Origins of the Cold War (1945-49) Flashcards
1
Q
- What alliance was between USSR, US, Britain? What was the purpose of it?
- How did the ideologies of the US and the USSR differ?
A
- Grand Alliance; defeat Germany in WW2
- US = capitalism; USSR = communism
2
Q
- When was the Yalta Conference? What was agreed?
- What was subsequently created?
- What happened to the Grand Alliance? Why?
A
- February 1945; Agreements: Germany divided in 4 zones + Berlin; USSR take land in Poland + Poland would expand to the North and West; Creation of the United Nation.
- Creation of the United Nations
- Grand Alliance collapsed - due to: Conflicting ideologies, Land disagreements in Poland, US atomic monopoly - failing to address uncertainty between USA & USSR
3
Q
- What happened a day before the Potsdam Conference?
- Why is this significant?
- When was the Potsdam Conference? What was agreed?
A
- USA detonate atomic bombs
- Significant: Truman believed it gave the US diplomatic leverage, Stalin finds out at the Conference
- July 1945; Agreements: Germany would be denazified; USSR earns reparation from its zones in Germany + 25% from Western zones
4
Q
How did the relationship between Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill differ from Stalin, Truman, Attlee?
- What did Stalin want to introduce in Eastern Europe? How successful was this? (When was he able to establish control)
- What were Stalin’s methods to establish control in Eastern Europe?
A
- Tensions rose following the collapse of the Grand Alliance; Stalin became increasingly suspicious of US and Britain, who feared Soviet expansion
- Buffer zone; highly successful - established by 1948
- Methods of control: ‘salami tactic’ = anti-Communist parties were sliced into disunited pieces; allying local communist parties with left-leaning parties to be integrated into the communist party; intimidation and Gradualism (manipulation in elections)
5
Q
How did Stalin occupy: (what methods were used, how resistant were they, when did he gain occupation)
- Poland (who was weakened, methods, resistance)
- Romania (resistance, popularity)
- Bulgaria (method, votes, execution, bans)
A
- Poland: minimal resistance, Peasant Party weakened, Stalin strengthens tides with Polish socialist - Jan. 1947: both merge - communist become dominant
- Romania: minimal resistance, communism was popular, Red Army occupied Romania
- Bulgaria: Gradualism, Agarian Party had 20% of votes, their leader Petkov = executed - Apr. 1947, all other parties were banned
6
Q
How did Stalin occupy: (what methods were used, how resistant were they, when did he gain occupation)
- Hungary (method, tactic, executed)
- Czechoslovakia (method, influence)
Why was Stalin unable to occupy:
- Yugoslavia (influence, conflict, outcome)
A
- Hungary: Gradualism, ally with other parties to challenge, leading party = Smallholder Party, political opponents were arrested - 1949: Rajk (Hungarian Communist Leader executed for anti-Soviet services, all political parties disappeared
- Czechoslovakia: Intimidation, Gottwald (leader of the Czech Communist Party) accepted economic aid in 1947 but they resigned when Soviets were under occupation
- Yugoslavia: Limited Soviet Influence (by 1948) ,Tito (leader - Stalinist), Conflict between Stalin and Tito - Stalin wanted occupation; June 1948: expelled from Cominform, USA - Marshall Plan = economic aid
7
Q
- When was Kennan’s Long Telegram? What did he argue?
- What did he believe was required? What does this mean?
A
- 22nd February 1946; argued that:
- Soviet’s policy was hostile and aggressive
- relations between USSR and USA are unlikely to improve
- USA should take proactive approach in Europe
- containment; reducing the spread of USSR influence
8
Q
- When was Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech? What did it impose?
- How did Stalin respond?
- When was Cominform introduced? What was created? Why was it introduced? What was its purpose?
