Cold War: Berlin Blockade

Question 1

Berlin Blockade

Answer 1

24 June 1948 - Stalin cuts off all access to West Berlin
Wants to force Allies out of Berlin
4-way administration would be over
2.5 million Berliners cut off from food, supplies and medicine

Question 2

Berlin Airlift

Answer 2

Allies weren’t prepared to go to war but weren’t ready to give up West Berlin. 20-mile air corridor.

Undertake 11-month airlift, 270 000 flights, 2 million tonnes of food, fuel, medicine and supplies

Seen as first major conflict of Cold War.

Question 3

Results of Airlift

Answer 3

Secured reelection for Truman
Major propaganda boost
Showed the world that the POC was serious
Strengthened the USA as a superpower

Question 4

Formation of NATO

Answer 4

Formed on 4 April 1949 to resist Communist expansion around the world. An attack on one is an attack on all.

Formed during the Berlin Airlift

Question 5

NATO

Answer 5

Security pact
West Germany admitted to NATO in 1955 - Stalin creates Warsaw Pact to link the satellite states militarily in response to WG being added to NATO

Question 6

Khrushchev and Destalinistaion

Answer 6

1953 - Stalin dies
1955 - Nikita Krushchev becomes new General Secretary of CP
Called for peaceful coexistence with the West

1956 - Secret Speech
Denounces Stalin and talks about Destalinisation
Censorship would be relaxed, political prisoners released
Break the cult of personality

Question 7

Warsaw Pact

Answer 7

1955 - WG admitted to NATO
Warsaw Pact is formed in response to this
Defensive alliance
Coordinated defence in satellite states, tied them to the USSR militarily

Question 8

Thaw in CW

Answer 8

COMINFORM dissolved
Political diversity allowed in Europe (theoretically)
Talks with USA about peaceful coexistence