People to remember Flashcards
1
Q
Stalin
A
- Name means steel
- Leader of Bolshevik party
- Leader from 1929 to 1953
- Fierce leader through expanding sphere of influence into Eastern Europe in Poland, Romanian, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia
2
Q
Franklin Roosevelt
A
- US president from 1933-45
- Ended US isolationism after joining WW2
- Committed democrat prepared to support the USSR in the Grand Alliance and optimistic about international cooperation
3
Q
Winston Churchill
A
- Prime minister from 1940-45
- Became deeply suspicious of post-war intentions
- Western capitalist powers are faced by the threat of the USSR
4
Q
Vyacheslav Molotov
A
- Loyal supporter of Stalin
- Served as foreign minister from 1939-49 and 1953-57
- Leading Soviet representative at Yalta and Potsdam and regarded as the reason for east west collapse
5
Q
Anthony Eden
A
- British foreign secretary from 1940-45.
- Had been central to allied planning and diplomatic negotiations throughout the war and supported Churchill at Yalta
6
Q
Harry Truman
A
- Little knowledge of international affairs
- Rejected Roosevelt cooperative attitude towards the USSR and convinced that the USSR and communism was a threat to USA vital interests
7
Q
Clement Atlee
A
- Shared Churchill’s mistrust of Stalin
- Convinced of importance of allied support of the USA in order to protect Eastern Europe from Communism
8
Q
Wladyslaw Gomulka
A
- A communist who believed in the notion of the different national versions of socialism.
- After 1945 worked to crush any opposition to communism
- 1947 supported rigged elections which eliminated opposition
- Became a victim of factional rivalry within the Polish Communist movement
- He supported ‘go home’ which stood against pro-Moscow faction
- 1951 expelled from the Polish Communist Party as Stalinisation gripped Poland
- 1956 seen as a national hero who could deliver change
9
Q
Edvard Benes
A
- Led the Czechoslovak government in exile in London during the war
- Not a communist but willing to work with Stalin having decided more to gain from cooperation rather than alliance with Poland
- Returned to Czech as president in 1946
- Tried and failed to resist communist dominated government
10
Q
Nikola Petkov
Bulgaria
A
- One of the strongest voices against Communism in Bulgaria
- He criticised political repression and the elimination of political freedoms
- Was the strongest political opponent Agrarian Party
- He won over 20% of the popular vote he was faced with trumped-up charges and was executed
11
Q
Laszlo Rajk
Hungary
A
- He was a key player in setting up Hungary’s secret police to suppress political opponents
- Many Hungarian communists did not display degree of loyalty that Stalin had wanted
- In 1949 Rajk was executed for anti-communist activities and was accused of being a Titoist and a Western spy
12
Q
Josip Broz Tito
A
- The communist leader of Yugoslavia and one of the founding members of Cominform but also first to reject soviet dominance
- His stance was neither East or West
- This enabled Yugoslavia to flourish and it contributed to holding together national unity
13
Q
George Kennan
A
- Produced the Long Telegram and an overview is that it was indicating USSR aggresion to the West and the best way to deal with communism is to Contain it
- He was the one who persuaded Truman to commit the USA to containment of communism.
14
Q
Andrei Zhdanov
A
- A hard line Stalinist who bought his extremism into his responsibility for soviet culture
- Responsible for developing Cominform
- His restraint in bringing Yugoslavia in line led to the disgrace and dismissal from office in 1948.
15
Q
Dean Acheson
A
- One of the architects for the Marshall Plan and US secretary of state from 1949-53
- Key role in formation of American policies towards Europe
- Committed to idea of containment and regarded Asia as a key element in this aim
16
Q
Andrey Vyshinsky
A
- Attended both Yalta and Potsdam and went on to manage consolidation of communist power in Romanian.
- British diplomat described him as ‘a cringing toadie only too anxious to obey his Master’s voice even before he has expressed his own wishes’
- He was a hardline sycophantic
17
Q
Lucius Clay
A
- Military governor for the US zone from 1947 and commander in chief of US forces in Europe
- Very influential in shifting Us policy towards Germany
- Favoured reconstruction of Germany rather than the dismemberment
- This influence George Marshall and contributed significantly towards division of Germany 1949
18
Q
Konrad Adenauer
A
- First chancellor of West Germany.
- As a committed anti communist he firmly supported a Western orientated foreign policy aimed at strengthening West Germany
19
Q
General Douglas MacArthur
A
- Supreme Commander of US forces from 1942.
