Paper 1 - The Cold War Flashcards
More on the iron curtain
States freed from the nazis were supposed to have elections but communist governments were set up which supported the USSR
Soviet expansion scared Churchill
What does the term “the iron curtain” refer to?
The imaginary line between the communism in the East and the democratic governments in the west
What countries did the soviets take over?
Albania Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia East Germany
Hungary Poland
Romania Yugoslavia
Who was Tito and what did he do?
Yugoslavian communist president not under control of the USSR
(Yugoslavia) was expelled from cominform and asked for aid from the USA as part of the Marshall plan but didn’t get much
Truman doctrine in brief
When Truman decided that the only way of stopping aggressive communist behaviour in Europe was by using American resources
How much did Marshall report was needed in Europe to pay reparations?
17 billion dollars
Why didn’t congress refuse to pay in the end?
Because a minister in Czechoslovakia (Jan Masaryk) who supported the west was executed and communists took over Czechoslovakia
How many countries did Marshall Aid help and especially who?
What was Marshall Aid for?
16, especially the west - France and Britain received the most.
It was to improve agriculture then build up industry.
What did the communists claim Marshall aid was?
Dollar imperialism - they thought the USA would use dollars to make Europe dependent on them then join them against the USSR.
Why did the Americans give Marshall aid?
To help European economy so they could trade to avoid another depression like in the ’30s and to hold back communism in poor areas
Berlin blockade and airlift events
USA and British planes flew in supplies - 600 Tonnes then 8000 tonnes
Stalin bribed west Berliners with extra rations, cut electricity to try get them to move to the east, only 2% did
Stalin couldn’t attack the planes –> war –> nuclear weapons
When was the blockade lifted?
12th may 1949
Importance of Berlin blockade and airlift
USA and west could stand up to the USSR, resist expansion
Victory, NATO
Pattern for Cold War - hostility and threats
Ended possibility of unification of Berlin and Germany. Divided into west and east of Germany, communists and republicans
importance of Korean War
Extended Cold War into Far East
China helped communists rebel in Vietnam angainst
French
Indicated Truman was prepared to stick to Truman doctrine and principle of containing communism
Didn’t want a hot war because soviets didn’t directly get involved, Truman didn’t support MacArthur in creating a war
Marketed emergence of communist China as a world power
USSR didn’t get directly involved but supplied weapons
Korea was still divided in north and south permanently
UN resisted an act of aggression
