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GCSE History - Cold War > Cold War - Origins > Flashcards

Cold War - Origins Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the Cold War?

A

War between the USA and USSR without armed conflict. Instead they fought with other means, such as fighting each others enemies, through media, space race etc.

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2
Q

What is a Reparation?

A

Compensation for war damage paid by a defeated state.

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3
Q

What was the Treaty of Versailles?

A

Peace treaty imposed on Germany by allies after WW1. Hard and humiliating for Germany. Part of this resentment helped Hitler come into power and pledge to reverse the Treaty of Versailles.

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4
Q

What is meant by the Soviet Sphere of Influence?

A

Stalin can interfere with eastern European elections/governments to stop facism, but not to force communism.

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5
Q

What happened 1941 - USSR?

A

Nazis began to invade USSR, so they joined Britain and France in the war against Germany.

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6
Q

What happened in December 1941?

A

Japan Bombed Pearl Harbour, bringing the USA into the war, Germany declared war on USA

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7
Q

What happened in August 1939?

A

Soviet Union and Germany created the Nazi-Soviet Pact, agreeing not to go to war, and to divide Poland in half between them. Shocking => opposing ideologies.

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8
Q

When did America drop the Atomic Bombs?

A
  • 6th August 1945, Hiroshima. Immediately killing around 70,000 people
  • 3 days later (9th August 1945), Nagasaki. Killing more than 40,000 people
  • Start of Cold War
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9
Q

What is Capitalism (USA)?

A

A democratic, economic/political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners, who can make profit, rather than the state.

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10
Q

What is Communism (USSR)?

A

A one party system, often having a dictator, in which all property, business, and industry is owned by the state and shared equally among citizens, who cannot make any profit.

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11
Q

Yalta => where, when, who

A
  • Yalta, Ukraine (Soviet Union)
  • February 1945
  • Grand Alliance; Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill
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12
Q

Yalta conference; some main agreements (5)

A
  • Agreed to divide Germany and Berlin into 4 (French, British, American, Russian)
  • Stalin would fight Japan after Germany defeated
  • Find + punish war criminals responsible for Genocide
  • Big 3 joined UN => keep peace
  • Big 3 agreed Eastern Europe could be under Soviet Sphere of Influence, to prevent Nazis/fascism
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13
Q

Yalta conference; main disagreement

A
  • Stalin wanted to move their border into Poland and move Polands border into Germany
  • Churchill and Roosevelt didn’t want this, but had to agree as Stalin was in control of both these countries
  • Agreed as long as Stalin didn’t interfere in Greece, where Britain was trying to stop communism, which he didn’t
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14
Q

Potsdam conference => where, when, who

A
  • Just outside Berlin
  • July/August 1945
  • Truman, Stalin, Churchill/Atlee
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15
Q

Areas of change between Yalta conference and Potsdam conference (4)

A
  • War was over, with Germanys unconditional surrender, and the Allies occupying Germany
  • Stalins armies occupied most of Eastern Europe
  • America had new, more anti-communist president
  • USA had developed atomic bomb
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16
Q

Potsdam conference; main agreements (3)

A
  • Denazification => remaining Nazis went to trial and often hung
  • Demilitarisation => dismantle the military
  • Decentralisation => spread power throughout Germany, not just Berlin
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17
Q

Potsdam conference; main disagreements (3)

A
  • USSR wanted to destroy Germany, but USA didn’t want to repeat the mistake of Treaty of Versailles
  • Stalin wanted $20 billion in reparation from Germany, Truman resisted as didn’t want to repeat Treaty of Versailles
  • Truman no longer wanted Stalin to oversee elections and have a soviet sphere of influence in Europe. Believed it was proof Stalin wanted to build a Soviet Empire. => Truman adopted a ‘get tough’ attitude with Stalin
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18
Q

What was the Long Telegram?

A

American ambassadors in Moscow reported;
* Stalin gave a speech, stating he wanted to abolish capitalism
* there could be no peace with USSR while it opposed capitalism
* the USSR was building up its military power

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19
Q

What was the Noklus Telegram?

A

Soviet’s ambassador (Novik) reported that;
* USA wanted world domination
* after FDRs death, US government didn’t want cooperation with USSR
* US public were being prepared for war with USSR

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20
Q

What is Sovietisation?

A

The spread of soviet influence in Eastern Europe

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21
Q

What were the Sovietisation - Salami Tactics?

A
  1. Occupation by the red army
  2. Removal of fascists - Nazis/communist enemies
  3. Coalition governments - communists, socialists etc.
  4. Removal from government of non-socialists
  5. Election of Soviet friendly governments and leaders (most of the new leaders had spent the war in USSR)
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22
Q

What were the Communist Controlled Governments by the end of 1947? (7)

A
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Yugoslavia
  • East Germany (until 1949)
  • Hungary
  • Bulgaria
  • Albania
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23
Q

What were the Communist controlled governments by 1947, which were enemies of USSR during ww2? (4)

A
  • East Germany
  • Hungary
  • Romania
  • Bulgaria
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24
Q

What was Significance of Yugoslavia being communist?

