Development of Cold war 1946 - 62

Question 1

Who made the ‘Iron Curtain’ speech and when?

Answer 1

Churchill, March 1946

Described how Stalin had separated eastern europe from West

Question 2

When was Bizonia formed?

Answer 2

Jan 1947 - panicked Soviets
New currency Deutschmark in summer

Question 3

What 2 main treaties were involved in Eastern European integration?

Answer 3

Cominform Oct ‘47 - ensured ideological unity but did not give Stalin direct control

COMECON Jan ‘49 - economic integration of commie policies, but took 10 years to be fully implemented

Question 4

Truman Doctrine

Answer 4

Mar 1947, policy to actively stop spread of communism
It offered support to countries resisting commie subversion + stressed need to improve european economy

Question 5

Marshall Plan

Answer 5

Jun 1947, $13.2 billion offered to European nations as safeguard against communism + to revive economy
Rejected by USSR + many sat. states which set up Cominform

Question 6

Berlin Blockade

Answer 6

Jun 1948
Soviet response to new W.German state (Bizonia) + deutschmark (1947)
Soviets cut off supply routes and electricity to W.Berlin

Question 7

Berlin Airlift

Answer 7

West avoid war but show off monetary + logistical might w/ massive airlift resupply mission
3 air corridors set up, 2,000 tonnes of food + raw materials flown in daily
-> blockade lifted May ‘49

Question 8

Formation of 2 new German states

Answer 8

FRG established Aug ‘49
-> elections held and Adenauer becomes chancellor, starts Hallstein Doctrine (do not recognise E.Germany)

GDR established Oct ‘49
-> Pieck elected (all candidates from SED)

Germany to be formally divided for nearly 41 years

Question 9

Formation of NATO

Answer 9

Apr 1949
Signed by 12 nations, saw US take lead role in resistance to commie aggression (Brussels Pact 1948 -> ‘Western Union’ did not include US)

• > safeguard against commie influence + unified w.nations
• > firm anti-commie policies under USA (Truman)
• > formal commitment to defence of W.Europe

Question 10

ECSC (European Steel and Coal Committee)

Answer 10

Created in Treaty of Paris 1951

Designed to integrate W.European industries, included France, FRG, Benelux, Italy but not UK - exploited Germanys resources w/o granting it power

Question 11

Death of Stalin

Answer 11

Mar 1953 - replaced by a committee of 5 men, Khrushchev emerges as leader + denounces Stalin 1956 -> ‘destalinisation’

-> Geneva conference 1954, ‘Geneva Spirit’

Question 12

GDR uprising

Answer 12

Jun 1953

• caused by Ulbricht’s ‘Constructing Socialism’ -> food shortages and mass emigration (brain drain)
• 40,000 in Berlin demanded resignation of gov’t
• Soviets declared martial law, 20,000 soldiers sent + tanks, 125 killed (106 sentenced to death)

Question 13

What was the response of the USA to the USSR crushing the GDR uprising?

Answer 13

• USA set up food relief program w/ ‘Eisenhower packages’ of food, so GDR cut off transport w/ West Berlin
• sent warning to future rebellions + strengthened rivalry w/ west

Question 14

Warsaw pact

Answer 14

1955 - military alliance (eastern equivalent to NATO) signed by all E.bloc countries

Question 15

Start of Arms Race (1953-84)

Answer 15

1952 - USA test first Hydrogen bomb, 2500 times stronger than Hiroshima

1953 - USSR tests first Hydrogen bomb

Question 16

How and when was the SED formed?

Answer 16

Stalin merged SPD and KPD in Soviet Ger.
20,000 social democrats interrogated, imprisoned + murdered (moderates purged)
Feb ‘46 SED formed

Question 17

What was Stalin’s significance?

Answer 17

• crushed dissent - 1936-38 Great Purge using NKVD murdered millions
• cult of personality, lots of propaganda + seen as ‘liberator of Eastern Europe’, many mourned death 1953
• ruthless moderniser with 5 year plan 1528 -> famine 2-7 million killed Holodomor, dekulakisation

Question 18

Polish crisis

Answer 18

June 1556
100,000 protested Poznan, 73 killed 700 arrested, Gomulka (economic reformer) reinstated without permission of Krushchev so sent Red army in but allowed Gom to stay if he remained in Warsaw pact

Question 19

Hungarian crisis

Answer 19

October 1556
Caused by Soviet control w/ censorship + secret Police (AVH)
Riots of students/workers , iconoclasm w/ success
Nagy (liberal reformer) announced Hungary leaving Warsaw pact
Nov. Red Army entered Budapest + crushed Hungarians (4000 dead) -> restored loyal commie leadership (Janos)

200,000 Hungarians led to Austria

Question 20

Suez crisis

Answer 20

October 1556
Nasser nationalised (seized) canal July which angered British w/ declining int’l power
Gained support of French + israelis to intervene militarily
Krushchev threatened nuclear attacks (wanted to exploit arab nationalism)

but Eisenhower cautioned Krushchev not to intervene, threatened Brit, France + Israel w/ economic sanctions if persisted w/ attack
-> Brit + France withdrew by Dec

USA firmly leaders of W.bloc -> nuclear power
Soviets in stronger position (global superpower)

Question 21

European Economic Committee (EEC)

Answer 21

1957 EEC evolves into broader econ. agreement btw. W. European countries

Question 22

Sino Soviet split

Answer 22

1958 USSR critical of China’s ‘Great Leap Forward’, 1959 Khrushchev refuses to assist PRC w/ nuclear technology

Question 23

Berlin Crisis

Answer 23

1958 - 61 Khrushchev issues Berlin ultimatum in response to mass emigration (Brain drain 2.8m left GDR 1949-61)
1960 US U-2 spy plane shot down over USSR
Jun 1961 Vienna summit Khrushchev vs Kennedy
Oct 1961 confrontation Checkpoint Charlie (tanks)

Krus. says Berlin ‘testicles of the West’

Question 24

Berlin wall

Answer 24

Aug 1561 west refuse to meet Khrushchev’s demands so wall built preventing free movement