President Truman and the cold war part 1

Question 1

Why did the USA refuse to recognise the existence of the USSR until 1933?

Answer 1

They felt it was promoting world-wide Communist revolutions. They eventually recognised it when they needed trading partners in the Great Depression.

Question 2

What were 3 elements of the USA in 1945?

Answer 2

Multi-party state
Capitalist economy
USA safer if other countries are not Communist

Question 3

What were 3 elements of the USSR in 1945?

Answer 3

One-party state
Communism
USSR safer if other countries are communist.

Question 4

When was the ‘Grand Alliance’ formed? What was it?

Answer 4

1941-45
USA, USSR and UK in an alliance, after Pearl Harbor

Question 5

Who knew about the atomic bomb in the ‘Grand Alliance’?

Answer 5

USA was developing the atomic bomb
USA told UK, although a bit reluctantly
USA did not tell USSR. Stalin only knew because od his spies. He resented the American secrecy.

Question 6

What were the prospects for the USA in 1945?

Answer 6

Pretty good - they emerged with unparalleled military and economic power. The war had drained the resources of all potential rivals.

Question 7

What were the prospects for the USSR in 1945?

Answer 7

They were ok - they emerged victorious and satellite states were transforming into capitalist countries. But, they were a distant second to the US’ economic power. They were also scared of the USA’s possession of the atom bomb.

Question 8

What is the post-revisionist interpretation? over why the cold war began

Answer 8

Place equals blame to the USA and USSR. Say that it was inevitable because it was a clash between two competing systems. Also argue that mutual incomprehension and misunderstandings played an important role.