History S4 cold war chapters 1-3 Flashcards
Content concepts for causes of cold war (west perception, left finger)
- aggressive
- expansionist
- trying to increase SOI
- oppressive
Content concepts for causes of cold war (Ussr perception, right finger)
- imperialist, especially dollar imperialism
- instigator of war/aggressive
- offensive, trying to contain communism
What is dollar imperialism?
using money to increase capitalist SOI
Content concepts for causes of cold war (r/s between ussr and west)(middle finger)
- worsened relations
- fear and suspicion
- distrust, increased tensions
Consequences of cold war (concepts)
- communist and capitalist blocs
- increasingly bipolar world
- political and economic division
- arms race, nuclear arms race
- sphere of influence
- contain / spread communism
What is cold war
competition to ensure that their political beliefs dominate, superpowers fighting using other countries, proxy wars
Capitalism vs communism, political difference
capitalism: Multi party state with elections
- governed my multiple political parties
- elections regularly
- ppl choose between 2 or more parties
Communism: 1 party state
- governed by singular political party, the communist party
- political power lies with the communist party
- ppl can only vote for communist
Capitalism vs communism, economic difference
capitalism: Free market
- industry and land owned by private businesses and indivs
- free to dev, own, and control resources and capital
Communism: Centrally planned economy
- all land and means of prod owned and managed by the state
- centrally planned econ: State plan and allocate all aspects of econ
- state distribute resources to indivs and companies
Capitalism and communism, social difference
capitalism : Freedom of speech and thought
Communism : No freedom of speech and thought, oppression and censorship
Causes of cold war
Tensions before ww2: Russian civil war (3 prongs)
Western countries sent funds and troops to help non bolshevik (non communist) white army against red army
1: Afraid of worldwide communist revolution
2: Mistrust led to incr tensions
3: Stalin convinced west wanted to crush ussr
causes of cold war
Tensions before ww2: Policy of appeasement, munich conference 1938 (3 prongs)
ussr not invited to the Munich conference where future of czechoslovakia was discussed
1: Appeasement meant to prevent another war and to buy time to rearm
2: Worsened relations
3: Saw appeasement and allies reluctance to form alliance with ussr against Germany as a means to weaken and destroy ussr
Causes of cold war
Tensions before ww2: Nazi-soviet pact 1939 (3 prongs)
1: Blamed pact for causing ww1 as it allowed hitler to attack Poland unopposed
2: Worsened relations
3: Saw it as a way to protect ussr form attack
Causes of cold war
tensions during ww2: Opening 2nd front in France during ww2 1944 (3 prongs)
- West needed control over the air and sea before launching d-day
- Incr stalins suspicion that west wanted to crush communism
- Stalin suspected west wanted to use Germany to weaken ussr
Causes of cold war
tensions during ww2: Atomic bombs and detonation in 1945 (3 prongs)
- Need to end war with japan quickly, adv over ussr as war ending = mutual fear and suspicion will resurface
- Incr suspicion and fear. Ussr begin build own nuclear weapons to counter USA, nuclear arms race
- Feared USA would use it to destroy communism, not informed of existence until shortly before use on japan
Causes of cold war
tensions during ww2: Failure to follow agreements made at yalta and potsdam (3 prongs)
no free elections held in Poland, non communist leaders arrested and new communist gov established
1. Saw as ussr spreading communism in europe
2. Incr soi of communism in europe, worsened relations
3. Saw communist govt in Eastern urope as creating a buffer to prevent future attack from Germany
Differences during yalta and potsdam due to lack of continuity in polices due to change in leadership
Y: Stalin, Roosevelt- believed ussr would keep promise of free elections, Churchill- soviet union dangerous and a threat
P: Stalin-wanted to cripple Germany, Truman-believed ussr will extend communist influence, strong resistance, Atlee-sus of stalin, but did not confront
Yalta conference vs potsdam conference
Yalta, feb 1945, before defeat of Germany
Potsdam, august 1945, After defeat of Germany, before defeat of japan
Differences during yalta and potsdam, red army
Y: Red army advancing thru Poland to Germany
P: Red army controlled all of Eastern europe including berlin
Differences during yalta and potsdam, USAs need for help from ussr
Y: USA desperately needed ussrs help with war in Pacific, stalin joined in return for influence over north korea and manchuria
P: Did not need ussrs help, USA has atomic bomb
perceived delay opening 2nd front
delayed until acceptable likelihood of success / saw they did so to minimise losses, weaken ussr = mistrust, susp
USA nuclear monopoly, use of atomic bomb on Japan
kept manhattan project secret, only informed stalin after successful testing → susp, saw as a threat
Political vaccumm in EU after
state of chaos, destruction, famine. Allied powers eg brit and france suffered damage, unable to be major decision makers in EU: USA and USSR in position to step in → incr comp/rivalry
End of wartime alliance, comp for influence
both sought to carve their SOIs in EU
Setting up soviet satellite states in East EU
salami tactics, est ring of States. Usa: aggressive / ussr: defensive → usa intro policy of containment
The kennan telegram (POC)
recommended usa take tougher stand against ussr and contain spread of soviet influence (isolationism → containment) → susp, tensions
Churchils iron curtain speech (poc)
blamed ussr for ideological and political divide in EU- contributed to policy of containment