- Accepted Japan’s surrender in September 1945 and moved onto become the Governor of Japan during period of occupation
- He managed political, economic and military reforms
20
Q
Hirohito (Emperor Showa)
A
- Titular head of Japan during phase of aggressive nationalism and imperial expansion in the Far East and Pacific during 1930s and second world war
- Allowed to continue as Emperor and became a symbol of reconciliation and political and economic recovery after 1945
21
Q
Joseph Morrell Dodge
A
- An economic adviser for Us policy in both Germany and Japan after the war.
Specialised in drafting plans for economic stabilisation and he succeeded in bringing Japan post war inflation under control - Developed economic strategies that fulfilled the USA’s wider aims and objectives
22
Q
Mao Zedong
A
- Founding member of the Chinese Communist party and after victory against anti-communists, he established People’s Republic of China
- He was a Marxist-Leninist and a hard line communist with an uncompromising attitude towards the West
23
Q
Shigeru Yoshida
A
- Keen supporter of Japanese imperialism during the 1930s but was ‘rehabilitated’ after the second world war.
- Focused on Japan’s economic recovery and his acceptance of US protection for Japan became known as the Yoshida Doctrine
- Became highly significant on Japan’s later policies
24
Q
John Foster Dulles
A
- Viewed the USSR as both strategically and ideologically expansionist
- Developed a new strategy called ‘rollback’ aimed at taking the offensive against communism rather than containing it.
- Major contributor to Eisenhower’s New Look policy from 1953
25
Jiang Jeshi
- Was the Chinese nationalist, anti-communist leader
- After defeat in the Chinese civil war he was exiled to become leader of the Republic of China based on Taiwan
26
Kim II Sung
- Long history of Nationalist fighting
- Fought the Japanese and then fled to USSR where he had been groomed as possible leader of
- Although a communist he wasn't a puppet for the USSR or China
- He exploited the growing significance of Korea in the emerging Cold War environment
27
Syngman Rhee
- Long association with USA having lived there for 40 years
- Powerful propagandist for Korean nationalism within democratic context
- Elements of the US Government supported him
28
Zhou Enlai
- First premier of the PRC from 1949.
- Focused on consolidating the Communist's party power in China and reconstructing the economy
- After stalemate in Korea supported an idea of peaceful cooperation to preserve China as powerful communist state
29
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
- Both trialed for espionage in 1951 and executed in 1953
- Julius was a member of the communist party
- FBI files and declassified Soviet documents like Venona Project
30
Alger Hiss
- Accused of being a Soviet spy by Whitaker Chambers who was a former communist
31
Joseph McCarthy
- A Republican senate for Wisconsin and he ruthlessly exploited anti-communist anxieties on communism
- The Wheeling Speech where he claimed 205 communists were working for the US state department
- 1954 was discredited as he claimed the army were being soft on communism
32
Dwight Eisenhower
- Commander of the US forces during WW2.
- He managed USA's military until he headed NATO from 1950
- He wanted a more aggresive approach of US response to communism.
- More driven by economic efficiency
33
General Matthew Ridgway
- Commanded 8th US army in Korea
- Held a significant role during Eisenhower's administration
- He opposed Eisenhower's determination to reduce conventional military forces.
- Influence was fairly limited
34
Ho Chi MInh
- Central in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945.
- A staunch Communist and nationalist and he engineered the defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu
35
Ngo Dinh Diem
- Served as first president of newly formed South Vietnam from 1955.
- He was the USA's strongest asset in its quest to influence South Vietnam in order to contain communism
- Confidence proved misplaced 1963
36
Nikita Khrushchev
- Denounced Stalin's crimes in 1956 having previously been a Stalin hardliner
- He swung between cooperation and aggression and provocation
- Most notable for placing missiles in Cuba in 1962
- Ousted from power in 1964
37
Imre Nagy
- Leading figure in Post war Hungary
- Proposed a 'New Course' in socialism in Hungary challenged the oppressive control from Moscow
- Led to his dismissal as Chairman of Hungarian council of ministers
- Led the government briefly during 1956 uprising in an attempt to flee to Yugoslavia he was executed 1958
38
John F Kennedy
- President from Jan 1961 until his assassination in Nov 1963
- He was a committed anti-communist and willing to take a resolute stand against USSR
- Determined to retain containment as basis of US foreign policy
39
Yuri Gagarin
- First human to enter outer space travelling in the Vostok spacecraft
- He became a symbol of Soviet advances in space technology
40
General Curtis LeMay
- Involved in number of high profile US air force actions especially Berlin Airlift
- He was in command of Strategic Air Command from 1948-57
- Supportive of notion of preemptive strike against the USSR and emphasised need for permanent readiness in the nuclear age
41
General Maxwell Taylor
- A staunch ally of Kenedy and argued in favour of sending military forces into Vietnam
- Influencial in determining US Policies towards Vietnam during Kenedy presidency
42
Tri Quang
- Buddhist monk who led protests against Diem in 1963 when the Roman Catholic regime in power and was actively repressing Buddhists
- Given asylum in US embassy in Saigon
- Spent most of his life under house arrest
- His protest lead to the Buddhist monk Quang Doc setting himself on fire
43
Henry Lodge
- Elected into US senate in 1936 and served as US ambassador to UN for seven years from 1960
- He viewed Diem as a liability and was influential in bringing the coup to remove him
44
Robert McNamara
- Made significant contribution towards ending Eisenhower's mass retaliation strategy and moving the US to a more flexible response position, based on non nuclear warfare and expansion of more conventional forces.
