Cold War Unit 1

Question 1

When did World War II start?

Answer 1

September 1939.

Question 2

Why did World War II start?

Answer 2

It started when Germany invaded Poland and took control in September 1939.

Question 3

What did Britain, France and Italy agree to in 1938?

Answer 3

In 1938, Britain, France and Italy agreed to let Hitler take over parts of Czechoslovakia. These contained large numbers of ethnic Germans.

Question 4

Why did the agreement between Britain, France and Italy anger Stalin in 1938?

Answer 4

They agreed to let Hitler take over parts of Czechoslovakia. Stalin was not asked for his opinion despite Soviet Union being close to the border. He was convince they would be happy if if his country was attacked by Germany and the communist system destroyed.

Question 5

What news did the Western countries hear of in August 1939?

Answer 5

News came of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

Question 6

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939?

Answer 6

The Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939 agreed that they would split Poland between them. France and Britain felt betrayed.

Question 7

When did the Soviet Union join the Allies in fighting Germany?

Answer 7

The Soviet Union joined Britain and USA in 1941 when Germany invaded Soviet Union. This is when the Grand Alliance began.

Question 8

What was the basis for mistrust between the East and West?

Answer 8

The basis for mistrust between them was the difference in ideological beliefs. East believed the West wanted to impose their beliefs on Soviet people and West feared that the Soviet Union wanted to spread its beliefs worldwide. The opposing ideologies meant there was tension between them.

Question 9

What was the early conflict between France, Britain, USA and the Soviet Union?

Answer 9

The Soviet Union resented the actions of Britain and France as they had tried to prevent the communist ruling in Russia. In WWI, Russia fought along side Britain, France and later the USA but in October 1917, the Bolsheviks faced opposition to their rule. This caused the to drop out from the war as they could not fight a civil war and WWI. Britain, France and the USA were angered by this and didn’t want the Bolsheviks to rule so they supported their opponents by sending forces. They wanted to defeat the Bolsheviks and get Russia back into the war. They failed on both accounts and the Bolsheviks believed the West wanted to see them overthrown.

Question 10

What happened in Russia in 1922?

Answer 10

Russia’s name was changed to the Soviet Union and it was run as a communist country.

Question 11

What did Stalin do in Berlin that showed his suspicion of the USA?

Answer 11

Stalin was incredibly determinate to get the Soviet forces to enter Berlin first (before the USA). This was seen by the fact that 70,000 soldiers died due to Stalin’s orders to attack and occupy the city before the Americans arrived. Stalin wanted to gain control of important military sites before the rest had a chance.

Question 12

What did Churchill and Roosevelt think of Stalin?

Answer 12

They believed Stalin wanted to install communism in the Eastern European countries that Germany had conquered.

Question 13

What did Stalin think was the reason behind the delaying of opening the Second Front?

Answer 13

Stalin believed they had deliberately waited to open the Second Front to weaken the Soviet Union and make it fight a long, hard war. The Second Front was needed to relieve pressure of the Soviet Union.

Question 14

When was the atomic bomb dropped on Japan? And in which cities?

Answer 14

1945. On Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Question 15

When was the Tehran Conference?

Answer 15

The Tehran Conference was in November 1943.

Question 16

What was decided at the Tehran Conference in Nov 1943?

Answer 16

-USA and Britain would open Second Front by launching an attack on Germany in Western Europe. This would ease pressure on the Eastern Front where Soviets were suffering heavy losses.
-Stalin would declare war against Japan and supply Soviet troops to help the USA.
-Talks of an international body set up to settle disputes through discussion and negotiation rather than war.
-Stalin would keep the land he had seized which was important to him as his goal was to secure a border.

Question 17

2 consequences of the Tehran Conference in Nov 1943?

Answer 17

-Improved relations.
Talks of international body.
Common goal.
Second Front.
Collaboration.
-Increased tensions.
Stalin believed they had deliberately delayed the Second Front.
Churchill felt left out.
Roosevelt considered British Colonialism a greater risk to world peace than Stalin.

Question 18

When was the Yalta Conference?

Answer 18

Yalta Conference was in February 1945.

Question 19

What was decided at the Yalta Conference?

Answer 19

-Stalin agreed to join war in Japan 3 months after defeat of Germany.
-Stalin agreed that future govts of countries in Eastern Europe would be decided in free elections.
-After the war, Germany would be divided into 4 zones.
-Nazi Party banned and war criminals prosecuted.
-United Nations set up. First meeting would be on 25th of April 1945.
-Borders of Poland would go back to their position in 1921 which gave Soviet Union signifiant gains.

Question 20

When was the Potsdam Conference?

Answer 20

The Potsdam Conference was in July/August 1945.

Question 21

What was the change in leadership at the Potsdam Conference?

Answer 21

-Churchill had lost the General British Election to Attlee in 1945.
-Attlee wanted to return to Britain to take charge and not waste time on talks.
-Roosevelt died in April 1945 and was replaced with Truman.
-Truman deliberately delayed the conference until the atomic bomb was ready as he believed this would give him an edge.
-Truman was also determined to take a ‘get tough’ approach with Stalin.

Question 22

What was decided at the Potsdam Conference?

Answer 22

-Germany and Berlin divided into 4 zones. But economy run as a whole.
-Each administrating country would take reparations from their zone.
-Soviet Union controlled the poorest part so it was allowed to take 1/4 of the industrial equipment from other zones.
-Truman objected to the arrangements made for the borders of Poland (previously).
-Agreements not reach over the govt of Eastern Europe. Truman objected to the control the Soviet Union had over the countries it had liberated from Nazi control and was beginning to think Stalin was using it as an army of occupation.

Question 23

What were the consequences of the atomic bomb on Japan in 1945?

Answer 23

-Increased tensions.
Stalin felt more threatened and vulnerable and was therefore more determined to create his buffer zone of countries sympathetic to communism. He wanted to secure the Soviet Union.
-Led to the arms race.
USA had a nuclear monopoly which made Stalin feel threatened and vulnerable. Their monopoly did not last as Soviet scientists were already working on the atomic bomb. In 1949 they had a successful test.

Question 24

Why did the bomb increase tensions?

Answer 24

-Stalin felt more vulnerable and threatened. He was determined to create his buffer zone.
-Truman felt more confident and believed this gave him a stronger negotiating position with the Soviet Union.
-Western Europe felt more secure about placing themselves under American protection instead of Soviet.
-The bomb could kill millions and destroy the world. This made the superpowers reluctant to go to war but instead enter an arms race.