Cold War Unit 3

Question 1

What happened in 1945 in Korea?

Answer 1

In 1945, Korea was freed from Japanese control.
It was then decided along the 38th parallel and split into two countries.

Question 2

Who supported North Korea?

Answer 2

The Soviet Union. It sent aid and military equipment from the USSR.

Question 3

Who supported South Korea?

Answer 3

The US. It sent similar support from the USA.

Question 4

Why did Truman provide aid to South Korea?

Answer 4

Truman was determined to not let South Korea become communist as he feared this would have a domino effect and other countries would also become communist.

Question 5

What happened in 1950?

Answer 5

In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea.

Question 6

What did the UN tell North Korea to do?
Where was Stalin?

Answer 6

The security council of the UN had a meeting (at the request of the USA) decided what to do. They told North Korea to withdraw its forces from South Korea.
-Stalin was not there attending so he was unable to prevent a decision from being made to support South Korea.

Question 7

A force from how many countries was put together to help South Korea? Why?

Answer 7

A force from 16 countries was put together to help South Korea. This was because North Korea did not withdraw its troops.

Question 8

Who was the American commander?

Answer 8

General MacArthur. He pushed the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel and continued his advance until he was close to the Chinese border.

Question 9

Who joined the Korean War and pushed the UN forces out of North Korea?

Answer 9

The communist Chinese entered the war and pushed the forces out of North Korea.

Question 10

How did General MacArthur respond to the Chinese joining?

Answer 10

He eld a counter attack and pushed the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel.

Question 11

When did the war end? Losses? Gains?

Answer 11

The war ended in 1953. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and neither made major gains in the last few years of the war.

Question 12

What were the impacts of the Korean War?

Answer 12

-USA more committed to aid countries in Asia trying to resist communism.
-Strengthened land forces in Europe.
-Encouraged Greece and Turkey to join NATO.
-Defence budget of USA tripled after Korean War.
-1954 - SEATO to prevent the spreading of communism in South East Asia.
-Soviet Union was worried about the USA strengthening its forces so took steps to increase theirs: 1950 - 2.8million members of Red army.
1955 - 5.6 million.
-West Germany joined NATO in 1955. Soviet Union responded with the Warsaw Pact.

Question 13

What was SEATO? When was it created?

Answer 13

SEATO was the South East Asia Treaty Organisation. Its purpose was to prevent the spreading of communism in South East Asia. Its members were Britain, USA, France, New Zealand, Australia, Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan.
-1954.

Question 14

How did the size of the USSR’s Red Army change? Why?

Answer 14

in 1950 - 2.8 million soldiers
in 1955 - 5.6 million soldiers.
They were worried about the USA strengthening its forces.

Question 15

When did the arms race begin and end?

Answer 15

It began in 1950 and ended in 1958.

Question 16

When did the USA develop the atomic bomb? How did this make them feel? Why was the bomb important?

Answer 16

In 1945. This made them feel secure as they had a nuclear monopoly and were the only country in the world with such a weapon. The bomb was important as Truman knew the USSR’s stock of conventional weapons was much larger.

Question 17

When did the USSR develop the atomic bomb?

Answer 17

The USSR developed the atomic bomb in 1949. - All scientists had been instructed to create one.

Question 18

When was the hydrogen bomb created by the USA? How powerful is it? What did it restore?

Answer 18

In 1952, the USA developed the hydrogen bomb. It is 1000 times more powerful than atomic bomb. It restored the American advantage.

Question 19

When did the USSR create their hydrogen bomb?

Answer 19

In 1953, the USSR created their hydrogen bomb.

Question 20

What was developed in 1957? How powerful is it?

Answer 20

Both the USA and USSR developed their first Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). This could fire a nuclear weapon at a target approximately 5000km away.

Question 21

What was the arms race doing?

Answer 21

It was making each side more powerful but both superpowers were spending huge sums on developing conventional weapons, navies, submarine fleets, and nuclear missiles.

Question 22

Why was it important to try to stay ahead? (arms race)

Answer 22

It was important to stay ahead in the arms race as military superiority might help in any disagreement with your rival.

Question 23

How powerful were the weapons being created?

Answer 23

The weapons being created were so powerful that from the early 1950s they would have destroyed the world many times over.

Question 24

What did the arms race act as?

Answer 24

The arms race acted as a deterrent to war. As both countries were aware and understood the risks involved using nuclear weapons, neither wanted to go to war. This was different than before as weapons had been created to win wars.

Question 25

What changed in 1953 for both superpowers?

Answer 25

Both had new leaders.
-1953 - Eisenhower was elected in USA.
-1953 - Stalin died.

Question 26

What was Eisenhowers’ approach? Why?

Answer 26

Although he was anti-communist and would block any attempt at communist expansion, he was also prepared to listen to proposals from the Soviet Union and negotiate to improve relations. This was mainly because he realised the risks and dangers created by the nuclear weapons.

Question 27

Who emerged as the ruler of the USSR in 1956? What did he do the year after?

Answer 27

Khrushchev emerged as the effective ruler of the country. The following year, at the Communist Party Congress, he publicly criticised Stalin’s policies and suggested there should be peaceful co-existence.

Question 28

What was peaceful co-existence based on?

Answer 28

It was based on the belief in the USSR that communism was so superior that eventually, capitalism in the West would collapse.

Question 29

Why did people believe the superpowers could finally find a way to reduce tensions and move toward co-existence?

Answer 29

-More positive approach from both Eisenhower and Khrushchev.
-Both were spending huge sums on their armed forces. They both knew that if they reduced this, it would improve their economies.
-The Korean War had ended in 1953. They were no longer fighting on opposite sides.
-The borders between the capitalist West and communist East were now clearly defined with the iron Curtain an agreed boundary.
-The insecurity and fears had been replaced with acceptance.
-Geneva Summit in 1955.

