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The Cold War Flashcards

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1
Q

The Grand Alliance

A
  • Alliance between USSR, USA, and UK against Hitler
  • USSR was attacked, USA was bombed and declared war by Hitler
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2
Q

USSR Idealogy

A
  • Signle - party rule
  • Classless society structure, everyone equal
  • All property owned by the state
  • Rights of all workers more important than individual rights
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3
Q

US Idealogy

A
  • Free elections with a choice of parties to vote for
  • Some people have more power than other (family backround, wealth, education, or personal acheivements)
  • Private ownership ana a competition between businesses
  • Individual freedoms valued but limited by majority opinion
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4
Q

The Tehran Conference (28 Nov - 1 Dec 1943)

A
  • USSR was allowed to have a sphere of influence in Earstern Europe where Communism was respected
  • Britain and the USA were allowed a sphere of influence in Western Europe in which capitalism would dominate
  • They couild not agree on a policy towards Germany - Stalin wanted to impose strict rearations (compensation) but American and Britain were reluctant
  • Opened a second front against Germany
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5
Q

The Yalta Conference (Feb 1945)

A
  • The Big Three agreed to join the UN
  • The BIg Three pledged to punish those responsible for the holocaust
  • Once Germany surrendered, Russia agreed to enter war against Japan
  • It was deicded that Germany would be divided into 4 zones (US, French, Britain, and Russian)
  • Russia was allowed to have a sphere of influence over Eastern Europe due to the suffereing they experienced during the war
  • Countries which had been liberated from the Nazis were free to hold elections and choose a government
  • Stalin wanted to move the border of Russia into Poland but Churchill was not happy. Stalin’s army was already in control of Poland so Churchill persuaded Roosevelt to agree to Stalin’s demands as long as the USSR agreed not to tinterfere in Greece
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6
Q

Problems leading to the Potsdam Conference

A

Stalin’s armies were occupying most of Eastern Europe:
- Liberated countries may not have free will to hold elections
- How is Stalin going to get out of Eastern Europe
US had a new president:
- Truman may disagrtee with the greements
US had developed the atomic bomb:
- Causing problems in the future because of power imbalance

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7
Q

The Potsdam Conference (July-August 1945)

A
  • Although the Big Three agreed to split Germany, Russia wanted to cripple Germany completely to protect the USSR. Truman did not want this and did not want to repeat the Treaty of Versailles
  • 20 million Russians had died in the war. Stalin demanded 10 billion compensation from Germany. Truman was determined not the repeat past mistakes and resisted this demand.
  • Stalin had won the agreement from the allies that he could set up pro-Soviet governments in Yalta. Truman saw it as evidence that Stalin wanted to builkd up a Soviet empire in Europe. He adopted a get tough attitude.
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8
Q

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

A
  • On 6 August 1945, atomic bomb was dropped on Japan
  • This was to end the war with Japan without Russia’s help
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9
Q

Rising tensions

A

Iron Curtain:
- Churchill believes that Stalin is trying to take complete control over EUrope
- Stalin justifies expansion saying Germans used Poland and Romania to invade Russia and that he is defending himself
- Creates tension

George Kennan:
- US ambassador in Moscow
- Reported that Stalin wanted to see the destruction of capitalism

Nikolai Novikov:
- Soviet diplomat in Washington
- US wanted to use its military power to dominate the world

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10
Q

Soviet expansion

A
  • Stalin formed communist coalitons and then took over by coercion
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11
Q

America’s reaction to Soviet expansion

Truman Doctrine 1947

A
  • American intervention in Greece and Turkey marked a new era in the US’s attitude to world politics
  • Under the Truman Doctrine, the US was prepared to sen money, equipment and adive to any country which was in the American view threatened by a Communist takeover
  • Truman accepted that Eastern Europe was now Communist. His aim was to stop communist from spreading any further. This policy became known as ‘containment’
  • Others tought containment should mean something stronger. They said it must be made clear to the Ussr that expansion beyond given limit would be met with military force
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12
Q

America’s reaction to Soviet expansion

Marshall plan

A
  • Truman believed that Communism succeeded when people faced poverty and hardship. Truman sent General Marshall to assess the economic state of Europe and found a ruined economy.
  • Marshall suggested that about 17 billion of aid would be neede to rebuild Europe’s prosperity
  • In Dec 1847, Truman put his plan to congress. Congress refused to grant this money
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13
Q

Impact of Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan

A
  • Any remaining belief that there was still an alliance was gone. US set itself up in direct opposition to USSR
  • Stalin’s suspicions of the West were strengthened. Had proof US was trying to destroy the USSR
  • Marshall Plan successfullly tied Western European countries into supporting the US
  • History of EUrope for the next 50 years became one of extreme rivalry
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14
Q

