factor summaries

Question 1

summarise the cold war tensions in 1945

Answer 1

• change in dynamic with the death of Roosevelt
• The United Nations
• Germany
• Realisation of differences without a common enemy
• economic/political/ideological differences
• paranoia and distrust between nations
• success of the american atomic bomb

Question 2

summarise the reasons for the asia-first aim of America

Answer 2

• Protect Japanese markets
• Influence of McCarthyism
• Proxy war in Korea
• ‘Fall’ of China
• Stability in Europe
• Post-Japanese power vacuum

Question 3

Summarise the reasons why Germany become two states by 1944

Answer 3

• Berlin Blockade served as trigger
• incompatible ideologies -> inevitable outcome
• ACC failed to govern as one as the French were obstinate
• Soviet demands for reparations were not met as coal from WG was given to France instead
• currency reform- introduction of the Deustschmark in Trizonia and West Berlin
• pasturalisation plan fails

Question 4

Reasons for Mao’s victory

Answer 4

• the Marshall mission
• Arms embargo from US but Communist arms from the USSR
• KMT corruption
• Retreat of KMT to Taiwan
• Guerilla warfare
• support from peasantry
• Ideology as a powerful motivation

Question 5

Reasons for the Cold War in Asia (1945 onwards)

Answer 5

• stability in Europe
• post war economic crisis
• US adherance to containment
• power vacuum post Japan
• post-colonial movements

Question 6

Consequences of Korean War

Answer 6

• Set the blueprint for future proxy wars such as Vietnam
• Stalemate led to reversion back to the 38th parallel
• Change in the dynamic of containment towards rollback
• Military-industry complex (stagnates economy & heavy industry relies on military/war)
• Long term impact on Koreans today
• Paranoia in America increases McCarthyism/the Second Red Scare
• Closer relations between China and USSR in some ways
• Increased US presence and focus on Asia

Question 7

Reasons for the rise in McCarthyism

Answer 7

• Fear of external enemy becoming internal
• Spies in state department for ‘fall of China’ with the Marshall Mission
• Political expediency throigh partisanship (Republicans made Truman look weak)
• Federalist fears of corrupt central government
• The HUAC (the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee)- became a standing committee in 1946
• Actual cases of infiltration increased credibility with the Rosenbergs and Alger Hiss
• Soviet atomic programme achieved a nuclear weapon 2 years early

Question 8

Methods for the takeover of Eastern Europe

Answer 8

• rigged elections
• stalinist puppets
• red army occupation
• facade of democracy
• purge of ‘fascists’
• collectivisation

Question 9

reasons for the USSR’s takeover of Eastern Europe and the speed up

Answer 9

• conquest for ideology
• shield from capitalist ideology
• economic compensation
• security of buffer states
• Marshall Plan, failure to extract reparations and influence of Yugoslavian leader Tito serve as catalysts