Origins of Cold War Flashcards
What are the key differences between capitalism and communism?
Capitalism believed in equal opportunity. Communism believed in equal outcome. Capitalist states had free market economies while communist states had state owned assets and state controlled markets.
When was the Yalta Conference? Who were the leaders which attended it?
Feb 1945
Roosevelt Stalin Churchill
What was agreed about Germany at Yalta?
2 points
It was to be divided into 4 zones
Berlin would be further divided into 4 zones
Which key organisations were created formally at Yalta?
The United Nations and The World Bank and the IMF
What is the declaration of a Liberated Europe and when was it agreed?
A commitment to free elections and post war rebuilding of Europe through mutual cooperation.
Agreed at Yalta
When and what was the percentages agreement.?
An informal agreement between Churchill and Stalin denoting the percentage influence the UK and USSR would have on Eastern European countries.
What was the key misconception that FDR had regarding foreign policy?
FDR underestimated the security needs of the USSR and naively believed that post war Europe would be based on democracy.
When was the Potsdam Conference?
06/07-1945
What was agreed for Germany at Potsdam?
two points
4D’s
No Long term plan
Denazification of society and governance
Demilitarisation
Decentralisation of political power
Democratisation
What were the 4 D’s agreed at Potsdam?
Denazification of society and governance
Demilitarisation
Decentralisation of political power
Democratisation
What were the possible reasons why the Grand alliance ended at Potsdam?
(5 points)
Change in leadership as Harry S Truman (HST)had confrontation as the basis of USSR relationships rather than the FDR policy of cooperation.
HST delayed the conference till the atomic bomb testing was complete and then used atomic diplomacy on the USSR
Difference in ideologies (USA wanted liberal democracy)
Lack of long term plan for Germany
Stalin establishing Lublin government over Poland
What were the ‘salami tactics’?
Establishing a government with the complete political spectrum and slowly removing parties from the right through fearmongering and mergers until Soviet backed communist party is the only party remaining.
How did Stalin gain control of Poland?
Established the Lublin government with entire political spectrum and then used salami tactics.
When was the Long Telegram?
Who wrote it?
February 1946
George Kennan ; a senior officer in the US embassy in Moscow
What are the key messages in the Long Telegram
(4 points)
Unrelenting communist ideological threat
Asks USA to be more proactive in its response
Recommends containment as an ideal solution
Creates a sense of urgency in the need for a response
Who gave the Iron Curtain speech?
When?
Winston Churchill
03/1946
What was the Russian reaction to the Iron Curtain speech?
Was inflamed by the speech
Stalin was convinced that the UK and US were collectively plotting for the downfall of the USSR
Molotov accused USA of being imperialistic and abandoning the declaration of a liberated Europe
When did the UK withdraw forces from the Greek civil war and Turkish conflicts?
Why?
February 1947
They couldn’t afford it
Why was the UK involved in the Greek civil war?
Under the percentages agreement the UK had 90% control over Greece and they wanted to prevent the country falling into the power of the Greek communists even if they weren’t affiliated with Moscow.
What were the key messages on the Truman doctrine
Portrayed the USSR in a negative light and the US in a positive light
Introduced containment as post-war US foreign policy
What was the Soviet response to the Marshall Plan & when did this response happen
Stalin called Marshall plan dollar imperialism
Cominform (communist information bureau)
Means to coordinate the communist states actions under Moscow
Cominform was established in Sept 1947
When was the Marshall plan and what was it originally called?
June 1947
Called the European recovery programme
