Core CO Flashcards
Reasons for Tension between the USA and the USSR?
Staling frustrated at appeasement in the 1930’s
(He thought that the allies were purposely allowing the Nazis to get closer to him)
Led to the Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939
Fear of Communism - Britain scared after 1917 bloody revolution
Britian + USA provide arms to Russian groups trying to overthrow the communists in Russian Civil War
Different Motives -Stalin wanted to kill the Nazis whereas Winston believed in the Nuremburg Trials
USA and USSR emerged as “two superpowers” from war
What where the aims of the Yalta conference, when was it, who led it?
February 1945
It was clear Germany was losing the war, so the Big 3 allied leaders, met at Yalta to plan what happened after Germany’s defeat
Agreements at the Yalta conference?
Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan and would gain territory lost to Japan during the 1904-5 Russo-Japanese War, and Outer Mongolia and Manchuria would become “Soviet spheres of influence”
Germany would be divided into 4 zones as well as Berlin
Reperations of 20 Billion for Germany with half going to the USSR
What was the agreement on Elections by the Big 3 at the Yalta Conference?
Countries liberated from occupation by the German army, would be allowed to hold free elections to choose the government they wanted
What was the agreement on UN by the Big 3 at the Yalta Conference?
All agreed to join the UN organisation.
Consisted of all the countries that were at war with Germany
What were the agreements on War Criminals by the Big 3 at the Yalta Conferene?
Agreed to hunt down and punish war criminals who were responsible for the genocide by trying them in an international court of justice
What were the agreements on Eastern Europe by the Big 3 at the Yalta Conference?
“Soviet Sphere of Influence” as 20 million soviets were killed so they were concerned about their security
What were the agreements on Poland by the Big 3 at the Yalta Conference?
Soviet’s border of Poland would move westwards as long as they didn’t intervene in Greece as Britian were attempting a communist takeover
Why wasn’t the Yalta agreement formally written down?
So they don’t have to comply
So nobody can twist their words
When was the Potsdam Conference?
July-August 1945
What were the 4 things that affected the Potsdam Conference?
Stalin’s armies were occupying most of eastern Europe
America had a new president
On 12 April 1945 Roosevelt died. He was replaced with V-President, Harry Truman who was previously a farmer in Missouri.
.He was much more Anti-Communist
.Inexperienced at dealing with international affairs
. Writing to his secretary state “Unless Russia is forced with an iron fist”
The Allies had tested an atomic bomb
.Stalin felt threatened and betrayed
.Less likely to agree
.Feels more confident, has one up over Truman
Britain had a new prime minister
.USSR may try and take the advantage over Clement Ately
.Produces Britain as weaker as Ately is less interested in Foreign affairs
Disagreements at Potsdam?
Germany- Stalin wanted it crippled but Truman didn’t want to repeat the mistake of T.of.V
-Rejected the USSR’s desire to gain access to Germany’s industrial heartland in the Ruhr
Reparations- Stalin wanted compensation but Truman disagreed but Truman didn’t want to repeat T.of.V and saw a revived Germany as a barrier to future Soviet expansion
Eastern Europe- Truman wanted free elections whereas Stalin wanted a “soviet sphere of influence” as previously mentioned in the Yalta Conference
Poland
Japan- Stalin wanted to gain a foothold in Japan, but Truman rejected this
Agreements on the Potsdam Conference?
- Polish/German border was to be moved westwards and settled at the Oder-Neisse Line
- Germany would be denazified, War crime trials would also be held in Japan and Germany
- Democracy would be re-established in Germany, with free elections, a free press, and freedom of speech
- Germany would be governed by an Allied Control Council in Berlin where ach decision requires a unanimous verdict and the country would be treated as a single economic unit
- Each Country was allowed to take reperations from its own zone of occupation
The USSR could also take some equipment from the industrialised western zones
Post-Potsdam Problems?
- Soveits focused on collecting reperations whereas Britain and the USA believed that production from the factories in their zones should be traded for agricultural produce in the Soviet Zone. The Soviets disagreed, the Americans had to pay for food imports themselves
- In may 1946, the commander of the US zone, General Clay, stopped delivering reperations to the Soviets , and 2 months later merged the US and British zones into a single economic unit called “Bizonia”
-
Why did the Soviet Union Expand in 1946?
Memories of what happened 1918-39 - most Eastern European countries had been hostile to the USSR. (Poland signed a non-agression pact with France)
Percentage Deals -
Strategic Importance of Poland
Security
Soviet Expansionism
How did the Soviet Union Expand?
