Super Power Relations & Cold War Flashcards
The Grand Alliance (1941)
- A alliance formed between USA, USSR & GB to defeat Germany
- Leaders of Grand Alliance met 3x a year during war
Tehran, Yalta Potsdam
N: -Tehran (Nov 1943): Planned a strategy to end war, Britain & USA agreed to invade France
- Yalta (Feb 1943): Agreed that Germany & Berlin would be divided into four zones
- Potsdam (July/August 1943) : Germany would be demilitarised
Consequence: Germany divided into 4 zones
Berlin divided into zones of occupation
Importance: tension was increasing between the alliances
Roosevelt’s death led to Truman becoming president and he didn’t like the Soviet Union
The Long & Novikov Telegram (1946)
N: Truman & Stalin were worried about the breakdown of the Grand Alliance so they both wanted secret reports from their embassies
Consequence: following both Telegrams, both countries believed that there was a great possibility of war
Importance: This was the unofficial start of the Cold War
Satellite States (1945-1949)
N: between 1945 & 1949, Stalin created a Russian empire in Eastern Europe
Consequence: USA saw this takeover as a betrayal of the Yalta agreement (hold democratic elections)
Importance: Increased the tension of the Cold War
Truman Doctrine (March 1947)
N: Truman delivers a speech officially announcing aid that would be provided and spoke against USSR
Consequence: USA was the main country to oppose communism
USA prepared to send troops and economic aid to countries resisting communism
Importance: Worsening relations between the USA and USSR
The Marshall Plan (June 1947)
N: Provided economic aid to help rebuild Europe ($13 billion)
Hoped to stop communism by giving people a stake in the capitalist system
Consequence: Eastern European countries didn’t benefit from Marshall Plan
Western European countries supported the USA
Importance: Countries now tied to USA
USA are now a direct opposition to the Soviet Union
Cominform and Comecon (1947/1949)
N: cominform a political organisation ordered by Stalin in response to the Marshall plan
Comecon provided aid in line with communist principals
Consequence: increased tensions between USA and the Soviet Union
Lead to the creation of NATO in 1949
Berlin Blockade (June 1948-September 1949)
N: Berlin was in east Germany, controlled by the Soviets and they closed all links into West Berlin, which lead to the airlifts
Consequence: In April 1949, Nato was created
The Blockade made the Soviet Union appear aggressive and threatening
Importance: The division of Europe was finalised between Capitalism and Communism
It showed Stalin that USA were not willing to face humiliation
Nato (1949)
N: Members of NATO agreed that if any member is attacked, they will come as assistance
Consequence: lead to the Warsaw Pact
Resulted in ongoing American military presence
Importance: There weren’t 2 military alliances facing each other, they were 2 different sides of Europe
Hungarian Uprising (1956)
N: Nagy wanted to leave Warsaw Pact
Khrushchev disapproved, feared that other satellite states would want to leave
Consequence: Nagy was arrested then executed
Hungarians knew that US couldn’t help them
Importance: USA didn’t want to risk a nuclear war
Satellite states saw that the USA wouldn’t defend them
The Arms Race (1945-1953)
N: The US thought it could use Nuclear weapons to deter Soviet attack
US military figures decided that the best strategy was to use nuclear weapons
Importance: Increased Tension
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
The Cuban Revolution (1959)
N: New leader of Cuba, is a nationalist and didn’t want the country’s economy to be under US control
Consequence: In 1960, Castro made an agreement with the Soviet Union
A secret clause saying that Cuba would receive arms from the Soviet Union
Importance: America unable to control Cuba economically
Communism spread outside of Europe
The Bay of Pigs Incident (1961)
N: In Cuba, US planes were recognised and photographed, exposing USA to the world
USA failed to invade Cuba
Consequence: Ended USA’s relationship with Cuba
Total failure and embarrassment for Kennedy
Importance: Castro & Khrushchev agreed to station nuclear weapons on Cuba
The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
N: US spy planes photographed the cuban missile sites and the secret was out
Consequence: Limited Test Ban 1963 (both sides agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons)
Outer Space Treaty 1967 (Both promised to use outer space for peaceful purposes)
Importance: The crisis lead to better relations
The Prague Spring (1968)
N: Czechoslovakia economy and living standards declined under Soviet rule
Czechoslovakians stood in-front of tanks
Consequence: Increase of Cold War
Dubcek was arrested and Czechoslovakia returned to communist control
Importance: shows Brezhnev’s determination to maintain Russia’s control over Europe
