History Chapter 7 Flashcards
What was the Cold War?
A period of tension, hostility, and conflict between the USSR and the US that did not involve military actions but was pursued through economic and political actions, propaganda, and proxy wars.
What led to the decline of Western European powers after WWII?
WWII led to a shift in the balance of power in international politics, exhausting Britain and occupying France, while Germany was defeated.
What was the Big Three alliance?
The alliance between Britain, the US, and the USSR formed because they had a common enemy, Hitler.
What caused tensions to arise between the USSR and the Allies?
Stalin was under pressure from Germany’s attacks and urged the US and Britain to open a second front in France, which they delayed, deepening distrust.
What were the three main topics of mistrust between the USA and USSR?
Early tensions between USSR and USA, breakdown of wartime alliances, and the division of Europe after WWII.
What were the competing ideologies of the USA and USSR?
The USA spread democracy and individual freedoms, while the USSR promoted communism, which the USA feared would threaten their way of life.
What did the US want for post-war Europe?
Peace, prosperity, and recovery of Western Europe, essential for international stability and US prosperity.
What did the USSR want for post-war Europe?
To establish buffer states in Eastern Europe for security and to ensure Eastern Europe remained friendly to the USSR.
What was the significance of the Paris Peace Conference of 1919?
The USA, led by Wilson, did not want Germany to break apart, fearing it would act as a barrier against communism.
What happened at the Yalta Conference?
Leaders made agreements but clashed on issues, and Roosevelt seemed to work better with Stalin, leading to a united front.
What was the outcome of the Potsdam Conference?
The Big Three met again, but changes in leadership and disagreements over Germany and Eastern Europe increased tensions.
What did Stalin want from Germany?
Stalin wanted compensation and to cripple Germany, while Truman’s changing stance made Stalin suspicious.
What was agreed upon at the Yalta Conference regarding Eastern Europe?
It was agreed that Eastern Europe would be under Soviet influence.
What led to the emergence of the USA and USSR as superpowers?
The USA and USSR rose as superpowers due to their geographical size, economic output, and military strength.
What was the USA’s stance towards communism?
The USA opposed and feared communism, seeing it as a threat.
What was the USSR’s belief about the USA?
The USSR believed the USA was acting selfishly to build its own economic and political empire.
What was the goal of the USSR regarding capitalism?
The USSR wanted to destroy capitalism and create a utopian world where all people, property, and work are divided and shared equally.
What was the policy of appeasement related to?
The policy of appeasement involved Britain and France appeasing Hitler instead of stopping him due to fears that the USSR was trying to spread communism by force.
What was discussed at the Yalta Conference in 1945?
At the Yalta Conference, the USA and USSR discussed post-war matters, including the fate of liberated countries and the division of Germany.
What were the agreements made regarding Germany at the Yalta Conference?
Germany and Berlin were to be split into four zones controlled by the US, France, Britain, and USSR.
What did Stalin want to do at the Yalta Conference?
Stalin wanted to move westwards into Poland.
What was the Manhattan Project?
The Manhattan Project was a secret USA project developing the atomic bomb, which was kept from the USSR until the Potsdam Conference.
What was the impact of the atomic bomb on USA-USSR relations?
The USA’s decision to not inform the USSR about the atomic bomb deepened Stalin’s suspicion towards USA’s intentions.
What was the state of Soviet control in Eastern Europe by July 1945?
By July 1945, Soviet troops controlled most of Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states, Poland, and Czechoslovakia.
