International Relations Flashcards
Three leaders at Yalta
Roosevelt - US
Churchill - UK
Stalin - USSR
Date of Yalta Conf.
February 1945
5 agreements at Yalta
Germany was to be split up into 4 bits
Free elections in the states of Eastern Europe
Germany would pay reparations
USSR would gain some polish territory but boarders were left unresolved
Stalin agreed to join the UN
What 3 things happened before Potsdam?
Dropping of atomic bomb
Soviet Armies didn’t leave Eastern Europe
America had a new President
Date of first successful test of atomic bomb
16th July 1945 (Day before Potsdam)
What date was Hiroshima bombed?
6th August 1945
Name 3 countries that the Soviets liberated
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary or Bulgaria
What day did Roosevelt die?
12 April 1945
Who took over from Roosevelt
Truman - he was more anti-communist so made talks harder
3 Agreements at Potsdam
German reparations were agreed that each country would take it from their own sector
The Nazi party would be stamped out in all areas
Details of German-Polish boarder were agreed
3 Disagreements at Potsdam
Soviets wanted part of the Ruhr
Soviets wanted part of Japan
USA wanted a larger dealing with politics in Eastern Europe
3 Soviet arguments for expansion of Europe
They had liberated these countries from the Nazis
The Soviets had lost more than the Americans in Europe
The USSR had been invaded twice by the Germans in the 20th century
Arguments against soviet expansion into Eastern Europe
The Soviets agreed at Yalta there would be free elections
They needed time to establish independent governments after just being liberated from the Nazis
Start of an attempted domination of Europe by the USSR
Effects of Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe (3)
Trust in each other was non existent
The USA feared a domino effect - led to the Truman doctrine and the Marshall plan
Berlin was the the focus for conflict
3 Cause of the Truman Doctrine
Britain was unable to continue support for the Greek monarchy and informed the Americans
Communist Expansion in Easter Europe
Soviet troops were threatening Turkey
What was the Truman doctrine?
Truman’s justification for helping Greece. Congress accepted Truman’s argument and granted $400 million which was used to defend Greece and Turkey from communist influence
Consequences of the Truman doctrine
By sending aid it set up a network of allies to the USA. This led to NATO
Also led to the Marshall Plan to help economies of Europe get going again and keep communism away
How much money was in the Marshall plan
$17 billion
When was the Marshall plan agreed?
March 1948 just after Czechoslovakia turned communist
3 impacts of the Marshall plan
It protected countries like France and Italy from strong communist parties
The USSR saw this as bribing countries to stay or switch back to a democratic government therefore the USSR said that any country in the comniform or Comecon who took the money would be expelled.
What was the only member of the USSR’s satellite states to accept the Marshall Plan money?
Yugoslavia and they were expelled from the comniform and Comecon
2 Causes of the Berlin blockade
In 1948, the three western sectors began plans to merge into West Germany - this meant that west Germany was now bigger than the East
In 1948, Britain and America introduced a new currency in the Western sectors. This new currency was much stronger than the Eastern currency and so some used it in the East making the Eastern economy worse
5 Facts about Berlin blockade
Lasted 318 days
275,000 planes transported 1.5 million tons of supplies
A plane landed every 3 minutes
On 12th May 1949, Stalin abandoned the blockade
3 Consequences of the Berlin blockade
Increased tensions
In 1949, the Western Allies set up NATO as a defensive alliance against Russia
The two powers started an arms race, building up armies and weapons
Why did the USA and USSR engage in an arms race?
To gain the title of most powerful nation in the world
When did they build their first ones?
USSR - 1949
USA - 1945
Who won?
America, even after stopping in the 60’s due to public pressure
Cause of the Korean War
Had just been freed from Japanese control. Split into N and S by the 38th parallel. Both Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee both were not happy with the split and wanted to rule the whole peninsula.
What date the North Korea attack South Korea?
25th June 1950
How long did it take for the NKs to take Seoul
3 days
What did the UN do once the North had taken the south? who did not attend this and why? With what effect?
Sat down the same day. The USSR did not attend because they were boycotting over China not being recognised. The USSR could not use their veto
What date did UN troops land in Inchon?
