Cold War - Individuals Flashcards
Molotov
A loyal supporter of Stalin - Foreign Minister 1939 to 1949, and again from 1954 to 1957.
Considered a cause of increased East-West tensions, leading Soviet representative at Yalta and Potsdam.
Wladyslaw Gomulka
Deputy PM of Poland,
1945 helped crush any opposition to communism in Poland, in 1947 he supported the rigged elections. But 1948 he was accused of nationalist deviation, replaced by pro-Stalinist Bierut.
Edvard Benes
Led Czechoslovak government in exile during WW2.
Not communist but willing to work with Stalin.
He returned as a Czech president in 1946, he tried and failed to resist a communist dominated government, resigned in 1948 - left Czechoslovakia under pro-Moscow commie control.
Tito
Communist leader of Yugoslavia, already communist without Soviet intervention after WW2, one of founding members of Cominform, but also first to reject Soviet dominance
Cold War stance was non-alignment with neither East nor West
Led to Stalin and Tito tensions, Yugoslavs refused to be Soviet puppets, June 1948 Yugoslavia expelled from Cominform, USA offered economic aid to help it survive
George Kennan
In US Embassy in Moscow - often attributed with responsibility fo persuading Truman to commit the USA to the containment of communism and to controlling the international power of the USSR. Sent Long Telegram, founded containment?
Andrei Zhdanov
Hardline Stalinist, responsible for developing Cominform, his passiveness with Czechoslovakia led to his dismissal from office in 1948
Zhandov Doctrine - Created the idea of two global camps, imperial USSR and democrat USSR, transferred to Soviet cultrual olicy
Dean Acheson
One of Marshall Plan architects, US Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953.
Played key role in shaping US policy towards Europe, committed to concept of containment.
Also believed in containing communism in Asia, global containment.
Andrey Vyshinsky
Attended Yalta and Potsdam, managed consolidation of power in Romania.
Sycophantic Stalinist.
Lucius Clay
Military governor of US zone in Germany since 1947, very influential in shifting US policy towards Germany.
Advocated reconstruction of German economy other its dismemberment. Influenced Marshall Plan, contributed significantly to division of Germany by 1949.
Konrad Adenauer
First chancellor of West Germany.
Committed anti-communist, firmly supported Western-orientated foreign policy aimed at strengthening West Germany and ensuring its security.
Oversaw political and economic recovery of West Germany post-war.
Shigeru Yoshida
Supporter of Japanese imperialism, ‘rehabilitated’ after WW2.
Focused on Japanese economic recovery, accepted US protection for Japan - ‘Yoshida Doctrine’ - closer relationship with US.
Mao Zedong
Founder of CPP, established PRC in 1949, October.
Hard-line communist, uncompromising attitude towards West.
John Dulles
Brother of the head of CIA.
Saw USSR as strategically and ideologically expansionist.
Developed ‘roll back’ and ‘new look’ policy under Eisenhower.
This shift in policy was aimed at taking the offensive against communism over simply containing it.
Jiang Jieshi
(also Chang Kai-Shek)
KMT leader (non communist during civil war China)
Chinese nationalist, anti-communist leader.
Exiled after CCP victory, became Republic of China leader.
Kim Il Sung
Soviet-groomed North Korean leader
Exploited growing Cold War tensions surrounding Korea to help further his aim of becoming leader of entirety of Korea.
Syngman Rhee
Lived in USA for 40 years, supported by USA.
Similarly to Kim il Sung, used post-war international relations to suit his needs.
Zhou Enlai
First Premier of PRC
Focused on consolidating Communist Party’s power in China and restructuring economy. Following the stalemate in Korea, his thinking shifted to peaceful cooperation with the West as the most efficient way to preserve China as a powerful communist state.
Joseph McCarthy
Failing senator who jumps on the opportunity of self promotion through the maximisation of the Red Scare.
Exploited anti-communist anxieties at time.
Discredited after accusing US army of being soft on communist 1954.
Ho Chi Minh
Staunch communist and nationalist, North Vietnam leader, engineered Dien Bien Phu victory.
Diem
First president of 1955 created South Vietnam, appeared to be strong candidate to fight communism - proved a miscalculation by 1963.
Khrushchev
Swung between attitudes of cooperation and aggression and provocations.
Imre Nagy
Prime Minister in Hungary, proposed a ‘new course’ of socialism, challenged oppressive control from Moscow. Led to his dismissal.
Led 1956 Hungarian Uprising, fled, executed.
Kennedy
Committed anti-communist, willing to take resolute stand against USSR.
Determined to use containment as foundation for US foreign policy.
Henry Cabot Lodge
experienced political player, served as US ambassador to Vietnam, viewed Diem as a liability and was eager to remove him - hence he was complicit in coup to remove Diem
Robert McNamara
member of Kennedy’s close team, made significant contribution to ending mass retaliation strategy of Eisenhower and moving USA to a more flexible position based on non-nuclear warfare and expansion of conventional forces.
Fidel Castro
Revolution 1959, became Prime Minister of Cuba.
Developed Cuba as a communist state after US made it clear that they were unwilling to cooperate with him.
Many regard his regime as a dictatorship.
Che Guevara
Committed to social revolution and communism, joined Castro.
Batista
Dictator of Cuba, overthrown by Castro in 1959. Ran country as anti-communist stronghold and ruthlessly suppressed opposition to his corrupt regime. Received economic and military aid from USA.
Anastas Mikoyan
Close ally of Stalin, loved Castro’s revolution saying it reminded him of his youth.
Stayed in government under Brezhnev, influential on policy and relations between USSR and Cuba.
Brezhnev
Presided over Salt 1, Nuclear Non-proliferation Pact, responsible for the Soviet Afghanistan invasion 1979
Gerald Ford
After Nixon’s resignation, he became President in 1974, lost in 1976 to Jimmy Carter in election due to his complicity in Watergate scandal and Vietnam.
Margaret Thatcher
Instrumental in being intermediary between Reagan and Gorbachev which allowed Cold War to come to an end.
Pope John Paul 2
influenced collapse of communism in Poland
Andropov
lifelong member of communist party, director of KGB, KAL 007
Salvador Allende
Chile democratically elected president, overthrown by US backed coop. - brought 41 years of Chilean democracy to an end.
Kohl
Chancellor of West Germany, USSR feared a resurgent Germany, through his diplomacy he gave assurances that led to USSR accepting reunification in 1990.
