Final Part 1 Flashcards
1
Q
The Comintern
A
- The Comintern, or Communist International, was an organization founded by Lenin in 1919 to promote worldwide communism and facilitate assist in an international proletariat revolution based on Marx’s demand that “workers of the world, unite”
- It sought to encourage revolutionary movements in other countries, reflecting the Soviet Union’s desire to spread its revolutionary ideology abroad, particularly Europe and Germany
- The Comintern’s advocacy for global revolution created tensions with Western powers, who viewed it as a threat to capitalism and democracy.
- Its influence waned after the 1930s as the Soviet Union shifted towards a more nationalistic approach in its foreign policy and internal politics. It was officially abolished in 1943, when “socialism in one country” was the official ideology and the Soviets wanted to avoid antagonizing Western allies
2
Q
Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War
A
- This refers to the military intervention by Allied powers (including Britain, France, the U.S., and Japan) in the Russian Civil War (1917-1922), supporting anti-Bolshevik forces (the Whites).
- Motivated by fears of spreading communism and the desire to protect military stockpiles and eastern front operations during World War I, the Allies attempted to support the deposed tsar and prevent the Bolshevik regime from taking power
- The intervention contributed to a deep mistrust between the Soviet Union and Western nations, laying the groundwork for future adversarial relations and confirming the ideology of ‘hostile capitalist encirclement’
- The Red Army was better able to recruit peasants and occupy the heartland, leading to their victors
- War exacerbeated the Bolshevik’s violent, authoritarian tendencies, heightening paranoia that would peak during Stalin’s “Terror”
- The failure of the intervention led to a solidification of Bolshevik power and the eventual establishment of the Soviet regime.
3
Q
Formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
A
- The USSR was established in 1922 as a federal union of multiple socialist republics under the centralized control of the Communist Party.
- The USSR encompassed 80% of the Russian Empire, with the exemption of the Baltics, Poland, and Finland
- The USSR pledged to respect national minorities and was designed to maximize national homogeneity
- “Nationalist in form, socialist in content”
- The formation represented the Bolsheviks’ consolidation of power following the Russian Revolution and the civil war, promoting a new ideology of Marxism-Leninism.
- The USSR’s establishment altered the political landscape of the world and introduced a counterpoint to capitalist states, leading to heightened ideological tensions with the West.
4
Q
The Great Terror (Purges)
A
- The Great Terror refers to a period of intense political repression from 1936-1938 under Joseph Stalin, characterized by widespread purges, executions, and imprisonment of perceived enemies.
- This period was one of heightened paranoia and suspicion of foreign influence in the lead-up to WWII, as the USSR was surrounded by the hostile Germany and Japan
- Most (60,000) were sent to concentration camps called gulags, where the contributed to industrialization
- This campaign aimed to eliminate dissent and consolidate Stalin’s power internally, often targeting party members, military leaders, and intellectuals.
- NKVD was given quotas for arrests and executions of “anti-Soviet elements”, who were often tortured and subjected to show trials
- Denunciations were encouraged, and people often settled old scores
- The purges targeted kulaks, nobles and priests, intellectuals and writers, members of other nationalities (Germans, Poles, Koreans)
- The purges weakened the Soviet military and bureaucratic leadership shortly before World War II, impacting its preparedness against external enemies.
- Opened the door for younger generation of Soviets to take up pisitions
5
Q
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
A
- Signed in August 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, containing secret protocols for the division of Eastern Europe.
- The pact allowed the USSR to regain territories lost after World War I (Baltics, Ukraine, Belarus) and avoid immediate conflict with Germany, setting the stage for the invasion of Poland.
- Although Stalin was not a friend to Hitler, he wanted the Soviet Union to stand aside while capitalist and fascist powers fought eachother
- It shocked the West, especially given the ideological opposition between fascism and communism; this diplomatic maneuvering highlighted the pragmatic approach of Stalin’s foreign policy.
- The agreement shifted the balance of power in Europe and laid the groundwork for the subsequent divisions of territory in Eastern Europe during and after World War II
6
Q
Operation Barbarossa
A
- Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, marking a significant turning point in World War II.
- The suprise invasion breached the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and caught the Soviet Union off-guard, leading to significant initial losses and hardship.
- Germans quickly occupied much of western borderlands and sieged Leningrad, but failed to take Moscow
- Despite early setbacks, the Soviet Union’s resilience and counteroffensive ultimately contributed to the defeat of Germany.
- Fearcest battles at Stalingrad, wher Soviets won at a cost of half million Soviet lives
- The war forged a temporary alliance between the USSR and Western powers against a common enemy, transforming Russian relations with the West temporarily from hostility to cooperation.
7
Q
The Great Patriotic War
A
- The Great Patriotic War is how Russia and other former Soviet republics refer to the Eastern Front of World War II, specifically from 1941 to 1945, when the USSR fought against Nazi Germany.
- The war instilled a sense of nationalism and unity in the USSR, with victory celebrated as a defining moment in Soviet history and trauma commemorated for generations
- The sacrifices and losses suffered (around 27 million Soviets) strengthened Soviet legitimacy and demonstrated the prowess of industrialization
- It catalyzed the Soviet Union’s emergence as a superpower, reshaping its relations with the West during the subsequent Cold War period.