15th September 1950
How did the landing at Inchon help?
It cut off the NK army and were able to push them back to the 38th parallel.
How many Chinese volunteer troops were sent?
250,000
6 consequences of the Korean War
The UN had worked - although it was heavily in favour of the USA
It indicated that Truman was sticking to what he said in the Truman doctrine
China has become another world superpower
None of these wanted to descend into a nuclear war
It extended the war into the Far East
Korea was perm inanely divided into N and S
What date did Stalin die?
5th March 1953
3 consequences of Stalin death
Improved relations between east and west as the USA saw him as the biggest cause
This was seen when Khrushchev visited the UK and US to talk
Khrushchev used the phrase ‘peaceful coexistence’. An example of this is the 1955 Geneva conference
How many members were in the Warsaw Pact?
8
When did the USSR build their first nuclear bomb?
1949
Who won the arms race?
USA
What parallel was Korea divided by after WWII?
38th
Who was the dictator of North Korea?
Kim Il Sung
Who was the dictator of South Korea?
Syngman Rhee
Who have the North Koreans tanks and guns?
Chinks and Russians
What date did north invade south?
25 June 1950
Why did the Russians not attend the UN meeting?
The UN ignored Chairman Mao communist regime therefore the Russians did not use their veto.
Who was the first US general and why was he dismissed?
MacArthur wanted to use the atomic bomb
Who was the second General in Korea?
General Ridgeway
6 consequences of the Korean War
The UN had worked albeit in favour of the USA.
Truman standing by the Truman doctrine
China announced itself in the world stage
Both sides didn’t want nuclear war
Cold War was now also in the Far East
Korea was perm innately divided into south and north
What date did Stalin die?
5th March 1953
Consequences of the Stalin’s death
Improved relations between east and west as the US viewed him as the biggest cause of the Cold War
This was seen in that his successor Khrushchev visited the US and UK
Khrushchev used the phrase ‘peaceful coexistence’ at the Austrian State Conference in 1955
3 causes of Hungarian Uprising
After WWII a communist govt was set up under Rakosi who followed by Stalin and was v unpopular
The standards of living were far below that of the Democratic West and the poverty rate was rising
Poland has also started to rise up against the communist regime
6 consequences of the the Hungarian uprising
Between 2,500 and 30,000 Hungarians were killed along with 700 soviet troops
There was no active support from the west
The USSR showed the limit of peaceful coexistence
Other satellite states knew that they would not be allowed to leave the soviet sphere of influence
The uprising showed people’s discontent about the regime
What date was the U2 brought down?
1st May 1960
Who was the pilot of the U2?
Gary Powers
Where did Gary Powers take off from?
Pakistan
Consequences of the U2 Crisis
Ended the Paris summit which aimed to discuss the future of Berlin
Propaganda victory for the USSR and Khrushchev
Eisenhower did not apologise and was not voted in for his next term in office at the end of 1960
Eisenhower placed all his forces on high alert ready for retaliation from the USSR
The US lost an expensive plane
There was no nuclear test ban treaty
Peaceful coexistence ended
2 reasons for building the Berlin Wall
Cut the number of people defecting from east to west
Stabilises the Eastern economy
Consequences of the Berlin Wall
Shooting of defectors was a propaganda victory for the US
The was no retaliation from the West
It removed an area of conflict
Over 200 people were killed trying to defect
Reduced defections from 3.5 million to 5000
When did Russia launch its first satellite?
October 1957
When did Russia send the first man into space? What was his name?
April 1961, Yuri Gagarin
When did the Americans send the first person into space? What was his name?
May 1961, Alan Shepherd
When was the fist man on the moon?
July 1969
What date was JFK shown photos of missiles?
16th October 1962
What date did JFK make an announcement to the American people?
21st October 1962
Consequences of Cuba missile crisis
The soviets now had an allow near the USA
Khrushchev protected Cuba
Nuclear war had been avoided
A phone line had been set up between the White House
And the kremlin so they did not have to send letters anymore
JFK reputation increases as it looks like he made Khrushchev back down
The chinks weren’t happy with Russia and they severed ties with them
NATO did not like that the USA had taken their missiles off of Turkey
