Emerging Superpower Rivalry And Its Consequences 1945-49

Question 1

When was Churchill’s ‘iron curtain’ speech and where did it occur?
What did he essentially say?

Answer 1

March 1946
Fulton Missouri

He said in summary that the soviets where trapping people to live in squalor behind a metaphorical ‘iron curtain’

Question 2

What key technological development shifted the balance of power in favour of the US? How did the USSR react?

Answer 2

The Atomic bomb used in Japan

This was a shock to the USSR who were not informed of this despite being ‘allies’

Question 3

What was promised by the USSR at Yalta, what did they actually implement however?

Answer 3

• the west wanted free elections in poland
• instead, the USSR did allow elections, but the communist party was the only party

Question 4

Which European country’s communist uprising triggered the Truman Doctrine?

When?

Answer 4

Greece - March 1947

Question 5

Why did the US seek to rebuild the European economy? (3)

Answer 5

• the richer the country were, the less likely they were of communist uprising
• after, they would need less US economic or military aid
• they could afford US goods, benefiting the US economy

Question 6

When was Marshall Aid proposed and under what name?

Answer 6

• June 1947
• Economic Recovery Programme (ERP)

Question 7

How much money was supplied by Marshall Aid? (Give timeframes)

And

To how many nations?

Answer 7

• 13 billion between 1948 and 1952
• 16 European countries

Question 8

What was the USSR version of Marshall Aid and when was it introduced?

Answer 8

• Comecon
• January 1949

Question 9

What was the economic result of Marshall Aid by 1952?

Answer 9

• Western Europe’s industrial output up 35% from 1939
• assisted US boom through global trade

Question 10

When was a communist govt established in Hungary?

Answer 10

(Sept) 1947

Question 11

When was the communist coup of Czechoslovakia?

Answer 11

(February) 1948