Cold War Flashcards
Why did the USSR want control over Greece?
They wanted it to be a Soviet Republic
What did the monarchists want in Greece?
The return of the monarchy and free elections (under supervision of Britain)
What did the USSR want in Turkey
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
Yalta Agreements
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
Yalta disagreement
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
Potsdam circumstances - Europe occupation
Stalin occupied most of Eastern Europe
USA and Britain protested but USSR insisted that it was a protective measure against possible attack
Potsdam circumstances - USA president
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
Potsdam circumstances - Bomb
USA had developed an atomic bomb that increased tensions between the super powers
Potsdam disagreements - Germany
Stalin wanted to cripple Germany to protect USSR from future threats but Truman didn’t want a repeat mistake of WW1
Potsdam disagreements - reparations
Stalin wanted $10 billion in reparations from Germany but Truman didn’t want to cripple Germany too much so they become aggressive again (WW1)
Potsdam disagreements - Soviet Policy in Eastern Europe
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
Atomic bomb
Showed the distrust between two superpowers - USSR had known about its development since 1942
Truman used the bomb as a warning to Stalin
Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill’s description of the border of Soviet controlled countries
Soviet expansion - East Germany
Allies gave it to the USSR
Run by Red Army until 1949 when German Democratic Republic was created
Soviet expansion - Poland
Communist formed a coalition government after war but in 1947, forced the non-Communist leaders into exile
Soviet expansion - Czechoslovakia
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
Soviet expansion - Hungary
Communist became largest party in 1947
They imprisoned opposition politicians and attacked Church leaders
Soviet expansion - Romania
1945, Communist Prime Minister elected in coalition
1947, monarchy abolished
Soviet expansion - Yugoslavia
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
Soviet expansion - Albania
Communist gained power quickly after war - no opposition
Soviet expansion - Bulgaria
Left-wing coalition in 1945
Communists then executed leaders of other parties
Cominform
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)
West’s reaction to Communist domination
Unexpected - thought the governments would be democratic
Truman saw spread of Communism
Truman help to Greece and Turkey
He gave $400 million in aid to them and secured Turkey as a US ally and propped up Monarchist government in Greece
Truman Doctrine
It meant that the USA was prepared to send equipment, money or advice to any country threatened by Communist takeover
Containment
Containment
Truman’s policy to stop communism spreading any further
If communism was to spread any further, it would’ve been met with military force
The Marshall Plan
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
Stalin’s view of Marshall Plan
He viewed with suspicion and forbade any eastern European states to apply for Marshall Aid and set up Cominform and Comecon
Yugoslavia and Tito
TIto resisted the control of Stalin
USSR took no military action but used propaganda
Berlin Blockade
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
Berlin Airlift
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
Impact of Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Showed that USSR and USA wouldn’t go into direct conflict but would try to obstruct each other
China becomes Communist, 1949
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
Korean War, 1950-53
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
Significance of Korean War
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
Vietnam War, 1960s
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
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), 1949
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
The Warsaw Pact, 1955
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.
The arms race
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
Bomber gap
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
How much defence spending of the USA went to the Air Force?
40%
Significance of Arms Race
USA and USSR could hit each other with missiles very quickly - Mutually Assured Destruction
Tensions and panic in the public
‘Duck and Cover’
Campaign to warn children how to protect themselves in case of a nuclear attack
Public shelters and alarms to warn public
Space Race
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
Importance of Space Race and the Arms Race
Space technology could be used to build missiles to carry nuclear weapons
ICBM
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
When did Stalin die?
1953
Khrushchev’s thaw: what did he do?
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
De-Stalinisation
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
Hungary, 1956
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.
How Nagy got into power, 1956
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
What were Nagy’s reforms that angered Khrushchev?
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*
Soviet fears and reactions of Nagy’s reforms
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
Hungary effects on Cold War relations
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
The U-2 Crisis backstory
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
The U-2 Crisis, 1960
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.
Mutually Assured Destruction
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
Berlin Wall, 1961
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
Events after Berlin Wall
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
Background of Cuba
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.
Castro - opposition to Batista
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
USA’s reaction to Castro’s rule
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.
Castro’s response to US hostility
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
The Bay of Pigs, 1961
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.
Results of Bay of Pigs
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
Supply of weapons to Cuba by USSR, 1962
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
The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
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
Results of Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
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
Prague Spring, 1968
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
Soviet Union reaction to Prague Spring
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
The Brezhnev Doctrine
Created after Prague Spring
Says that essentials of Communism were to be in the Warsaw Pact and to be a one-party system
Détente
The relaxing of tensions in the Cold War
Factors that encouraged Détente
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
Salt 1, 1972
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
