IA3, Cold War Flashcards
What was the Cold War?
A war of words, propaganda and threat between the USA and USSR lasting from 1947-1991, ending when the Soviet union fell.
What was the Grand Alliance?
An alliance made during WW2 that made victory against Nazis possible. Although, they fought during the cold war following shortly after. Made up of Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States.
What were the ideological differences between the USA and the USSR?
The USSR believed that the USA wanted to destroy communism. The USA believed the USSR wanted to spread communism around the world. This mutual distrust was the root of many issues.
How did the USA change their foreign policies after the interwar years?
The USA held a policy of isolationism, concerning themselves with foreign policies affecting the USA exclusively. Following the USA depression and WW2, they decided they had to have a bigger role in world politics if they wanted democracy to succeed.
This change of policy worried Stalin, due to concerns of the USA doing this out of a desire to destroy communism.
How did the USA testing a nuclear bomb directly before the Potsdam Conference worsen relations between USA and USSR?
The USA’s successful testing of an atomic bomb may have made the USSR feel threatened, and the pressure between the two nations would have increased drastically.
What did the USSR and USA agree and disagree on during the Tehran conference, 1943?
Britain, USA and USSR all agreed they would have a sphere of influence they would all have their beliefs shared and respected. That being in the west the USA and Britain having their own sphere, while the USSR has the same in Europe.
However, they disagreed on how to treat Germany after the way ended. USA and Britain wanted to help rebuild Germany, while Stalin wanted to punish them as harshly as possible.
What did the USSR and USA agree and disagree on during the Yalta conference, 1945?
There were multiple agreements:
-USA and USSR would work together to defeat Japan following the Nazi’s defeat.
-They agreed to set up the United Nations to ensure maintenance of peace
-They agreed to a coalition government that represented the political scene at the time including communist elements.
-To ensure democracy in Europe.
However, the USA believed in democracy being free elections and more than one party. The USSR believed a democratic government was a communist one.
What did the USSR and USA agree and disagree on during the Potsdam conference, 1945?
They agreed that Nazi survivors be tried as war criminals and the Nazis party to be banned. They also reduced the size of Germany, temporarily dividing it into four zones; France, Britain, USA and USSR each got a zone.
However, USSR still wanted to punish Germany with heavy reparations. All nations would get their own reparations for each quarter. There was also a lot of tension between Truman and Stalin; Truman was rather arrogant about the fact only they had an atomic bomb+postponed the meeting until after testing the bomb.
Isolationism definition
The doctrine that a nation should stay out of the disputes and affairs of other nations.
Foreign Policy definition
A government’s strategy in dealing with other nations.
Marriage of Convenience definition
A marriage contracted for social, political or economic advantage rather than mutual affections.
Ideologies definition
A system of ideas/ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.
What ideological division was there during the Cold war?
Pro-Red Bloc- USSR, China, DPRK
Neutral-
Capitalism-
What was the Warsaw Pact?
The Warsaw Pact(formally “The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance”) was a defence treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, during the Cold War in 1955.
The Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania are the Eastern and Central European republics who signed. Although, Albania withdrew in 1968.
What is NATO?
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation(North Atlantic Alliance) is an intergovernmental military alliance founded to counterweight Soviet armies in Europe. At its founding, 12 countries were in it, but four more joined.
Founders:
-Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and United States(1949).
Joiners:
-Greece & Turkey(1952)
-West Germany(1955)
-Spain(1982)
