Origins Of The Cold War

Question 1

When was the Yalta?

Answer 1

Feb 1945 (Conflict still happening)

Question 2

When was the Potsdam Conference?

Answer 2

August 1945 (Germany surrendered in May 1945)

Question 3

How did the USA control Communism?

Answer 3

The policy of containment - stopping Communism spreading further

Truman Doctorine
America would help any European country which opposed Communist takeover
$400 million given to Greek and Turkish government to help them fight Communism

Marshall Plan
Gave money to European countries to make them strong again
Weak countries were at risk of Communism

Question 4

What different ideologies did the USA and USSR have?

Answer 4

USA:
Private enterprise
Political freedom
Feared Communism

USSR:
State control of industry and agriculture
One-party state
Communism aimed at world revolution
Feared American influence

Question 5

When was the Tehran Conference?

Answer 5

1943 (Conflict still happening)

Question 6

Disagreements about Poland

Answer 6

1. GB went to war to protect Polish independence, it was at risk of being invaded by Germany. USSR thought that Poland should be under Soviet control to prevent future invasions.
2. Stalin was using Poland as a Satellite State run by a Communist puppet government so Poland was officially independent but, in reality, was being controlled by Stalin, and Truman didn’t like this.
3. Stalin didn’t hold free elections in Poland, which was decided at Yalta. He only gave the citizens one party to vote for so the citizens didn’t have political freedom.

Question 7

How did the USSR becoming influential in Eastern Europe increase tensions?

Answer 7

Red army occupied Eastern Europe - Stalin had no intention of holding free elections.
1947 Cominform - Designed to coordinate communist parties/groups in Europe
1949 Comecon set up - Worked to nationalise state industries and agriculture (Communist belief)
Stalin put in place puppet governments in Satellite States so free speech was suppressed and the countries were officially independent but in reality were under Stalin’s control.

Question 8

The Arms Race

Answer 8

August 1945 - USA dropped 2 A-bombs on Japan
1949 - USSR developed their own A-bomb
1952 - USA developed the H-bomb
1955 - USSR developed their own H-bomb

Question 9

Who was at Yalta?

Answer 9

Big three: Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin

Question 10

What was decided at Yalta?

Answer 10

3 major decisions:

1. Germany split into 4 zones
2. Free elections to be held in countries previously occupied in Eastern Europe
3. The UN replaced the failed League of Nations

Question 11

Who was at Tehran?

Answer 11

Big 3 = Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin

Question 12

What was decide at Tehran?

Answer 12

USSR had a communist sphere of influence in Eastern Europe
USA & GB had a capitalist sphere of influence
Moved Poland’s boarders to protect Stalin’s sphere of influence

Future of Germany:
GB & USA - Germany should be rebuilt
USSR - Germany should be punished

Question 13

Who was at Potsdam?

Answer 13

BIG 3 CHANGED:
GB - Clement Atlee - Disliked the USSR, thought that Stalin didn’t want free elections in Eastern Europe
USA - Harry Truman - Suspicious of the USSR, thought Stalin didn’t want elections in Eastern Europe
USSR - Stalin - Atlee and Truman were new to their jobs so he thought they’d be weak leaders and he could get away with anything

Question 14

What was decided at Potsdam?

Answer 14

Decisions:

1. New boundaries of Poland agreed
2. Allies decided to divide Germany and Berlin between them
3. Legal trials at Nuremburg of Nazi leaders for war crimes.

Question 15

How did the Berlin Blockade increase tensions?

Answer 15

1. Stalin didn’t think that Germany should be rebuilt so he didn’t agree with the allies forming West Germany which was helping Germany recover.
2. USA saw the Blockade as a threat to Western European freedom and Truman wanted to show Stalin that he was serious about the policy of containment.
3. General Clay wanted to invade Berlin, this idea was declined, and this could’ve caused a WWIII.

Question 16

How did the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan increase tension?

Answer 16

1. The Truman Doctrine involved using military force to contain Communism, USSR saw this as an attack on Communism.
2. Moltov said that the Marshall plan was “Dollar Imperialism” so it was only being used to help the USA create a Capitalist sphere of influence in Western Europe.
3. The Truman Doctrine gave $400 million to Greek and Turkish governments to resist Communism, this isn’t fair.