Soviets freed up most of Europe from Nazi control. The Red army remained in occupation and the USSR established communist governments that were closely controlled from Moscow
.Communists took over Civil Service, Media, Security and Defence
.Opposition Leaders forced to flee or arrested
.Fixed Elections were held to ensure support for communists
. “People’s democracies” were set up
What were the effects of Soviet expansion?
Britain and the US were alarmed at Soviet expansion
-They thought that it would be a “sphere of influence” and not complete dominance.
There was a major different in outlook between Stalin and the USA
What was the “Iron Curtain” Speech?
Churchill goes on Holiday and boards train with Truman and tells him he wants to give a speech on the USSR.
He also told Ately but made it seem like a minor speech
He intended it to be broadcasted live
Truman had read the speech beforehand
Evidence for Churchill’s speech starting the Cold War?
Soviets saw it as a direct attack
It polarized the world
No diplomacy beforehand –> essentially frames the west against the east
Churchill in particular valued the special relationship with America –> US + Britain Vs USSR
Evidence against Churchill’s speech starting the Cold War?
Threat of Atomic Bomb more significant
Truman’s attitude more significant
The actions of the USSR in E-Europe post Potsdam was the key to the start of the Cold War –> Went against the agreement for free elections
What was the Cominform?
October 1947
Coordinates the works of the communist parties of Eastern Europe
Cominform regularly brought the leaders of communist party to Moscow to be briefed by Stalin and his ministers.
Which eastern European Country managed to escape the Cominform?
Yugoslavia - Marshal Tito (elected president in 1945)
He was determined to apply his own communism in his own way and was expelled from the Cominform in 1948
What happened in Greece in 1948?
By 1948 Greece and Czechoslovakia were the only eastern European countries not controlled by Communist Governments
2 rival groups emerged from Greece (Monarchists and Communists)
Churchill sent British groups into Greece in 1945
1946- USSR protests to the UN that British troops were a threat to peace in Greece
UN took no action so the Yugoslav communists tried to take control of Greece by February 1947
Truman stepped in and in March 1947 persuaded Congress to provide 400 million dollars in economic and military aid for Greece.
By 1950 Royalists had control but were a very weak government
What was the Truman Doctrine?
US intervention in Greece
A new change in America’s attitude to world politics
Under the Truman Doctrine, the US was prepared to send money, equipment and advice to any country which was, in the American view, threatened by a communist takeover
Why were France and Italy vulnerable to Communist Takeovers?
Both countries were experiencing terrible economic hardship after the war.
The communist parties in France and Italy were sponsored by Moscow
What was the Marshall Plan?
Truman believed Communist succeeded when people faced communism and hardship
He sent George Marshall to assess the economic stae of Europe.
He found European Countries owned 11.5 Billion to the US.
Marshall suggested that about 17 billion would be needed to rebuild Europe
What happened to the Marshall Plan intially?
George Marshall announced the plan in June 1947, but in December 1947 Truman put his plan to COngress and for a short time the US congress refused to grant the money
Many americans were concerned by Truman’s involvement in foreign affairs, and considered it too much money
What made The US change their mind about the Marshall Plan?
When Communists took over the governement of Czechoslovakia.
This had been ruled by a coalition Government
The communists came down hard in March 1948.
Anti Soviet-Leaders were purged
One pro-American minister, Jan Masaryk, was found dead below an open window. Communists said he jumped but Americans claim he was pushed
How much money was sent by the Marshall Plan?
13.3 billion was delivered
Why may have American Marshall Aid have been for their own self interest?
By providing loans to other countries Marshall hoped to create stronger markets and new markets for US exports.
Americans remembered the disastrous effects of the Depression of the 1930s and Truman wanted to do all he could to prevent another worldwide slump
What do Stalin do about the Marshall Plan?
Forbade any of the Eastern Countries to apply for Marshall Aid
Considered it as an act of ideological interest and thought the USA were just doing it to strengthen ties
so
Established the Cominform in September 1947
Why did the Berlin Blockade occur?
Stalin felt that USA’s handling of western Germany was provocative. He could do nothing about the reorganisation of the western zones of the new currency, but he thought he could stamp his authority on Berlin
Why was there distrust between the Soviets and the US by 1948?
Different Ideologies (US wanted to help Germany recover whereas USSR crippled it to stop them from growing)
Jan 1947 (Western Powers Created Bizonia) (Single Economic Unit) –> Stalin feared they were trying to move him out of Berlin
March 1947 Western Powers wanted to unite their 3 zones politically as well (Stalin knew this through spies)
Marshall Aid –> Soveits reacted by inspecting all freight shipments into West Berlin
June 1948- Germans created new currency –> Stalin refused to allow in their zone
How did the US respond to the Berlin Blockade?
