Cold War (History gr 10)

Question 1

Who is Igor Gouzenko?

Answer 1

A Russian cyber clerk at the soviet embassy in Ottawa.

Question 2

What was the Cold War (generally)?

Answer 2

It was a period of geopolitical (global and political) tension between the US (and its allies) and the Soviet Union (and its allies).

After WW2 and the destruction of Europe, both countries emerged as global superpowers.

Question 3

What does the term “Global superpowers” mean?

Answer 3

A country that has the power to exert its influence on a global scale.

Question 4

What was the main source of the conflict that led to the Cold War?

Answer 4

The main conflict was the economic differences between the US and the USSR.

Question 5

What was the political and economical system of the US?

Answer 5

Political system of the US: Democracy

Economical system of the US: Capitalism

Question 6

What was the political and economical system of the USSR / Soviet Union?

Answer 6

Political system of the USSR: Authoritarian

Economical system of the USSR: Communism

Question 7

What was the Yalta Conference?

Answer 7

It was a meeting between the “big three” nations and leaders.

Question 8

What was the Sinews of Peace?

Answer 8

It was a speech delivered by Winston Churchill that described the division between the US and its allies and the Soviet Union in Europe.

Question 9

Why was the Cold War “Cold”?

Answer 9

The conflict is called the Cold War because it did not “heat up” into direct fighting - the US and USSR did not attack each other directly.

Question 10

What does the term “Nuclear Deterrence” mean?

Answer 10

It means to maintain a level of diplomacy to avoid a nuclear war and mutually assured destruction (MAD). If either nation launches a strike, both will be destroyed.

Question 11

What was the Potsdam Agreement?

Answer 11

This was an agreement to divide up Germany.

• The US, France and Britain were allowed to access Berlin through specific highways, railways and corridors.
• In 1947, discussions in Germany broke down over Soviet charges that Allied countries were violating the Potsdam agreement.
• 10 days later, the guards on the eastern border started slowing the entry of western troops to Berlin.

Question 12

What was the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 12

In 1948, western powers introduced a new currency, the Deutschmark into west Berlin.

The Soviets refused to use the currency in East Berlin and created a blockade, which aimed to stop western influence from entering Eastern Berlin (and Europe)

Western countries (including Canada) decided to counter the blockade with a massive airlift.

Question 13

What was the purpose of the Berlin wall?

Answer 13

It was made to keep western “fascists” from entering East Germany and undermining the socialist state.

• The Berlin wall ran through buildings and neighbourhoods, separating East and West Berliners for over 30 years.

*It was the physical manifestation of the “Iron Curtain”.

Question 14

Who is Pierre Trudeau?

Answer 14

Canada’s 15th PM. (Third longest serving prime minister in Canada)

Question 15

What was Trudeaumania?

Answer 15

It was the name given to the period in 1968 where Trudeau campaigned as Liberal Party Leader and Prime Minister.

In the 1968 Federal election, Trudeau won 154 seats and 45.3% of the popular vote, becoming Prime Minister.

Question 16

What were Canadian women fighting for at this time?

Answer 16

With Social protests of the 60’s, feminism emerged as a significant force in Canada. Canadian women fought for equal opportunity and equal pay. In the 1970’s, women were paid on average about 60% of what men earned.

Question 17

In 1970, what did the Royal Commission on the Status of Women include?

Answer 17

1) Women should have the right to choose to work outside of the home

2) Daycare services should be provided

3) Women should be entitled to maternity leave benefits

4) The Federal Government should fight discrimination against women

Question 18

When did Indigenous Canadians get the right to vote?

Answer 18

1960.

Question 19

What was the White Paper (proposed by Trudeau)?

Answer 19

The White Paper aimed to:
1) Abolish special rights given to Indigenous Canadians (remove “Indian” status)

2) Convert reserve land to private property which can be sold by Aboriginal communities

3) Provide funding for economic development

4) Address existing land claims and terminate existing treaties

Question 20

What was the Red Paper (proposed by the Indian Association of Alberta)?

Answer 20

The Red Paper, also known as the “citizens plus”, was a counter-proposal and it aimed to:
1) Retain legal Indian status

2) Preserve Indian culture through the status, rights and lands and traditions

3) Help all communities economically rather than only the most impoverished

The red paper was presented to the Trudeau Government and led to the white paper being withdrawn and Trudeau admitting failure.

Question 21

What was the FLQ?

Answer 21

The FLQ was a separatist terrorist group aimed to achieve Quebec independence through terror involving car and mobile bombs.

Question 22

What was the October Crisis?

Answer 22

The October Crisis was the climax of the FLQ’s campaign for terror. In October 1970, James Cross,a British diplomat, was kidnapped from his Montreal home.

Question 23

What was the FLQ ultimatum?

Answer 23

In exchange for the cross’s safe release, the FLQ demanded:
1) The government release FLQ members serving sentences for crimes

2) To broadcast the FLQ’s manifesto (political goals) on the radio

3) To grant the kidnappers safe passage to another country

Question 24

What was the War Measures Act?

Answer 24

A Federal law that gave the Canadian Government extra powers during things like war and invasion.

Question 25

What were the long term effects of the October Crisis?

Answer 25

While many Canadians supported the War Measures Act at first, it was seen as a method to crack down on both violent and peaceful separatist movements in Canada.

Question 26

What was the 1980 Referendum?

Referendum: a vote on a socially or politically important subject.

Answer 26

In 1980 the Lévesque government called a referendum in Quebec on the province’s political future.

Lévesque wanted Quebec to become politically independent, but to remain economically close with Canada.

Question 27

What was the partition of the constitution?

Answer 27

After Lévesque’s defeat from the 1980 referendum, he demanded that Trudeau make good on his promise to renew Canada’s constitution.

Question 28

What was the Constitution Act that replaced the BNA Act in 1982?

Answer 28

It was a new act including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

This was a major development in Canadian history, as Canada was now in control of its most important legal document, taking a step away from British Colonialism.