Dollar Imperialism

A
  • Believed Truman Doctrine showed that the US was trying to extend its influence in EUrope
  • Argued that Marhall Plan was a way of using economic might to divide EUrope and establish an American economic empire
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15
Q

USSR reaction to US foreign policy

Cominform 1947

A
  • Communist Information Bureau
  • To organise and coordinate the various Communist governments in Europe
  • Ran meetings and sent out instructions to governments about what they wanted them to do

Effects:
- Stalin could keep an eye on the countries
- It meant he had better control over them and strengthend his hold in Eastern Europe

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16
Q

USSR reaction to US foreign policy

Comecon 1949

A
  • Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
  • Coordinate industries and trade of Eastern European countries

Effects:
- Members of Eastern European countries traded mostly with one another
- Provided USSR with a market to sell its goods
- Guaranteed USSR with a cheap supply of raw materials
- Poland forced to sell its goods for 1/10 of the price t could have sold to other countries

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17
Q

Berlin blockade

Trizonia

A
  • Three western zones of Germany and Berlin joined joined together
  • People could move freely around Berlin
  • The sectors worked together
  • Western powers wanted Germany’s new constitution to be based upon democracy and free elctions
  • West wanted Germany’s economy to recover to contain communism
  • To Stalin, this was a further example of the West ‘ganing up’
  • Saw the formation as a means of devloping the three zones more effectively and deliberately forcing the Soviet zone into poverty
  • Stalin believed Germany should be one united country and it should follow Communist idealogy
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18
Q

Berlin blockade 1948 - 49

Causes of the blockade

A
  • Grand alliance couldn’t agree about the future of Germany
  • Stalin wanted a weak Germany
  • West wanted to speed up the ecnomic recovery of Germany (would stop communism)
  • West wanted to remain in Berlin to keep an eye on activiteies within the Iron Curtain
  • Trizonia
  • The west announced plans to create a West German State and establish democracy
  • Stalin did not want US troops in Germany
  • Allied zones of Germany recieved aid under Marshall Plan

Why?:
- To prove a non united Germany won’t work
- If successful = propaganda win USSR reaction to US foreign policy
- Knew Truman would react

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19
Q

Berlin blockade 1948 - 49

What happened?

A
  • Stalin set up a millitary blockade around Berlin in June 1948 to stop the creation of a separate state in Western Germany
  • Hoped to cut off western Germany from its capital so it could not function. Would prove a divided Germany could not work
  • All supply lines were cut which impacted 2 million West Berliners, becoming dependednt oin the USSr
  • If US tried to ram the road and railway blocks Stalin would have seen it as an act of war
  • Truman was determined to stand up to the Soviet Union and show he was serious about containment
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20
Q

Berlin blockade 1948 - 49

Berlin airlft

A
  • Allied forces airlifted food and fuel into Berlin
  • 1398 flights in 24 hours
  • In total, 275,000 flights
  • Truman ordered bombers capable of carrying the atomic bomb to be sent to Britain
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21
Q

Berlin blockade 1948 - 49

Consequences of the blockade

A
  • NATO formed
  • USSR developed nuclear bombs
  • Formation of West Germany
  • Creation of East Germany
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22
Q

Impact of the Korean war on the Cold War

A
  • Stalin is most worried as China, SK, and NK is surronding Russia
  • Leads to arms race
  • More proxy wars
  • Worsen relationship
  • Formed Warsaw pact
  • Expansion of NATO
  • Defense budget tripled
  • SEATO formed to stop communism
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23
Q

Impact of the arms race

A
  • Led to change in thinking about war
  • New weapons were developed to ensure that the other side would not go to war
  • Acted as a deterrent to war
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24
Q

Warsaw Pact 1955

A
  • Stalin’s fears increased after West Germany was allowed to join NATO (danger of an armed and powerful Germany)
  • Formed its own communist defensive military allaince
  • USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and East Germany
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25
Q

Hungarian Uprising 1956

Hungarian Uprising

A
  • Rakosi (stalinist) is removed after protests
  • Protests demanded Imre Nagy becomes leader
  • Soviet troops leave and Khrushchev allows Nagy to be leader
  • Nagy tries to leave the Warsaw Ppact
  • Soviet troops return with military
  • 20,000 Hungarians are killed and Nagy is replaced with Kadar
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26
Q

Hungarian Uprising 1956

Hungarian Uprising consequences

A
  • Hungarian uprising is crushed and is made into a serious Communist country again under Kadar
  • Other Eastern European countries became fearful of leaving the Warsaw Pact
  • Ended the thaw showing Eisenhower and the US that Khrushchev was not to be trusted
27
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

West Germany

A
  • Capitalist
  • Marshall aid
  • Becoming wealthy
  • High standard of living
  • Democratic elections
  • Freedom of movement and tought
28
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