A
- 6th March 1946; imposed a direct attack to Stalin
- Response:
- Alliance with East Bloc and create a buffer zone
- September 1947; a Communist Information Bureau; due to growing tensions with the West - Iron Curtain Speech + Marshall Plan; aimed to increase Stalin’s power over communist parties and unify them together
9
Q
- When was the Truman Doctrine? What did it outline and lead to?
- Why was Turkey under threat to USSR?
- How significant was this to the Greek Civil War? (how much aid was given to turkey + greece)
A
- March 1947; outlined the policy of Containment; led to economic aid to support European Countries
- USSR demanded access to the Mediterranean Sea for influence in the Middle East - Turkey turned to the USA as a result
- highly signifcant; provided economic assistance - Truman asks for $400m ($250m in Greece, $150m in Turkey)
10
Q
- When was the Marshall Plan? Who launched it?
- What was its main aims? How successful was it?
- What terms were set by the US following the economic aid? (how much economic aid was provided in return for what)
A
- June 1947; George Marshall (Secretary of State)
- ensure stability, weaken Soviet influence, reinforce Truman’s policy of containment; highly successful, US developed military alliances
- Between 1947-52 = provided $13.5bn to 16 countries Terms:
- Spend aid on imported goods from the USA
- Recipient must share their economic with them
- Countries involved in the aid joined the Organisation of European Economic Cooperation
11
Q
- How did the Soviets respond the Marshall Plan? (policy, plan)
- What were the USA’s attitudes towards Germany and Berlin? (stability, weak - what plan?)
A
- Soviet Response:
- Sept 1947: Cominform was established - consolidate Soviet influence
- Molotov Plan - aimed to tie economies of Eastern Europe to the USSR = Jan. 1949: Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) was created - centralised agencies linking the Eastern bloc countries to Moscow
- Uncertainty:
- wanted to avoid dangerous instability - USSR’s large sum of reparations in Germany
- keep Germany weak - Morgenthau Plan recommended to complete de-industrialisation of Germany
12
Q
- How many zones occupied Germany and Berlin and by whom? What ensured the equality of treatment to the Germans?
- How many and what were the political parties in the Soviet zone? Which parties merged to form what?
- How did Western zones view the Soviet zone?
- What did British zones control and why were they signficant? What was the population of British zones and why was that signifcant?
A
- 4 zones - USA, Britain, France, USSR; Allied Control Council
- 4 parties (Communist Party - KPD, German Social Democrats - SPD, Liberal Democrats Party - LPDP, Christians Democrats - CDU); KPD and SPD merged to form German Socialist Unity Party
- a plane of tyranny and repression
- Controlled the Ruhr and Hamburg - important industrial areas; 22.5m - Germans feared communist ruling
13
Q
- What political ideas were introduced in the American zones?
- When did Bizonia form? Between which zones? Why?
- What was the significant of this?
A
- free elections, economic independence + security
- Jan. 1947; Between American and British zones; Britain were struggling financially following WW2, they failed to supply 22.5m people in important areas like the Ruhr
- shows that the 4 power control failed; massive breaking down in relations with USSR - who wanted unified administration for all of Germany
14
Q
- When was the London Conference? What happened?
- When was the new currency introduced? What was it called? What did it ensure in the West? What became easier?
- How does Stalin and the USSR respond? Why?
- What does the USSR block?
A
- January 1948; agreement between USA, Britain and eventually France to form ‘Western Germany’
- 20th June 1948; deutsche mark; economic stability in the West; trade became easier
- the Berlin Blockade - 24th June 1948; felt threatened by Bizonia
- USSR block all roads and rails linking West Berlin with the Western zones
15
Q
- How does the Western zones respond to the Berlin Blockade?
- What was the outcome of the Berlin Blockade?
- How successful was it for the USSR and USA?
A
- sent aircrafts supplies Western Berliners with food and resources
- Blockade was lifted on 12th May 1949
- Successes:
- highly unsuccessful for Stalin - fails to stop the creation of Western Germany
- highly successful for USA - containment was successful = Europe was divided in 2 blocs
