Cold War Historical Reasons Flashcards
1
Q
1917
A
- Communist takeover in USSR.
* Soviet withdrew from WW1, leaving the allies with no support against Germany.
2
Q
1918
A
- 1918 – 1921: Civil War between Red Army (Bolsheviks) and White Army (Anti-Communists)
- Britain and America sent troops to fight the Red Army.
3
Q
1920s
A
- Red Scare in the USA: attacks on Communism.
* Thousands of Immigrants to the USA who held radical views were arrested, harassed and often deported.
4
Q
1926
A
- General Strike by British workers.
* British government reacted fiercely because they thought this strike was the work of agents of USSR.
5
Q
1930s
A
- Britain and France signed a policy called Appeasement.
* This made Stalin feel threatened as he thought the West was deliberately supporting Hitler to overthrow Communism.
6
Q
1938
A
- At the Munich Conference, the Munich Agreement was signed: Sudetenland was given to Hitler.
- Stalin felt threatened and insulted because not only this Agreement would empower Hitler, he was not invited to the conference.
7
Q
1939
A
- Nazi-Soviet pact was signed. Germany and USSR agreed not to attack each other. Even though Stalin knew Hitler hated Communism, he was keen to avoid war and win some time to build up USSR’s strength.
- Britain and France were astonished by the pact.
8
Q
June – August 1944
A
- D-Day – The battle of Normandy: Allied Liberation of Western Europe from Nazi German’s control.
- Stalin complained bitterly that America and Britain should have taken action much earlier. (As soon as after Hitler attacked USSR in June 1941)