A

Chose Tito to be communist leader, not forced by Stalin, the country chose this itself

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25
Q

What was the Significance of Czechoslovakia becoming communist?

A

In 1948, they banned other parties, making Czechoslovakia a one-party state.

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26
Q

What were the Western Allies/Neutral Countries/Non-communists by 1947? (10)

A
  • West Germany
  • Austria
  • Switzerland
  • Italy
  • France
  • Spain
  • Great Britain
  • Sicily
  • Greece
  • Turkey
27
Q

What is the Iron Curtain Speech?

A

Churchill gave a speech at Falton University (USA) where Truman sat next to him on the stage. He wanted to talk about Soviet actions in Eastern Europe. Stalin is presented as cruel, forcing whole countries into submission behind an, ‘Iron Curtain’.

28
Q

What is an Iron Curtain?

A

Metaphorical representation of communist territory, and how they’re hiding what they’re doing.

29
Q

By the end of 1947, which eastern European countries weren’t communist?

A
  • Greece
  • Czechoslovakia
30
Q

Why was there fear of France and Italy becoming communist?

A

They both had strong communist parties.

31
Q

What was happening in Greece at the end of 1947?

A

In 1946 civil war had broken out between communists and monarchists - British had been supporting monarchists, but had to pull out in Feb 1947, so monarchists may lose. Soviets promised not to get involved and they didn’t. This was a communist threat not a soviet threat - but USA doesn’t know difference and gave them the Aid Bill.

32
Q

What was happening in Turkey at the end of 1947?

A

Turkey = important to USSR - stepping stone for communism into Middle East (where USA get their oil from). USSR wanted to gain influence for trade opportunities that come with Mediterranean ships + access to Black Sea. USA gave them the aid bill.

33
Q

What was the aid bill?

A

Package of $400 million. Propped up monarchist government in Greece + secured Turkey as USA ally. Overall, successful bill.

34
Q

What did USA prepare for under Truman Doctrine?

A

Sending money, equipment and advice to any country, which was in American view, threatened by communism.

35
Q

What is Containment under Truman Doctrine?

A

Truman accepted that Eastern Europe was now communist, his aim was to stop communism from spreading further. This policy became known as Containment - marked change to US foreign policy - states USA will not go back to isolationism.

36
Q

What did others think containment should mean?

A

Something firmer => should be made clear to USSR that if they expanded beyond certain point would be met with military force - ‘Get Tough’ attitude.

37
Q

Why did USA see themselves as responsible for peace rather than UN?

A

Because Russia = part of UN + on the security council, so wouldn’t vote to take action against themselves.

38
Q

Who was Marshall?

A

American general sent to post war Europe to combat problems such as; homelessness, cost of rebuilding, damage to infrastructures (roads, bridges, etc), war debts, fuel/food/clothing shortages, refugees.

39
Q

What was the Marshall plan?

A

1948-1951, USA sent fuel, food + machinery to Europe for free. Marshall suggested $17 billion in aid to get Europe back on its feet.

40
Q

What did the Marshall plan aim to do? (4)

A
  • Restore European economy
  • Prevent spread of communism/soviet sphere of influence
  • To isolate Soviet Union by gaining trust of Europe
  • To create new market for US goods.
41
Q

Why didn’t congress agree to Marshall Plan in 1947?

A

Many Americans were worried about Trumans involvements in foreign affairs, and $17 billion is a lot of tax payers money being spent on these foreign affairs.

42
Q

Why did congress finally agree to Marshall Plan in 1948?

A

Communists had taken over Czechoslovakia, which had previously been a coalition government but was trying to become independent from Moscow. 1948 => soviets came down hard, and 1 pro-american leader was found dead below his window - suspected defenestration. Meant communism was spreading and in eyes of USA needed to be stopped.

43
Q

What did Stalin think would happen to his hold on Eastern Europe due to Marshall Plan?

A

Would weaken due to anti-communist aims.

44
Q

What is Dollar Imperialism?

A

Phrase used by Soviet Union to describe Marshall Plan. Means Marshall Plan allows USA to spread its influence by making countries economically dependent on them.

45
Q

How did Stalin tighten his control because of Marshall Plan?

A
  • Forbade any of the Eastern European countries from applying for the aid.
  • Created COMECON and COMINFORM.
46
Q

What happened to Tito in Yugoslavia because they didn’t follow Stalins instructions?

A

Only communist state to resist Stalin’s Domination, by still requesting aid from Marshall Plan. Stalin/Soviets kept up a propaganda battle against them, but no military action.

47
Q

What are 4 things about COMINFORM?