East Germany

A
  • Communist
  • No marshall aid
  • Unsuccessful economic policies
  • Low standard of living
  • Secret police
  • Freedoms limited
  • Riots in 1953 crushed by force
  • By 1958, 3 million East Germans had moved into West Berlin
29
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

Problems of the crisis for Krushchev

A
  • Brain drain
  • Propaganda disaster
  • Less tax
  • Decrease in output
  • Worsen economy
  • Weakens his position as leader of communism around the world
30
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

Krushchev’s ultimatum

A
  • Demands that the west acknowledge the existance of East Germany
  • Berlin should be demilitarised and all soldiers leave
  • Berlin should become a ‘free city’
  • He gave the West 6 months to agree

Why was it a clever move?:
- If accetped it would force Western countries to accept East Germany
- One way or another it would allow him to stop the flood of refugees

Why was it stupid?:
- West saw this as a nother attempt to extend communism
- Both sides had nukes and could lead to war

31
Q

Peaceful co-existance

Peaceful co-existance

A
  • Krushchev publically criticised Stalin’s policies and suggested peaceful co-existence
  • Based on a growin belief in the USSR that its communist philosophy was so superior to that in the West that capitalism would collapse (there was little point having open confrontation)
  • Borders between the West and USR were now clearly defined
  • War in 1950 both taking different sides but came to an end
  • Both were spending a lot on arms, they knew reducing spending would be good for their economies
32
Q

Peaceful co-existance

Geneva Summit May 1959

A
  • Discussion about the end of the cold war, disarmament, unificationof Germany, and increased economic ties
  • Krushchev wanted the dissolution of NATO and Warsaw pact
  • Didnt reach a solution but overall relations improve
33
Q

Peaceful co-existance

Camp David Summit September 1959

A
  • Seeking new agreement on Berlin
  • Relations improved
34
Q

Peaceful co-existance

Paris Summit May 1960

A
  • Meeting between USSR, USA, UK, and France
  • Soviets wanted Berlin to be designated as a ‘free city’ with minimal military presece from other countries
  • Western powers did not want West Berlin to be under Soviet influence
  • Summit failed due to U2 incident
  • Krushchev demanded a public apology from US and assurance that the US wouldn’t violate USSR airspace
  • Eisenhower rejected
  • Krushchev storms out
35
Q

Peaceful co-existance

U2 incident

A
  • Spy plane shot down over the USSR
  • Pilot Gary Powers admits to spying
36
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

Vienna Summit June 1961

A

Krushchev:
- Thought he could get an advantage of a new president
- Renewed the Berlin ultimatum
- Became angry with kennedy’s refusal to make concessions

JFK:
- New president
- Inexperienced
- Believed in democracy
- Had been embarassed by Bay of pigs in April
- Post summit increased military spending by 2 billion

37
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

The Berlin Wall

A
  • August 1963 - 40,000 East Germans cross to the West on one day
  • An increasingly worried Walter Ulbricht is instructed by Krushchev to close the border
  • 12 August 1961 - a barbed wire fence goes the whole way around West Berlin
  • Developed into a 165km concrete wall
38
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

Impact of the Berlin Wall

A
  • A divided city
  • A divided population
  • ‘Death strip’ between the two halves of the city
  • 43km wall through Berlin
  • At least 130 killed as they tried to escape

Impact on relations:
- Initial outrage in both Germanys
- Ultimately the wall settled German relations
- With no refugee problem both sides could improve relations

39
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

Positives of the Berlin Wall

A

USSR:
- The wall stopped refugees leaving
- The wall sent the West a message that communism would survive in Berlin and that any attempt to reunite Germany under Western control would fail

USA:
- The wall showed that Krushchev had been forced to accept WEstern control in West Berlin and that he did no think he could get away with bullying Kennedy
- Wall became a symbol of freedom and defiance against Communism

40
Q

Berlin Crisis 1958-1963

Negatives of the Berlin Wall

A

USSR:
- Krushchev had to abandon plans to unite Germany under Soviet control
- Wall showed that the Soviet Union had to ‘lock’ people into East Germany to stop them leaving
- Given a choice, they seemed to prefer capitalism over communism

USA:
- THe USSR had closed the borther withouth consulting the USA
- THose people who wanted to escape from communism were no longer able to

41
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Cuba

A
  • Group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro overthrew the pro-American government in Cuba
  • Castro did not want his country’s economy to be under US control
  • US government reluctantly recognised the new government bu refused to provide economic aid unless Cuba followed guidelines set out by the IMF
  • Cuban government took over all land in Cuba owned by foreigners
  • Castro begun appointing communists to his government and made an agree ment with the USSR
42
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Bay of Pigs

A
  • Kennedy did not want an ally of communism close
  • CIA suggested that a group of Cuban exiled could be trained to launch an invasion to overthrow Castro (would look like a Cuban counter - revolution)
  • On April 1961, an invasion force landed at the Bay of Pigs and failed
43
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Failure of Bay of Pigs

