Early cold war Flashcards
Atomic Bombings: Dates & Impact
August 6, 1945: The U.S. dropped the atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ on Hiroshima, killing an estimated 90,000 to 166,000 people by the end of 1945, mostly civilians.
August 9, 1945: The U.S. dropped the atomic bomb ‘Fat Man’ on Nagasaki, killing approximately 60,000 to 80,000 people by the end of 1945.
These bombings demonstrated overwhelming U.S. military power and were pivotal in forcing Japan’s surrender.
Soviet Entry into War Against Japan
August 8, 1945: The Soviet Union declared war on Japan, honoring the Yalta agreement to enter the Pacific War three months after Germany’s defeat.
The Soviets launched a massive invasion of Japanese-held Manchuria on August 9, simultaneously attacking on multiple fronts and capturing key territory including southern Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands.
This Soviet action boxed Japan strategically between two powerful enemies and accelerated its decision to surrender.
Japan’s Surrender
August 14–15, 1945: Japan announced its acceptance of the Allies’ terms of unconditional surrender, officially ending World War II.
The formal surrender document was signed on September 2, 1945, marking the war’s end.
Historical Roots of Suspicion
1917 Bolshevik Revolution established the first Communist state, threatening Western capitalist societies.
Western intervention in the Russian Civil War (1918–22) supported anti-Bolshevik forces, deepening hostility.
USSR’s late diplomatic recognition and League of Nations entry in the 1930s fostered mistrust.
Western appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s was partly motivated by fear of Communism, while the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact shocked the West and increased suspicion.
Military, Economic, and Political Factors
Military: USA emerged as the dominant naval power; USSR as dominant land power after defeating Germany. Britain and France declined to second-rank powers.
Economic: USA’s wartime economy was strong and committed to open trade, aiding European recovery; USSR consolidated power in Eastern Europe.
Political: Democracy and collaboration triumphed in the West; communism gained respect partly due to the Red Army’s role in defeating Nazi Germany and filling the power vacuum in Eastern Europe.
Soviet Expansion and Western Response
Salami Tactics: USSR gradually eliminated opposition in Eastern European countries, leaving communist-dominated governments.
Poland: Elections delayed until 1947; opposition suppressed through censorship, intimidation, and arrests.
Iran: USSR left troops in northern Iran, encouraging communist uprisings until forced to withdraw by the UN.
Greece and Turkey: Soviet support for anti-imperialist rebellions caused Western alarm.
Italy and France: Communist parties grew, raising fears of communist expansion in Western Europe.
Key Message of Kennan’s Long Telegram (1946)
The USSR was committed to Communist expansionism and hostile to the West.
Soviet insecurity and Stalinist ideology drove aggressive foreign policy.
The telegram urged strong U.S. resistance to prevent the rise of a monolithic communist bloc, shaping the policy of containment.
Speech and Soviet Reaction: Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech (1946)
Declared that an ‘Iron Curtain’ had descended across Europe, with Soviet-dominated communist regimes established in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria despite promises of free elections.
The Red Army’s presence in Eastern Europe symbolized Soviet control.
Soviets reacted with outrage, comparing Churchill to Hitler, withdrawing from the IMF, increasing anti-Western propaganda, and initiating a new five-year plan for self-strengthening.