45
Fidel Castro
- Nationalist revolutionary
- From successful revolution in 1959 he was prime minister of Cuba until 1976 and became president of Cuba
- Developed Cuba into a communist state he needed external support when US didn't support him
46
Ernesto 'Che' Guevara
- Committed to social revolution and communism
- Joined Castro and formed '26 July Movement' in Cuba
- 1965 resigned from Catro's government and became a guerrilla leader in Bolivia
- Executed in 1967
47
Fulgncio Batista
- Dictator in Cuba from 1952 until he was overthrown in 1959
- Ran country as an anti-communist stronghold and ruthlessly suppressed opposition to his corrupt regime.
- Received economic and military aid from USA
48
Anatas Mikoyan
- Close ally of Stalin
- Loved Castro revolution and in feb 1960 allowed 100 million dollars in credits to Castro
- He was powerful influence in forging relations between Cuba and USSR
49
Lyndon Johnson
- Kennedy's Vice President and assumed role of President after Kennedy's assassination
- Famed for escalating the conflict which led to US having to rethink Cold War strategy
50
General William Westmoreland
- Commander of US forces in Vietnam from 1964-68
- Failed to fully address tactics used by North Vietnamese and pinned his faith in USA's military superiority and a commitment to deploy increasing numbers of ground troops in order to overwhelm the enemy
51
Richard Nixon
- Skillful political leader who used both diplomacy and militarism to strengthen USA's global power base
- He promoted Detente and never abandoned his basic principle of managing the power and expansion of communism
52
Nguyen Van Thieu
- Leader of South Vietnam form 1967 to fall of Saigon in 1975
- Colonel of Vietnamese army helped overthrown Diem and part of military junta that initially replaced Diem
-Felt the abandonment from the USA
- After the defeat of South Vietnam went into exile
53
Henry Kissinger
- Pioneered detente and he particularly promoted USA's relationship with China
- Skilled diplomat and developed the idea of linking international problems in order to create a collective solution
- Referred to this as 'Linkage'
54
Leonid Brezhnev
- Political career flourished under Stalin and after Stalin's death supported Khrushchev over Malenkov
- Brezhnev led the group that forced Khrushchev from power and emerged as next leader from 1964-82
- His foreign policy was ambivalence: while he agreed SALT I and Nuclear Non proliferation Pact he was also responsible for Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
55
Alexander Dubcek
- Trusted by Brezhnev to manage limited reform and stabilise Czechoslovakia
- Failed to meet Brezhnev's demands and removed from office in April 1969
56
Gerald Ford
- Ford made Vice president in August 1974 and with Nixon's resignation he became next President
- Lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976 due to large part of his association with Nixon, Watergate scandal and Vietnam
57
Heng Samrin
- President of the National Assembly of Camboia
- Member of the Khmer Rogue but defected in 1978 and formed an alliance with North Vietnam and China and launched a rebellion to overthrow the Khmer Rogue.
-After NVA invaded in 1979 defeated Cambodian communists and installed Samrin as leader
- 1980s seen as too radical and more moderate leaders took control
58
Jimmy Carter
- Champion of human rights
- Participated in SALT II agreement he didn't seek senate approval for its ratification after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- Blamed for failing to negotiate US embassy officials who had been taken hostage in Tehran in November 1979
59
Willy Brandt
- Architect of Ostpolotik
- Mayor of West Berlin throughout the crisis years of 1957 to 1966
- Chancellor in 1969
60
Erich Honecker
- Commited Communist
- Led East Germany from 1971 until 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell
- 1961 one of the prime movers of its construction
- Determined to protect communist system in East Germany and regarded Ostpolotik primarily as the means to achieve the end
