Origins of the cold war Flashcards
What was agreed by the Grand Alliance at the Tehran Conference?
D-Day against the Nazis in 1944.
The United Nations to promote world peace after war.
The USSR would be involved in the fight against the Japanese.
What was agreed at the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences?
Germany would be split into four zones. This was supposed to be temporary.
All countries freed from the Nazis (E.g. Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia) would get free and fair elections.
The USSR restated commitment to joining the fight against Japan.
At Potsdam these agreements were reconfirmed but the USSR were less committed to guaranteeing free and fair elections.
The USSR felt that the USA using the atomic bomb against Japan to quickly end the war was an act of American aggression.
What were the big differences between Capitalism and Communism?
Capitalism → Free and fair elections; freedom of speech; private wealth.
Communism → One Political Party in charge; restricted speech and all wealth controlled by the government.
What were the consequences of the Atomic Bomb?
The USSR felt that the USA using the atomic bomb against Japan to quickly end the war was an act of American aggression.
It triggered an Arms Race between the USA and the USSR.
Although the USSR had already moved to start securing its influence in countries like Poland, it made them double down on their effort to create Satellite States.
What were the consequences of the Long and Novikov Telegrams?
Long Telegram → Influenced the creation of the Containment Policy. Accused the Soviets of being aggressive and expansionist like the Nazis had been.
Novikov Telegram → Written in reply, accused the USA of causing instability with its use of the atomic bomb. Stated the USSR would need to take steps to improve its security.
How did the USSR establish Satellite States in Eastern Europe?
1944 → Warsaw Uprising → USSR waited until the Nazis had crushed the Polish before moving into the country to “free” the Poles from the Nazis. This made sure of no free Polish government.
1944 → 1947 → USSR secured control over Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. “Free elections” in these countries and Poland were never free and voters were intimidated. Non-Communist leaders then fled for their safety (e.g. The London Poles).
1948 → Czechoslovakia attempted to restore its long-standing democracy after World War Two. Stalin saw this as a threat and the USSR staged a coup in this country. A USSR “puppet government” was set up under the leadership of Klement Gottwald.
What was the importance of Satellite States in Eastern Europe?
It raised the threat level of the USSR in the eyes of the USA. It made them alive to the possibility of a spread of Communism.
It weakened the spirit of cooperation that existed between the Grand Alliance during the years of WW2.
It inspired Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech in 1946, which further increased tension between the West and the East. It divided former allies.