A
  • Communist Information Bureau
  • Set up in 1947 by Stalin, as an organisation that coordinated communist governments in Eastern Europe
  • Originally based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia but moved to Bucharest, Romania in 1948 after Yugoslavia was expelled for not following Soviet orders
  • It ran meetings and sent out instructions to communist governments about what the Soviet Union wanted them to do
48
Q

What are 5 things about COMECON?

A
  • Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
  • Set up in 1949 to coordinate the trade and industries of Eastern Europe
  • The concept was that members traded mostly with each other rather than the west
  • Favoured USSR over other members, providing USSR with a market to sell its goods, and a cheap supply of raw materials
  • Set up a bank for socialist countries in 1964
49
Q

What is a timeline of events in Germany/Berlin following the Berlin Blockade/Airlift (12)?

A
  1. Germany + Berlin divided into 4 zones of occupation (May 1945).
  2. USA + Britain met and decided to put their zones together - Bizonia.
  3. Under Marshall Plan, USA provided goods to western zones for Germans to buy.
  4. 3 western zones introduced new currency - Deutschmark - not in West Berlin (June 1948).
  5. Stalin introduced a new currency in his zone - including East Berlin.
  6. All roads into West Berlin were blocked.
  7. All rail access into West Berlin stopped (24th June 1948).
  8. Western allies started to fly goods into West Berlins airports (26th June 1948).
  9. French joined Bizonia to make Trizonia.
  10. All blocks removed and access to West Berlin again.
  11. Federal Republic of Germany created (west).
  12. German Democratic Republic created (east).
50
Q

Why did Stalin blockade Berlin?

A

Due to unity of western zones + new currency. Stalin wasn’t involved in the creation of Bizonia/Trizonia. West used these methods + Marshall Plan aid to build up Germany’s economy but Stalin opposed this. He blockaded Berlin in attempts to get them to give up on West Berlin and building its economy, as it brought people away from communism.

51
Q

When was the airlift?

A

26th June 1948 - 12th May 1949

52
Q

What did the Allies use the airlift for, and why did they decide to use it?

A

Used airlift to transport food and other essential supplies, and extras into Berlin because;
- roads and trains were blocked and despite being able to drive through blockades, it would have been a declaration of war
- planes meant Stalin couldn’t block them (impossible), or shoot them down as it would have been a declaration of war

53
Q

Why did Stalin remove the blockades?

A

They weren’t working, allies were managing to enter Berlin via airlift, showing no signs of giving up, so it was pointless.

54
Q

How does Berlin Blockade relate to Hot War?

A
  • One of closest parts of Cold War to a Hot war => flashpoint
  • Demonstrates how unwilling each side was to engage in hot war - feared other sides power
55
Q

What is significant about Germany and Berlin by 1948?(4)

A
  • still an area of tension
  • end of cooperation over Germany
  • shows Stalin still wants to spread communism
  • Berlin plays the role of something neither side want to back down against, don’t want to show weakness (pride)
56
Q

What were the consequences for the USA from the Berlin blockade/airlift? (4)

A
  • Began to change policies - concerned about the idea of war.
  • Concerned USSR were going to overpower them.
  • Their economy was hit as they were providing large amounts of money.
  • Social concerns => weren’t too happy about tax payers money being used for other countries.
57
Q

What were the consequences for the USSR from the Berlin blockade/airlift? (3)

A
  • Socially, countries may be beginning to doubt their influences.
  • Economically => they were okay, but still pressured by threat of war.
  • Politically => seen as weaker superpower as they backed down from Blockade.
58
Q

What were the consequences for Germany from the Berlin blockade/airlift? (2)

A
  • Hopes of rebuilding Germany ended, as they were clearly split for the foreseeable future => they became separate states.
  • Economy in east took a hit => clearly not being rebuilt.
59
Q

What were the consequences for superpower relations from the Berlin blockade/airlift? (4)

A
  • Greater suspicion, and neither sides were prepared for war to happen.
  • USA’s commitment to containment is shown.
  • NATO was created.
  • End of cooperation entirely.
60
Q

What was NATO?

A

At height of Blockade Crisis, western powers met in Washington and a new organisation was formed in April 1949 = North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

61
Q

What were Truman’s main reasons for NATO alliance? (3)

A
  • NATO countries could provide US forces with secure bases in Europe.
  • He knew USSR forces could easily target Eastern European countries if they wanted to, so US forces would resist any Soviet advances.
  • The Allies were happy as it protected them from Soviet attack.
62
Q

What did Soviet Union see NATO as?

A

A military advance/ alliance of western powers.

63
Q

What does article 3 of NATO state?

A

To achieve the aims of this treaty, the parties will keep their individual capacity to resist attack.

64
Q

What does article 5 of NATO state?

A

The parties that agreed that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America, would be considered an attack against all of them.

GCSE History - Cold War (3 decks)

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