Early Tensions in the Cold War Flashcards
why did the USA enter WW2 in 1941?
they had a common enemy of Germany and Japan, so they helped Britain and the USSR to defeat the Nazi threat
what group did the USA join upon entering the war?
the Grand Alliance
what was the Grand Alliance?
it consisted of the USA, Britain and the USSR joining in to defeat the threat of the Nazis
when WW2 ended what happened to US and USSR relations?
the alliance was over and the two countries stopped talking as the war was over
what happened on 6th August 1945?
the USA dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima killing 140,000 and destroying 60% of the city
what was the first conference held between the Big 3 after WW2?
the Yalta conference in 1945
what promise did Stalin make that he later broke?
he promised free elections; this then opened a doorway of tensions between East and West (Communist Vs Capitalist)
what happened to Germany after the Yalta Conference?
it was split into 4 sectors (France, Britain, USA, USSR
when did the Potsdam Conference take place?
in 1945
what happened at the conference?
it was used as a way to finalise a post-war settlement and implement Yalta agreements
who replace Roosevelt as President after he died?
Harry S. Truman
why did Truman entering power cause some tension between East and West?
Truman hated Communism, showing a clear ideological divide
what did Stalin fear that Eastern Europe could be used as?
he feared an attack from the Western countries and their Capitalist views
what did Stalin want to create?
he wanted to create a buffer zone
what was a buffer zone?
it was the idea that Stalin could convert countries’ views to help him protect the USSR from Western threats
when was The Long Telegram summarised?
February 1946
who wrote The Long Telegram?
George Kennan; a US official in Moscow
what did The Long Telegram state?
it said that the USSR was heavily armed and he argued that that peaceful coexistence with the USSR was impossible
what was written in response to The Long Telegram?
The Novikov Telegram
who wrote The Novikov Telegram?
Nikolai Novikov
what did The Novikov Telegram state?
he warned that the USA was seeking world domination, and as a result the USSR needed the buffer zone to protect themselves
what did the two telegrams establish?
it laid the foundations for the start of the Cold War in Europe
what did both East and West want?
the East sought to dominate Eastern Europe whilst the USA adopted a policy of ‘containment’
what country was feared to fall to communism next in 1947?
Greece
