Cold War Chapter 1- Origins Of The Cold War 1941-58 Flashcards
When did the Tehran Conference occur and what was it about?
November 1943-The Grand Alliance first met in Tehran to plan a winning strategy to end the war
Which leaders were at the Tehran Conference?
US. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin
Where was the Tehran Conference set and why?
Tehran, Iran
Why was the Tehran Conference important?
The Tehran Conference was the first World War II conference of the “Big Three” Allied leaders. Although the leaders arrived with differing objectives, the main outcome of the Tehran Conference was the Western Allies’ commitment to open a second front against Nazi Germany, including an invasion on France. They were all wroking towards a mutual agree,ent and outcome, allowing for improved relations between the US, USSR and Britain
What was decided in the Tehran conference to ease pressure pn th Eastern Front?
The USA and Britain would open a ‘second front’ by launching an attack on Germany in Western Europe. This would ease pressure on the Eastern Front, where the Soviets were suffering heavy losses. The Germans would then have to withdraw troops from the Soviet Union to fight in the West.
How did the Tehran Conference effect relations?
The Tehran conference had an important impact on international relations. Stalin had arrived in Tehran concerned that the USA and Britain were deliberately delaying a ‘second front’ against Germany so that the Soviet Union could be further weakened by having to fight a fierce defensive war in the East. So he was pleased with the agreement to open a ‘second front’ in the West. Churchill was less pleased because he had wanted to open the ‘second front’ in the Balkans, not in the West. However, Roosevelt sided with Stalin on this.
Which countries was there tension between before and after th Tehran Conference and why?
USA and Britain - especially as Roosevelt seemed at times to view British colonialism* as more of a
threat to world peace than the Soviet Union. It seemed that good relations between Roosevelt and Stalin might create a position where the Big Three was becoming the Big Two and, after 1945, the USA and the Soviet Union would be the only global superpowers. Britain deemed this a threat to both its own land and influence amongst its other countries through colonialism.
What were Franklin D Roosevelt’s beliefs?
He believed strongly in democracy but compromised and formed an alliance with Stalin. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, Roosevelt thought he would need Soviet support against Japan. His desire for Soviet support explains why he was not always as tough in negotiations with Stalin as Churchill would have liked. Roosevelt believed any long-term settlement would only be possible if the Soviet Union was accepted as a superpower and partner in peace.
What were Winston Churchill’s beliefs?
Churchill had very traditional values. He believed strongly in the British Empire at a time when many others - including Franklin Roosevelt - thought colonies should be allowed freedom to rule themselves. His political attitudes made him deeply suspicious of Stalin. Throughout the time of The Grand Alliance he saw his role as trying to stop Soviet expansion.
What were Joseph Stalin’s beliefs?
Stalin strengthened one-party rule in the Soviet Union and cut back on people’s individual rights. He was convinced that the West wanted to destroy communism, so the Soviet Union had to stand firm in any negotiations with the Western ‘superpower’, the USA, and its close ally, Britain.
When did Franklin D Roosevelt end his reign?
1945
When did Winston Churchill end his reign?
1955
When did Joseph Stalin end his reign?
1953
What 4 agreements were made during the Tehran Conference?
- The US and Britain would open a second front by launching an attack on Germany in Western Europe to ease pressure on Eastern Front, where Soviet troops were suffering losses.Germans would have to withdraw troops from the Soviet Union to fight in the West
- Stalin would declare war against Japan and supply Soviet troops to help US with war in Japan once war in Europe was over
- No fromal agree,enr on Germany and countries East of Germany but was agreed that the aim of the war was to bring the surrender pf Germany and that it would remain weak after the war. Poland ahould recieve land from Geemany bur USSR could keep land seized from Poland in 1939. This was important for Stalin whose ultimate aim was to secure his Western border (Satellite states)
- General agreement that am internationalbody should be set up to settle disputes through discussion and negotiation, rather than war- This laid the ground for future formation of the United Nations
When was Comecon established?
25 January 1949
What does Comecon stand for?
The council for Mutual Economic Assistance
Why was Comecon formed?
Comecon was established in direct reaction witht eh Marshall Plan (April 3 1948) from the US president, Harry Truman, which enforced ‘dollar imperialism’
Who were the members of Comecon?
Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and East Germany. Albania joined the following year.
What was Comecon and what were its aims?
It aimed to support economic development in its member states. At first Comecon’s main activities were arranging trade and credit agreements between member countries. After 1953 the Soviet Union used Comecon to try to organise industrial planning across all the satellite states. Trade with the US and West was discouraged
How mcuh did Bulgaria’s trade with other Comecon members increase by?
From 10% in the 1930s to over 90% by 1951
How did Comicon affect tensions?
This increased rensions between the US and USSR as it cut all non-communist cpuntries from aid however only equally reacted to the Marshall plan. It acted as a defined barrier between the East and West, communism and capitalism
What was a consequence of Comicon?
It played a significant role in the US and Western European countries creating a new military alliance, The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
When was NATO formed?
April 1949
What does ‘NATO’ stand for
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
What was NATO?
The members of NATO agreed that, if any member was attacked, al members of NATO would come to its assistance. NATO resulted in an ongoing American military presence in Europe throughout the Cold War, which has continued right up to the present day.
Who was the British foreign secretary and how did he play a part in the alliance of NATO?
The British foreign secretary, Ernest Bevin had played a major part in bringing about this alliance. He made a speech in the British parliament in which he said that European countries would welcome American involvement and called on other Western European countries to reach out to the USA.
What caused the formation of NATO?