Truman doctrine (poc)
truman believed weak states more susceptible to comm influence → military and econ aid to weak states like greece and turkey
The marshall plan (poc)
provision of economic aid - rebuild econs → ussr rejected, prevented satellite sates from accepting
Soviet reactions to POC: cominform and comecon
link comm sates to moscow, trade mainly with cominform members, implement comm
united econs of sat states with ussr: arrangements tended to benefit ussr at expense of sat state
Berlin Blockade
germany and berlin into 4 zones, conflicting opinions on german econ, british and usa combined zones and introed new currency → strong econ recovery / soviet new currency too to curb inflation) /// blocked supplies and communications via railway and roads = air lifted supplies into west germany
Why was Korea divided after WW1
2
Leaders of NK and SK had differing aims (communist vs democratic = divided to allow their differing ideologies)
Decolonisation of korea from japan intersected with US-soviet cold war competition over fragments of EU and Japans empires (USSR: did not allow elections in the north - establish influence over political and econ dev in their zone of occupation, West: held elections in SK to establish govt)
American foreign policy changes
Korean War (DP speech then after)
Jan 1950 - Dean Acheson’s ‘defence perimeter speech’ on Asia (korea of little strategic importance)
V
Developments in asia pacific: NK occupied by commie USSR, commie bloc sought to expand SOI in asia pacific → communism more prevalent in asia : pressure on USA to intervene due to fear of expansion of commie SOI
V
Apply policy of containment not just in europe, but on a global scale (korea of strategic importance)
Why US became involved in KW: prevent spread of comm
[D] prevent spread of commie influence
[EX] sent armies to SK as a ‘police action’ as USSR sent to NK. helped push back spread of communism under global containment of communism
[A] allows them to assist in preventing spread of communism into SK
Why US became involved: restore balance of power
[D] restore balance of power
[EX] NK had soviet support - power imbalance over SK. USA intervened making the war more balanced, ensuring NK cannot easily overtake SK
[A] opposing spread of communism
Why Soviet Union became involved : ensure K stays comm
[D] to protect korea & ensure it stays commie / expand commie SOI
[EX] assistance provided ensure NK militaryily stronger than SK - reduced threat of being defeated by SK. assistance of USSR allow NK to swiftly take over SK, expanding commie SOI in asia
[A] allows to prot/expand commie SOI
Why Soviet Union became involved : ince free port
[D] stalin wanted access to ice-free port in china
[EX] port arthur and china eastern railway in china very impt for soviet access to pacific ocean. Terms of sino-soviet pact soviets could only access them should wither china or soviet union be involved in a war in asia
[A] stalin approved Kim il sungs plan to attack SK as it would result in war in east asia, allowing him to access the port → access to resources ?
Importance of cuba to USA 2
Strategic location (us SOI, monroe doctrine: eu powers attempts to colonise americas will be seen as ‘acts of aggression’)
econ interests (investements, american companies owned 60% of sugar industry)
Tensions between cuba and usa : us political intervention
pres batista despite oppressive rules as he was pro US)
Cuban revolution (fidel castro, cuban communist party supported it, sus of castro. Intro of his policies and friendship w ussr leadership incr tnesions
Threats to us interest in cuba (tensions)
sought new sugar markets eg USSR, half a mil tonnes USA no longer had monopoly (dollar imperialism!), saw it as aligning w communists
Castros land reform law (tensions)
hand over of property to state, banned foreign ownership, forced us refineries to refine ussr oil, seen as communist alignment
Castro and khruschev friendship (tensions)
UN general assembly NY 1960, met with K at hotel in Harlem, which had large pop of racially discriminated african americans, championed their rights at the assembly, seen as a challenge and insult
Economic pressures by us on cuba (US retaliation)
pressuried companies eg shell to not refine soviet oil, thus castro nationalised refineries. Reduced sugar quota from 3mil to 700k tonnes - ussr and china buy sugar. Us embargo nov 1960
Attempts to overthrow castro: bay of pigs
Attempts to overthrow castro: operation mongoose
CIA trained exiles invasion failed, us involvement
CIA, sabotaging industries
Cubas formal alliance : fear of invasion, declared communist
diplomatic ties and formal membership in comm bloc → proximity alarmed US = tensions
Soviet reasons for missiles: gain leverage against allies in west berlin
bargaining chip to demand further concessions regarding west berlin/ drive the allies out
Soviet reasons for missiles : enhance khruschevs political standing
successful defence incr soviet prestige, streghten USSRs position as leader of comm bloc - china challenging position after sino-soviet split
Soviet reasons for missiles : narrow missile gap
nuclear arms race, US had ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles), reach over long dist
Soviet reasons for missiles : counteract Jupiter missiles in Turkey
NATO member, borders USSR, seen as threat
Soviet reasons for missiles : secure pro soviet base near USA
base in cuba allows USSR to attack USA and deter nuclear attacks
Cuba reasons for missiles: fear of US invasion
Fear after bay of pigs and operation mongoose, would guarantee soviet prot of cuba against us invasion
Cuba reasons for missiles : boosts defence
Boosts cubas defence, deterrent against possible attacks