8
Q
Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)
A
- The Yalta Conference was a meeting between the leaders of the Allied powers—U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin—in February 1945 to discuss post-war reorganization.
- The decisions made (including the division of Germany and spheres of influence in Eastern Europe) laid the groundwork for the post-war order and the Cold War escalation.
- Yalta reflected both cooperation among the Allies and the underlying tensions regarding the future of Europe, particularly concerning Soviet influence over Eastern Europe and free elections
- The agreements reached would later be contentious points in U.S.-Soviet relations, as the West perceived Soviet actions as expansionist.
9
Q
George F. Kennan’s “Long Telegram”
A
- Authored in 1946 by U.S. diplomat George F. Kennan, the “Long Telegram” was a seminal document outlining the Soviet Union’s behavior and the need for a comprehensive strategy of containment by the West.
- Kennan’s analysis underscored the belief that the USSR would seek to expand its influence while attempting to undermine hostile Western capitalism and spark intra-capitalist conflict, shaping U.S. foreign policy during the early Cold War.
- The ideas presented became foundational for the doctrine of containment, leading to U.S. interventions in various international conflicts to counter Soviet influence.
- Kennan’s insights contributed to the ideological framework that defined East-West relations throughout the Cold War and influenced U.S. responses to global developments for decades.
10
Q
NATO and the Warsaw Pact
A
- NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was established in 1949 as a military alliance for collective defense against the threat posed by the Soviet Union.
- Formed by US, Canada, and several Western Euoprean states based off of the Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine
- In response, the Warsaw Pact was formed in 1955 by the USSR and its Eastern European allies, institutionalizing the division of Europe into two opposing military blocs.
- This dual alliance system intensified the Cold War tensions, shaping military strategies and contributing to a climate of mutual distrust between the East and West.
- Both organizations played significant roles in numerous Cold War conflicts and influenced global geopolitics for decades, underscoring the ideological divide between communism and democracy.
11
Q
The Marshall Plan
A
- Launched in 1948, Harry Truman launched the Marshall Plan to provide over $12 billion in economic aid to help rebuild Western European economies after World War II.
- The plan aimed to prevent the spread of Soviet communism by stabilizing these nations economically and fostering US-style consumer-capitalism
- The Soviet Union viewed the Marshall Plan as an attempt to undermine its influence in Eastern Europe, leading to increased tensions and the establishment of its own economic system in the region.
- The success of the Marshall Plan contributed to the economic recovery of Western Europe and laid the foundation for future transatlantic alliances.
12
Q
The Korean War
A
- The Korean War (1950-1953) began when communist Kim Il Sung of North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea, prompting a U.S.-led UN intervention to defend the South.
- The war exemplified the global reach of the Cold War, as it was one of the first armed conflicts where the U.S. engaged directly against communist forces backed by the USSR in the ‘third world’
- The conflict resulted in a military stalemate and an armistice, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided and demonstrating the limitations of U.S. containment policy.
- The war deepened the divide between East and West and heightened Cold War tensions, with both sides reinforcing their military presence in the region.
13
Q
The “Thaw”
A
- The “Thaw” refers to a period of relative liberalization in the Soviet Union following Stalin’s death in 1953 and lasting through the late 1950s and early 1960s under Nikita Khrushchev.
- Gulag prsoners and deported ethnic groups were allowed to return home and retain their rights
- This era was marked by a relaxation of censorship, cultural openness, and some economic reforms, leading to a temporary easing of tensions with the West.
- Khrushchev’s leadership promoted the idea of peaceful coexistence, aiming to reduce hostilities and foster negotiation between capitalist and communist nations.
- Despite the liberalization, dissent was still met with repression, and the later events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis showed the persistent volatility in U.S.-Soviet relations.
14
Q
Stilyagi
A
- Stilyagi were a group of Soviet youth from the 50s to 60s who embraced Western fashion, jazz music, and lifestyles, symbolizing a cultural push against the repressive norms of the Stalinist regime.
- Stilyagi often dressed themselves in Western clothing aquired from the black market
- Their counterculture represented a form of resistance to the state’s austere and uniform cultural policies, highlighting the influence of Western culture during the Cold War.
- Stilyagi faced significant backlash and persecution from authorities, reflecting the tensions between progressive youth and an authoritarian state.
- Their existence illustrated the complexities of Soviet society, as the government struggled to control cultural expression while facing the appeal of the West.
15
Q
The Space Race
A
- The Space Race was a competition between the U.S. and the USSR during the Cold War to achieve significant milestones in space exploration, beginning in the late 1950s and continuing into the 1970s.
- Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957 (the first artificial satellite)
- NASA created in 1958
- Soviets sent first manned craft into outer space (Yurii Gagrin) in 1961
- U.S. landing on the moon in 1969
- This rivalry represented technological and ideological competition, symbolizing the broader struggle between capitalism and communism and enhancing national prestige.
- The Space Race spurred advancements in science and technology, influencing education and industry on both sides and creating a legacy that continues to impact space exploration today.