Stalin’s threat to Berlin during the Berlin Blockade in June 1948 and the communist takeover in Czechoslovakia, which happened in February 1948, persuaded the Western powers that they needed a formal military alliance to protect themselves from the Soviet Union.
Which Western countries became a part of NATO?
USA, France, Britain and nine other Western countries
What was the Warsaw Pact and when was it formed?
In 1955 the Soviet Union formed an equivalent communist defensive military alliance - the Warsaw Pact.
When was the GFR allowed to join NATO?
May 1955
What does the FRG stand for?
Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)
What does the GDR stand for?
German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
When and why was the FRG formed?
After the Berlin Blockade, the division of Germany continued as rhe Wetsern allies quickly moved to create a seperate Wedt Germany. On 23 May 1949, the US, France and Britain’s zones came together as a state known as the FRG
When and why was the GDR formed?
Stalin responded to the FRG bybcreating the GDR in October 1949. It was only recognised as a nation by the communist bloc countries and the Federal Republic refused to recognise that Germany had been split up until the 1970s
Why was the Warsaw Pact formed?
When the German Federal Republic (West Germany) was allowed to join NATO in May 1955, Stalin’s fears were increased. Now there was a real danger of an armed and powerful Germany on the borders of Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe. Within a week of West Germany joining NATO, the Soviet Union formed an equivalent communist defensive military alliance - the Warsaw Pact.
Who were the members of the Warsaw Pact?
The members were the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). These countries became known as the ‘Eastern bloc’.
When did the USA develop the atomic bomb?
1945
When did the Soviet Union develop the atomic bomb?
1949
When did the US test Inter-continental ballistic missiles?
1957
When did the Soviet Union make first successful ICBM launch?
1957
What was the arms race?
The development of nuclear weapons was typical of
what became known as ‘the arms race’. Both the USA and the Soviet Union spent huge sums of money on building up large armies, navies, submarine fleets and stocks of conventional and nuclear missiles. It was important to try to stay ahead in the race and stop rivals becoming more powerful.
Who was the new president of the USA after Truman and when were they elected?
1952, took office in January 1953- Dwight Eisenhower
When was Stalin’s death?
5 March 1953
When did Nikita Khrushchev emerge as the effective ruler of the USSR?
1956
When was the Korean war and how did it affect Soviet / US relations?
At the end of the Second World War, Korea was split
in two. The Soviet Union supported North Korea
and the USA supported South Korea. In 1950, North
Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations
sent forces to support South Korea, led by the
USA. Since the Soviet Union was supporting North
Korea, the two superpowers found themselves on
opposite sides. They weren’t actually fighting each
other, but they became involved in bitter diplomatic
hostilities.
When did the US develop the Hydrogen bomb
1952 in response to the Soviet development of the atomic bomb- 1000x more powerful
How far coul dan ICBM fire a nuclear warhead?
4500km
Why did the Hingarian Uprising occur?
During 1956, the people pf Hungary began to protests about their lack of political freedoms and problems created by fuel shortages and poor harvests. In October, there were riots in the capital, and police clashed with protestors.
What is the capital of Hungary?
Budapest
Who did Khrushchev decide to replace Rakoski with,
Imre Nagy
What reforms did Nagy put in place to result in the invasion of Hungary?
He believed that wirh a communist regime, rhere should still be personal freedoms. Within days Nagy announced a set of proposed reforms:
- He reorganised the governmenr ro include members of non-communist parties
- Released political prisoners
- Persuaded Khrushchev to withdraw Soviet troops from Hungary
What finally resulted on the invasion of Hungary?
On 1 November 1956, Nagy announced that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Paxt. Khrushchev could not allow this as if Hungary broke away from the Warsaw Pact, other Eastern European countries may follow. Subsuquently, the strategy of achieving security for the USSR with surrounding communist governments would be under threat . Khrushchev therefore ordered a Soviet invasion of Hungary.
When did the Hungarian invasion occur?
4 November 1956
How kany tanks rolled into budapest?
1000
How many Hungarians were killed during the invasion?
20000
What was the international reaction to the Soviet invasion of Hungary?
Since the US had offered financial aaid through the marshall Plan, people in Eastern Europe assumed they would he ready to help in alternate ways. Eisenhower was sympethetic to the Hungarians and some NATO nations took in refugees, but no military support was provided. The US policy of containment meant that while there may be a sistuation where the US would take military action to prevent the spread of cpmmunism beyond the satellite states, it was not prepared to interfere in the affairs of an existing communist country, pitentially resulting in a nuclear war, resulting in the destruction of both sides.
How many Soviet troops invade Hungary?
200000
When was Nagy executed?
In July 1958, the Hungarian Givernment announced that Nagy had been tried and executed. Khrushchev described his death as ‘a lesson to the leaders of all Socialist countries’
Who did Khrushchev replace Nagy with after a pro-communist government was set up?
Janos Kadar
Why did Khrushchev invade Hungary?
- To prevent the belief that he would lead a ‘softer’ apporach with the satellite countries after his reform of destalinisation
- To prevent other Eastern European countries from following
- To any threat tp Soviet security, acting as a protection from potential invasions
How did the Hungarian uprising impact international relations?
- Made Khrushchev’s position in the Soviet Union much more secure and gave him a stronger position pn the Warsaw Pact
- Members knew that if they reblled they would not be provided with military support from the US.
- The faliure of the uprising reflected poorly onnthe West as the y had encouraged communist countries to stand up to the Soviet Union
- US strongly opposed the invasion and the invasion thus soured relations between the two nations
