France was coming up (held in Paris) and a U-2 plane was shot down over the USSR. The pilot, Gary Powers, was arrested by USSR soldiers.
The USA tried to deny the spying but then admitted it but they didn’t apologise or promise no more flights
Khrushchev then refused to attend the peace summit and pulled out. Worsened relations. Gary Powers traded with USSR spy, Rudolph Abel.

57
Q

Mutually Assured Destruction

A

No-one dared to send missiles because they knew that the other side would be able to strike back before other bombs had even landed

58
Q

Berlin Wall, 1961

A

Highly skilled workers and well-qualified managers were defecting from East Berlin into West and Khrushchev wanted to test JFK so he asked him to remove all US troops from West Berlin and he refused.
Overnight, a barrier was created between the halves and replaced by a concrete wall and all crossing points were sealed apart from Checkpoint Charlie
Families divided, work disrupted and people who tried to cross were shot

59
Q

Events after Berlin Wall

A

Access to East Berlin was guaranteed to the Allies since 1945 so US diplomats and troops crossed to see how USSR would react. Eventually tanks waited outside Checkpoint Charlie and there was a standoff between US and USSR but all tanks retreated.
Crisis averted but tensions high
Kennedy - ‘wall is better than a war’
West viewed it as a prison wall and East viewed it as a protective shell
Represented the divide between East and West

60
Q

Background of Cuba

A

160km south of Florida and a playground for rich Americans, Americans owned most businesses on island and had a naval base. Americans had their own leader (a dictator) on the island who was corrupt and unpopular but against Communism so America supported him.

61
Q

Castro - opposition to Batista

A

1959, Castro entered capital (Havana) after defeating some of Batista’s men in the mountains and killed, arrested or exiled political opponents, supported by Cubans for his better vision for the country instead of America’s unfair use of the country

62
Q

USA’s reaction to Castro’s rule

A

Decided to recognise his rule but relations grew worse because of the political views (capitalism vs communism)
In 1961, there were thousands of Cuban exiles demanding action against Castro and Castro had taken over many American businesses and took land and distributed it among the farmers so Eisenhower authorised the CIA to find ways to overthrow Castro and disrupt the economy, e.g burning sugar plantations, refusing to cooperate with Cuban businesses with goods from USSR and American media criticising Castro.

63
Q

Castro’s response to US hostility

A

He assured Americans in Cuba that they were safe and allowed the US to keep their naval base but by 1960, Castro allied Cuba with the Soviet Union.
Khrushchev sent $100 million in aid and sent arms to Cuba
America knew about this because of spies

64
Q

The Bay of Pigs, 1961

A

JFK broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba because he didn’t want a soviet satellite near America and supplied arms, equipment and transport for 1400 Cuban exiles against Castro to invade and overthrow Castro.
They were met by 20,000 Cuban troops with tanks and modern weapons and invasion failed.

65
Q

Results of Bay of Pigs

A

Half-hearted invasions showed to Cuba and USSR that America wasn’t willing to get directly involved in Cuba.
Khrushchev was scornful of JFK’s pathetic attempt of getting Communism out of Cuba
Suggested that Kennedy was weak and encouraged spread of Communism

66
Q

Supply of weapons to Cuba by USSR, 1962

A

1962, Soviet Union announced that it would supply Cuba with arms and they sent many modern weapons.
Kennedy warned that he would prevent Cuba becoming an offensive military base (nuclear missile base) by any means

67
Q

The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962

A

American spy plane took pictures of nuclear missile sites in Cuba built by USSR - missiles ready to launch in 7 days and 20 Soviet ships were coming in carrying missiles
Kennedy formed ExComm (group of advisers) and they decided to form a blockade of Cuba and calls on USSR to their missiles
Khrushchev sends a letter to Kennedy saying he will send his ships and doesn’t admit the presence of nuclear missiles in Cuba. The ships approach the blockade and turn around but work
Kennedy receives another 2 letters from Khrushchev sating he would remove missiles from Cuba if USA removed missiles from Turkey and promised not to invade Cuba and blockade lifted but a U-2 plan is shot down over Cuba and JFK is advised to attack Cuba but JFK says to Khrushchev that if he removes missiles he promises not to invade but if this isn’t accepted, they will attack
Khrushchev agrees and crisis ends

68
Q

Results of Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962

A

Kennedy improved rep and Khrushchev was considered a peace-maker
Emphasised the danger of nuclear war and how easily it could happen - hotline between White House and the Kremlin set up
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed
Showed that invading Cuba wasn’t worth it if it meant nuclear war
Highlighted hypocrisy of US - missiles in Turkey

69
Q

Prague Spring, 1968

A

Dubcek became leader of the Czech communist party and he wanted to have less censorship, more freedom of speech and less secret police activity, however he assured Brezhnev that he wasn’t going to pull out of the Warsaw Pact or Comecon
The free speech meant that people started criticising communism and how corrupt the leaders were
Talks of allowing another political party ‘The Social Democrat Party’ to be set up as a rival party

70
Q

Soviet Union reaction to Prague Spring

A

Czechoslovakia was important because of its industry and placement in Europe. Soviets were worried that the new ideas in Czechoslovakia would spread
Soviets told Dubcek not to allow another rival political party and he agreed and was allowed most of his reforms
But a few weeks later, Soviet tanks moved in and Dubcek was removed from power with little resistance
Emphasised to the West that USSR couldn’t lose any part of its control over Eastern Europe and any members trying to move away from Soviet policies wouldn’t be accepted

71
Q

The Brezhnev Doctrine

A

Created after Prague Spring

Says that essentials of Communism were to be in the Warsaw Pact and to be a one-party system

72
Q

Détente

A

The relaxing of tensions in the Cold War

73
Q

Factors that encouraged Détente

A

Rising inflation and huge costs over the Vietnam War - the US needed more trade
The fact that both countries had too many nuclear bombs - too dangerous
Worried about conflicts in the Middle East that would disrupt oil supplies
Worried about the growing power of China
Nixon (entered office in 1969) wanted to talk with Brezhnev and vice-versa to extend peaceful co-existence started by Khrushchev

74
Q

Salt 1, 1972

A

Agreement between USSR and USA that limited number of ICBMs and ABMs on both sides and allowed each side to use spy satellites to spy on each other
Lasted for 5 years and was seen as a huge achievement

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