Question 30

What was the Geneva Summit and when?

Answer 30

-1955.
-It was a summit meeting on how Austria should be governed. It failed to reach agreement over disarmament and the future of Germany but the atmosphere of co-operation at the meeting reduced tensions.

Question 31

What ended the short lived good relations? And when? Why?

Answer 31

When West Germany joined NATO in 1955.
It would now have full support of the Western power, who would come to its aid in any dispute with the Soviet Union.

Question 32

How did the USSR respond to West Germany joining NATO in 1955? Why? What were the members known as?

Answer 32

Within a week, the Warsaw Pact had been created. This was a communist defensive military alliance. This was because the USSSR felt threatened because there was now a real danger of an armed and powerful Germany on the border of East Germany. There were 8 members such as Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary… These countries became known as the eastern bloc.

Question 33

When was Hungary liberated from Nazis by the Soviet Red Army?

Answer 33

In 1945, Hungary was liberated from German occupation.

Question 34

How was Hungary controlled by the Soviet Union?

Answer 34

Since 1945, non-communist parties were banned and key officials in the govt, police and army were chosen by Stalin.

Question 35

Who was the Hungarian Communist Party leader? How many Hungarians were sent to prison during 1949-56? How many executed?

Answer 35

Rakosi. He was a firm supporter of Stalin and dealt strongly with opponents of communist rule.
During 1949-56, more than 300,000 Hungarians were sent to prison and more than 2000 were executed.

Question 36

What was destalinisation?

Answer 36

De-Stalinization is the way that the Soviet Union tried to undo Joseph Stalin’s politics and the heroic image he created of himself using propaganda.

Question 37

What did Khrushchev’s speech give the satellite states?

Answer 37

His speech in 1956 where he criticised Stalin’s repressive regime gave the satellite states the opportunity to push for a relaxation of Soviet control in their own countries.

Question 38

What happened in Poland after Khrushchev’s speech? Who did this encourage?

Answer 38

Gomulka, the leader of Poland introduced a series of new moderate reforms and this encouraged the Hungarians to also press for changes.

Question 39

What happened in 1956 in Hungary?

Answer 39

The Hungarian Uprising.
In 1956, the people of Hungary began protests and their lack of political freedom and problems created by fuel shortages and poor harvests.
There were then riots in the capital of Budapest and the police fought with protestors.

Question 40

How did Khrushchev respond to the Hungarian uprising? and why?

Answer 40

Khrushchev sent the red Army to restore order. he also agreed to replace Rakosi with Nagy, a former prime minister.
He responded because it was threatening the stability of the Warsaw Pact.

Question 41

What was Nagy’s approach?

Answer 41

Nagy was a communist but he thought within a communist regime, there could be more personal freedom.

Question 42

When did the Red Army withdraw out of Hungary?

Answer 42

The Red Army withdrew when Nagy was leader.

Question 43

What did Nagy do at the end of 1956? What did they include?

Answer 43

Nagy introduced a new set of proposed reforms. These included Hungary leaving the Warsaw Pact and becoming a neutral country and also a degree of power sharing with non-communist groups.

Question 44

How did Khrushchev respond to Nagy’s proposed reforms?

Answer 44

He was incredibly concerned. If Hungary broke away from he Warsaw Pact, others would follow. This would mean the strategy of achieving security for the USSR by surrounding it with pro-communist govts would be under threat.
-Nov 1956 - he ordered a Soviet invasion.

Question 45

What was the Hungarian invasion?

Answer 45

Nov 1956, Soviet Union invaded Hungary. Tanks rolled into Budapest.
-Supporters of Nagy put up a fight and begged the West for support, but no support came.
-20,000 Hungarians killed.

Question 46

What was the result of the Hungarian Uprising?

Answer 46

A new pro communist govt was set up under Kadar.
-Nagy was executed.
Nagy and his supporters believed destalinisation would mean a softer approach with the satellite states but were wrong.
Khrushchev could not allow any threat to Soviet security.

Question 47

What was Nagy’s execution described as by Khrushchev?

Answer 47

He described it as “a lesson to the leaders of socialist countries”.

Question 48

What was the international reaction to the Soviet invasion of Hungary?

Answer 48

Although Eisenhower and other countries were sympathetic to the Hungarians, and some NATO nations took in refugees, no military support was offered. Although the US had a policy of containment, it was not prepared to interfere with affairs in an already communist country. This is because an attack could start nuclear war which would lead in destruction of both sides.

Question 49

Why did Hungary expect aid from the West?

Answer 49

Nagy and his supporters expected support form the USA and other countries when he proposed leaving the Warsaw Pact.
-Radio Free Europe, a US-govt funded radio station regularly broadcasted messages encouraging the people of Eastern Europe to rebel against the communist regime.
The USA had offered economic aid through the Marshall Plan which led people to believe they would help in other ways.

Question 50

How did the Hungarian Uprising impact the Warsaw Pact?

Answer 50

The USSR’s position was strengthened. The members now knew the consequences of not doing what they are told. If they rebelled, they could not expect aid from the West.

Question 51

How did the Hungarian Uprising impact the superpower relations?

Answer 51

Khrushchev became more confident dealing with the USA because he now knew they were unlikely to take military action. But, in some ways, the uprising reflected badly on the West. the West had encouraged communist countries to rebel against the USSR but were not prepared to take action to back their words up.
-The USA did not take military action but strongly opposed the uprising and it damaged their relations.