How did the Cold War in Europe develop? 1943–56

Question 1

Define capitalism

Answer 1

belief that everyone should be free to own property and businesses to make money,

Question 2

Define communism

Answer 2

belief that all properties should belong to the state to ensure that every member of society gets a fair share

Question 3

What was communism based on?

Answer 3

The writing of Karl Marx

Question 4

Who were the big three? How long were each of their rules?

Answer 4

Winston Churchill 1940-45 and 1951, Josef Stalin 1928-53, Franklin D Roosevelt 1933-45

Question 5

Explain the first Grand Alliance conference.

Answer 5

Tehran (1943)
- USA and Britain agreed to a second front by attacking Germany (Stalin was happy as this would ease pressure on Eastern Front where USSR where suffering losses. Churchill didn’t want to attack there.)
- Discussed what would happen to Germany after the war but no agreement was made
-Will set up international body to settle disputes

Question 6

What is the sphere of influence?
What are satellite states?

Answer 6

Sphere of influence= an area of Europe that the Soviet Union influenced/controlled but not part of the USSR

Satellite state= the countries that were part of sphere of influence. Have communist governments.

Question 7

Explain The long Telegram

Answer 7

1946
-Received by Truman from Kennan
Kennan said:
.The USSR
was heavily armed and feared the outside world
.There could be no peaceful co-existence between the USSR and the USA
-he USA was stronger than the USSR and so communism could be ‘contained

Question 8

Explain The Novikov Telegram

Answer 8

The Soviet response to The Long Telegram
.Warned that the USA had emerged from World War Two economically strong and bent on world domination

Question 9

Did the amount of countries becoming communist reflect what the people wanted?

Answer 9

Not always because most countries that became communist were because of corrupt voting, using violence, threats.

Question 10

What were the key points of the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 10

.They would intervene in other countries to fight communism across the world -contrary to how USA usually didn’t get involved (isolationism)
.They would stop the spread by ‘containing’ communism
.They would give money in aid to Greece and Turkey
.

Question 11

Explain the Marshall plan

Answer 11

In some of Europe desperate economic circumstances after WW2 meant support for communist parties was strong. The USA did not want this to happen. Marshall Aid
would be spent to help the economies of Western Europe to recover after World War Two and make them less likely to be won over by communism.

Question 12

What is Cominform?

Answer 12

Political organisation set on Stalin’s order that included USSR and it’s satellite states. Gave a way to control the countries part of it. Spread propaganda accusing America of being no Nazi Germany.

Question 13

What is Comecon?

Answer 13

Comecon was Stalin’s attempt at deterring countries away from Marshall Aid. Arranged trading agreements between member countries. Trade with USA and Western Europe was discouraged.

Question 14

What was Trizonia?

Answer 14

Britain and USA joined their German zones to make Bizonia. Then when France joined theirs it became Trizonia.

Question 15

What was the east of Germany like? What was the west of Germany like?

Answer 15

East
- communist
- low standards
- often lacked basic goods
- secret police monitored and arrested people who went against movement

West
- wealthy
- high standards of living
- skilled worker were paid well for the work they did

Question 16

What was the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 16

West Berlin was surrounded by Soviet-occupied territory. In June 1948, Stalin cut all land access to Berlin for the Allies.

Question 17

What was the Warsaw pact?

Answer 17

An alliance between the Soviet and the Satellite states as a response to NATO. In 1955.

Question 18

Explain the brain drain

Answer 18

In the west of Germany, skilled workers were well paid for the jobs that they did. The East weren’t and skilled workers such as engineers, teachers and doctors fled to the West for better conditions. By 1958 over a sixth of East Germany’s population had left to the West.

Question 19

What was Khrushchev’s ultimatum?

Answer 19

The brain drain made communism look weak. Khrushchev issued an ultimatum saying:
-Berlin should be demilitarised and Western troops withdrawn
-Berlin should become a ‘free’ country

Question 20

Why were the Hungarian people unhappy?

Answer 20

-Hungarians had no
freedom of speech. The secret police (AVH) arrested anyone against communism
-Thousands of Soviet troops and officials were stationed in Hungary, which were a drain on the Hungarian economy
-The Russian language was being forced upon the people

Question 21

Who was Khrushchev?

Answer 21

The new Soviet leader, (1956).

Question 22

What were Nagy’s reform in Hungary?

Answer 22

-Free elections to choose the government
-The total withdrawal of the Soviet army from Hungary
-Hungary to leave the
Warsaw Pact

Question 23

Why did Imre Nagy create these reforms?

Answer 23

He wanted to change how Hungary could be ruled instead of Rakoski’s rule.

Question 24

What was a consequence of Comecon.

Answer 24

-Increased tension
-Played a significant role in USA and Western Europe created NATO

Question 25

Name consequences of Truman Doctrine.

Answer 25

-Marshall plan
-Comecon
-Cominform
-Increased tension, any lingering belief that there was still a Grand Alliance was gone

Question 26

What was the impact of the Berlin Airlift?

Answer 26

Nearly a year later, the Soviets gave in and lifted the blockade

Question 27

What was the Berlin Airlift?

Answer 27

In response to the Berlin Blockade, they decided to fly fuel and food supplies by planes (Berlin Airlift)- Truman doubted that Stalin was prepared to shoot the planes down and make himself an aggressor.

People of West Berlin and West Berlin troops joined forces to build a new runway in the old airport.

Question 28

Explain the arms race.

Answer 28

Stalin instructed his scientist to develop a Soviet atomic bomb so that the US didn’t have the power of being the only one with it. In response, USA develops hydrogen bomb- 1,000 time more powerful. After a year, Soviet also have hydrogen bombs. USA make ICBMs. Soviets makes ICBMs

Question 29

When does Stalin die?

Answer 29

March 1953

Question 30

How did Khrushchev being in power lessen the tension?

Answer 30

He openly criticised Stalin’s policies and suggested there should be peaceful co-existence with the West.

Question 31

Explain the Hungarian uprising.

Answer 31

During 1956, the people of Hungary began to protest about their lack of political freedom and food shortages. Soviet troops restored order. To stop the riots, Khrushchev replaced Rakoski with Imre Nagy as prime minister- he believed that within communist regime, there should still be personal freedoms.

Nagy reorganised Hungarian government to include members of non communist parties. Persuaded Khrushchev to withdraw Soviet troops. In November, announced Hungary would leave Warsaw pact. Khrushchev would not allow it because it might encourage other countries to leave.

Khrushchev ordered invasion of Hungary, 1,000 tanks rolled into Budapest. Nagy begged West for support but o help came. 20,000 Hungarians were killed. Soviet forces re-established control.

Question 32

Explain the second Grand Alliance conference.

Answer 32

Yalta (1945)
- Agreed Germany would be split into 4- Britain, France, Germany, USA
- Stalin agreed to go to war against Japan
-Britain wanted Poland to be non-communist, Stalin wanted it to be communist
-UN was set up

Question 33

Explain the third Grand Alliance conference.

Answer 33

Potsdam (1945)
- Truman (new president)
- Truman chose to inform Stalin that the US possessed a new weapon of unusual destructive force (the atomic bomb). Stalin complained that there weren’t supposed to be secrets between allies (though he knew through spies)

Question 34

Explain the impacts of the Hungarian uprising.

Answer 34

• Khrushchev’s position in the Soviet Union was much stronger. Members of the Warsaw Pact knew they must do as told. If rebelled they would not get support from USA.
• Reflected badly on the USA. They encourage communist countries to stand up against the Soviet Union but we’re not prepared to back them up with military support