Section 4 Flashcards
When was Yalta?
February 1945
When was Teheran?
November 1943
When was Potsdam?
July 1945
What was Communism?
An ideology where everybody is equal, state ownership and no elections.
What is Capitalism?
An ideology which supports democracy and freedom of speech.
What was the Arms Race?
The USA and USSR competing to have the most nuclear weapons.
What was the Cold War?
A state of hostility that existed between Soviet countries and Western powers from 1945 to 1990.
President Truman
Replaced Roosevelt as president.
Iron Curtain
A speech by Churchill saying that an iron curtain had fallen over Europe.
Long Telegram
A secret report from the US ambassador in Moscow saying that USSR saw the USA as a threat and was building its military power.
Novikov Telegram
Report from Soviet ambassador saying that USA wanted world domination and was preparing for war and that only the USSR could stand up to them.
Kenan
US ambassador in Moscow.
What were the differences between superpowers at the conferences?
Poland - Stalin wanted it in his sphere of influence. USA and Britain wanted free elections there.
Germany - USA and Britain wanted to avoid mistakes of TOV. Stalin didn’t.
When did the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe begin?
1945
What were the countries that had been taken over by USSR called?
Satellite States
What were the Satellite States?
Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.
When did Stalin extend his control over Eastern Europe?
1946-47
Key features of Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe
Stalin fixed elections so that communists would win
He banned all other parties
Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech
Britain and USA had not expected such complete Soviet domination
Truman saw it as an attempt to spread communism throughout Europe
What was Cominform?
Communist Information Bureau
Set up by Stalin in 1947
Got rid of opposition to USSR in satellite states
Encouraged communists in Western countries to block Marshall Plan assistance
What was Comecon?
Council for Mutual Economic Assisstance
Set up by Stalin in 1949
Soviet alternative to Marshall Plan
Prevented Comecon countries from signing up to Marshall Plan
USSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, German Democratic Republic
When was the Truman Doctrine?
1947
Key features of the Truman Doctrine
USA believed communism was bad because people weren’t free
Countries had choice between capitalism and communism
USA were worried that communism would takeover
Wanted to prevent further expansion of USSR
Containment - USA used economic and military strength to contain communism in just Eastern Europe and protect rest of the world
What were the effects of the Truman Doctrine?
Increased rivalry between USA and USSR
USA became more involved with European affairs
When was the Marshall Plan?
1947
Key features of the Marshall Plan
Truman believed communism gained most support in countries with economic problems
USA would help those countries to recover economically
Aid offered to war-torn European countries to help re-equip factories and revive agriculture and trade
Equipment, money and goods offered
Cash, machinery, food and technological assistance
Countries had to agree to buy US goods and invest capital in their industries
What did Stalin think of the Marshall Plan?
It was a bribe.
It was used for USA’s own selfish interests - to dominate Europe and boost US economy.
When was the Berlin blockade?
24th June 1948
What was the Berlin blockade?
When Stalin blocked all transport routes to Berlin e.g. railway lines, major roads
Supplies were not allowed to be moved into West Berlin
Stalin was trying to win Berlin back without starting war because they didn’t have enough nuclear weapons
When did the Berlin airlift start?
28th June 1948
Key features of the Berlin airlift
One plane landed every 90 seconds USA's response to blockade Food, clothes and oil Candy bomber, Gail Halvorsen fit sweets to parachutes to give to children 8,000 tonnes a day 275,000 flights, 1,583,686 tonnes
When and why did the Berlin blockade end?
12th May 1949
Because Stalin had failed to force allies out of Berlin
Effects of Berlin Blockade
Confirmed divisions of Germany and Berlin
What was West Germany renamed and when?
Federal Republic of Germany (FDR)
September 1949
What was East Germany renamed and when?
German Democratic Republic (GDR)
October 1949
What was Bizonia?
The combination of US and British zones of Germany.
What was Trizonia?
The combination of US, British and French zones.
What did Stalin think of Bizonia/Trizonia?
It went against agreements made at grand alliance conferences.
When was NATO formed?
April 1949
What was NATO?
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Western European nations wanted to keep USA in and USSR out.
If any NATO country came under attack, all members would come to their defence.
Had specific aim of defending West against communism.
What happened in the Arms Race in 1945?
USA were the first country to develop atom bomb.
What happened in Arms Race 1947?
USSR developed and tested atom bomb.
What happened in Arms Race 1952?
Hydrogen bomb developed by USA
What happened in Arms Race 1953?
Hydrogen bomb developed by USSR.
What did the Arms Race do?
Prevent war in Europe.
What happened in Arms Race 1957
Soviets put a rocket in space for the first time - this technology could be used to fire missiles.
How much had both countries spent on weapons in 1949?
USA - $13.5 billion
USSR - $13.4 billion
How much had both countries spent on weapons in 1953?
USA - $49.6 billion
USSR - $25.5 billion
When was the War in Korea?
1950-55
Key features of War in Korea
North Korea ruled by communist forces
South Korea had US-supported democratic government
1950 - North Korea invaded South
What did Truman think about War in Korea?
Domino theory - if one nation succumbed to communism in Asia, others would follow.
The Korean War proved this theory.
When did Stalin die?
1953
What happened when Stalin died?
At first, no real change to Soviet policy as no one replaced Stalin immediately
1955 - Khrushchev takes over. Denounces Stalin’s policies (de-Stalinisation)
This improved relations
When was the Warsaw Pact?
1955
What was the Warsaw Pact?
Military alliance of Eastern European countries.
Soviet version of NATO, which was seen as an ‘aggressive alliance’ against Soviet Union.
Worsened relations.
Key features/facts of Hungarian Uprising
20,000 Hungarians killed. 200,000 escaped to Austria.
November 1956 - 200,000 Soviet troops sent to Hungary.
Soviet flags destroyed.
Went on general strike.
AVH headquarters attacked.
Reasons for Hungarian Uprising
1949 - Cominform imposed oppressive regime on Hungary.
1949-56 - Rakosi dictator of Hungary.
Stalin’s death.
Nagy’s reforms.
Key features of Rakosi’s oppressive regime
Hungarian coal, oil and wheat shipped to Russia while Hungary deprived of food.
Russian officials controlled government, police and army.
Industrial goods expected to be produced quickly and were therefore of poor quality.
He imprisoned 387,000 and was responsible for more than 2,000 deaths.
Hungary run for Soviet benefit.
Had secret police - AVH.
Nagy’s reforms
After uprising and Stalin's death, Khrushchev put Nagy in charge.
Reforms - free market
- free press
- more open country
Nagy also wanted to leave Warsaw Pact.Why didn’t Khrushchev want Hungary to leave Warsaw Pact?
He though that other countries would follow.
When was Nagy executed?
1958
Who was Janos Kadar?
He replaced Nagy and helped re-establish communist control in Hungary.
America in Hungarian uprising
Didn’t offer any military help so radicals in Eastern Europe were demoralised.
