Origins Flashcards
What was the Cold War?
Period of enormous tension between the 2 superpowers (USA and USSR) 1945-1991.
What were the USA and USSR’s different ideologies?
USA was capitalist and democratic - free elections and more freedoms for their people.
USSR was communist - no free elections, very few freedoms.
How did the USA and the USSR’s different ideologies help cause the Cold War?
They were scared of each other and didn’t trust each other. Both thought the other side wanted to destroy them.
What was the Grand Alliance?
Name given to USA, USSR and GB who were the allies fighting Nazi Germany in WW2.
When was the Tehran Conference?
November 1943
What happened at the Tehran Conference?
Roosevelt (USA), Churchill (GB) and Stalin (USSR) met to plan how to win WW2. They agreed that:
1. USA and GB would launch an attack from the West to ease pressure on USSR on the Eastern Front.
2. USSR would provide troops to help USA defeat Japan (after Germany had been defeated).
3. A United Nations organisation would be set up after the war.
When was the Yalta Conference?
February 1945 (WW2 still going)
Who went to the Yalta Conference?
Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin
What did they agree at the Yalta Conference?
- To divide Germany into 4 zones - and Berlin (capital city). USA, GB, USSR and France would each look after a zone.
- USSR agreed to allow free elections in Poland and other Eastern European countries.
- Germany would pay reparations once defeated.
When was the Potsdam Conference?
July 1945 (War in Europe over but war in the Pacific against Japan was still going on).
Who went to the Potsdam Conference?
Truman (USA), Attlee (GB) and Stalin
What did they agree at the Potsdam Conference?
Finalised many of the plans from the Yalta Conference.
What did they argue about at Potsdam?
- The amount of reparations Germany should pay. USSR wanted more, USA and GB wanted less (thought a stronger Germany would be a buffer to spread of communism).
- Poland - USSR had not allowed free elections there and had arrested non-communists.
- The atom bomb - Truman hadn’t told Stalin about the atom bomb and that he planned to use it on Japan.
What effect did the USA’s atom bombs have?
USA dropped 2 bombs. 1 on Hiroshima (killed 135,000) and 1 on Nagasaki (killed 70,000). This caused Japan to surrender and ended WW2.
It angered and scared USSR as they thought USA might use the atom bomb against them. This started the arms race.
What were the Long and Novikov telegrams?
Long telegram sent by George Kennan (American diplomat) to President Truman. It said USSR was aggressive and USA should take firm action against Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe.
Novikov telegram was sent to Stalin by the Soviet ambassador to the USA. It said USA wanted world dominance and was increasing its army.
Both telegrams helped create suspicion and fear between USA and USSR.
Where did communism spread to in Eastern Europe?
e.g. Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany
How did communism spreading help cause the Cold War?
USA was angry because USSR hadn’t allowed free elections. USA was scared because communism was spreading quickly.
USSR wanted friendly countries near them as they were scared USA wanted to destroy communism.
What was the Iron Curtain?
A nickname given by Churchill to the divide between communist and capitalist countries in Europe.
What was the Truman Doctrine?
March 1947, American plan to help any country threatened by communism. It was designed to stop communism spreading (containment).
Which countries did USA help thorough the Truman Doctrine?
Greece and Turkey. Gave them $400 million in aid to defeat the communists. USA was then allowed to put missiles in Turkey (on the border with USSR). This scared USSR as they didn’t have nuclear weapons yet.
What was the Marshall Plan?
1947 plan to help European countries recover after WW2. $15 billion (e.g. in form of machinery or fertilisers) was given to 16 countries (like GB or West Germany).
How did the Marshall Plan help cause the Cold War?
It scared and angered USSR. He accused USA of trying to spread capitalism and destroy communism. Marshall Aid was offered to communist countries but Stalin didn’t allow them to have it.
What was Comecon?
Soviet version of Marshall Aid. Set up in 1949.
What was Cominform?
Soviet political organisation designed to increase Soviet control over other communist countries in Eastern Europe e.g. told them to not have contact with non-communist countries and to only trade with communist countries.