June 1948 - Allies decided to air-lift supplies in Operation Vittles
- 10 months West Berlin was supplied by a constant stream of planes: nearly 300 k flights
- By 1949 there were 1 plane landing every 2 minutes
- 2 million tons of cargo, including food, coal, petrole tc:
By 1949 - Stalin reopened communications
Why didn’t the USSR act harshly to US’ action on the Berlin Blockade?
Act of war
They did deploy a range of obstruction tactics, jamming radios and shining searchlights to temporarily blind pilots
Consequences of Berlin Blockade?
Divided Germany -
A powerful Symbol
Flashpoint
Pattern for Cold War
NATO and Warsaw Pact
What was Nato?
-April 1949
Members agreed to maintain their military capacity and that an attack against one of them should be considered an attack on all of them
-11 other states Joined
Why was the Warsaw Pact formed?
Members promised to defend each other if any one member was attacked.
They also promised not to interfere in the internal affairs of each member state
This was because West Germany joined NATO (on the condition that it possesed no biological, chemical or atomic weapons.
America, France and Britain formally ended their post-war military occupation after this (1955)
What was the truth about the Warsaw Pact?
USSR dominated the organisation
- Commander-in-Chief and Chief of the Joint Staff were also Soviet Officers
- The Commanders-in-Chief for the 3 seperate branches of the armed forces were also Soviet officers
When did the Korean War star and how long did it last for?
June 25th 1950
Lasted 3 years
Ended in Armistice
What was the Korean War described as?
“The Forgotten War”
Why was the Korean War a success for Containment?
It showed that the US had the will and the means to contain communism
South Korea remained non-communist
It showed that the UN was more purposeful than the League of Nations had ever been.
Military sanctions had been used to reverse an act of agression supported by 2 major powers
Why was the Korean War not a success for containment?
Costs and Casualties were very high
30,000 US soldiers were killed. American Military deaths per year of the conflict were higher than in the Vietnam war
70k South K soldiers died, along with 500k South Korean civillians
4,500 other UN soldiers died
780 K North Korean and Chinese soldiers and civilians died
North Korea wasn’t Non-Communist
Highlighted the tensions among US leaders over the policy
-Hardline anti-communist politician s and military leaders wanted to go beyond containment and push back communism. They thought that Truman had shown weakness in not going for absolute victory
Moderate Politicians argued it’s not worth the risk
How did the War have a profound influence on US policy moving forwards?
-Acceptance of NSC68- clearly defined the conflict with the Soviets as a large global struggle and a huge military build upp
Signed by Truman in 1950
How did the Korean war effect the UN’s reputation?
UN action was only possible because the US had refused to admit communist China to the UN, leading the Soviets to boycott the UN between January and August 1950, when resolutions for intervention in Korea were passed
It could be argued that the US used the UN to reinforce its foreign policy over Korea. The Soviets claimed that the UN had been used a capitalist tool against communism
When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
November/October 1962
Why were the US involved in Cuba?
Owned Business in Cuba
Wasn’t sure whether Castro was Communist
North Atlantic Ocean made Southern US vulnerable to attack, especially Florida
Expand their influence
How did Kennedy change their attitude towards Cuba?
Nov 8th 1960 JFK wins the presidential race, defeating Nixon
Tried to Overthrow Castro
Several Assasination attempts
Isolated Cuba Diplomatically
Kennedy authorised the largest peace time increase in US military spending up to that point
USSR had 17X As many warheads as the USSR at that point
America’s Response to the Cuban Revolution?
The US was surprised at first by the revolution, but they decided to recognised Castro as Cuba’s new leader.
Because they were Unsure if he was Communist and Cuba’s diplomatic relations with the USSR had been severed in 1952, and were not restored until May 1960
US Stopped trading with Cuba eventually refusing to buy Cuban raw matierals and sugar
Other efforts were also made to disrupt the Cuban economy sugar plantations
Eisenhower authorised the CIA to investigate in overthrowing Castro
US media criticised Castro
Why did the USSR put Missiles on Cuba?
Political Reasons
Some felt Kruschev was not agressive enough
Kruschev’s position inside the USSR was also undermined by America’s superiority in nuclear missiles
Cuba was an important ally
Missiles in Cuba gave Kruschev some negotiating power
Cuba only 90 miles away
In April 1962, the US placed missiles in Turkey, which bordered the USSR