A
  • Voulunteers had little experience
  • US couldn’t sent ground forces or air strikes to support the attack
  • Castro’s government foound out about the plans
  • US and the exile army wrongly thought that most Cubans would support them but many Cubans felt happy with Castro
  • Became a public humiliation for US
44
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Effect of the Bay of Pigs

A
  • Now looked like the US were acting the same way as USSR to restore American influence
  • USSR was quick to point out the people of Cuba were happy under the communist leadership
  • Led to stronger relations between Cuba and the USSR
  • ## Castro asked Khrushchev to help him defend Cuba against any future attack from the US
45
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Cuban missile crisis

A
  • US spy planes took pictures of silos in Cuba
  • NATO had missiles in Turkey, Krushchev believed it was time for the US to feel what i was like
  • Building of the Berlin Wall was presented by many Soviet critics as a failure for Krushchev (restore reputation)
  • Khrushchev may also have wanted to put missiles in Cuba because he feared another US attack
46
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

The Thirteen Days

A
  • Kennedy called together an Executive Committee
  • Set up naval blockade around Cuba
  • Prepared bombers with nuclear warheads in case of war
  • Khruschev ordered Soviet ships to turn around
47
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Khrushchev’s letter

A
  • Khrushchev sent Kennedy a telegram offering to remove missiles from Cuba if the US agreed not to invade
  • Second telegram arrived saying Khrushchev would remove the missiles only if the missiles in Turket were also removed
  • Kennedy decided to ignore the second telegram and agreed to the first one
48
Q

Cuban missile crisis 1959 - 63

Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis

A
  • Made clear what could happen if the USSr and the US continued to follow a policy of brinkmanship
  • Direct communications line set up
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons
  • Led the world becoming a safer place
  • Kennedy showed himself to be a strong leader
  • Khrushchev claimed he had been the winner
  • Led to his dismissal
49
Q

Czechoslovakia 1968 -69

Opposition to Soviet control

A
  • Life under communist rule was difficult for Czech people
  • The Czech economy was run for the benfit of the USSR
  • No freedom of speech, consumer goods, and radio
  • Censored television and newspapers
  • Stalin ordered the Czech government to carry out purges
  • Protests against the low standard of living and lack of freedom grew with student demonstrations in 1966
50
Q

Czechoslovakia 1968 -69

Prague Spring

A
  • Alexander Dubcek was elected as first secretary of the Czech Communist Party
  • Dubcek was committed to the Warsaw Pact and a devoted communist
  • Believed in communism but it should not make life miserable
  • Thought citizens should be able to express their views and speak out against Communist decisions they did not like
  • Reforms under Dubcek introduced from April known as the ‘Prague Spring’
  • Censorship was relaxed and criticism of government actions was allowed
  • Trade unions were given wider powers and government control of industry was reduced
  • More power was given to the Czech regional governments
  • Trade with the WEst was increased
  • Czech people were given greater freedom to travel
  • Idea of having multi-party elections was discussed
51
Q

Czechoslovakia 1968 -69

Soviet reaction

A
  • Brezhnev ordered Warsaw Pact troops to carry out manoeuvres in Czech to threaten Dubcek
  • When Dubcek invited Ceausescu of Romania (refused to attend Warsaw pact meetings) and TIto of Yugoslavia (refused Moscow control) to prague for talks, Brezhnev decided to act.
  • Dubcek was arrested, sent to Moscow and ordered to reverse his reforms
  • Brezhnev sent him bnack but in 1969 he was removed from office and replaced by Gustav Husak (extreme communist)
  • Wave of oppression in which over 1000 Czechs were arrested
52
Q

Czechoslovakia 1968 -69

Brezhnev doctrine

A
  • Brezhnev said that the actions of any individual communiust country affected all communist countries
  • It was the duty of those countries to take steps to stop those actions
  • All communist countries would be prvented from intorducing reforms to make them more liberal
53
Q

Czechoslovakia 1968 -69

Impact of the Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion

A

Czechoslovakia:
- Authorities soon put things back to normal

Other communist countries in Europe:
- Yugoslavia and Romania condemned the Soviet invasion
- Governments of East Germany and Poland welcomed Brezhnev’s actions.
- They could feel more secure that they would not be challenged by reformers in their own countries
- Deafeat of the PRague SPring led to greater Soviet control of the members in the Warsaw Pact

USA:
- Usa and other Western governments were angered by the invasion
- Was an attempt to pass formal resolution criticising the invation in the UN
- USSR saw that the US might make protests, it would not take direct action to opposte the USSR in Europe

USA’s international reputation:
- Us was involved in a costly war in North Vietnam
- Beginning to adopt a more confrontational approach towards the USSR

54
Q

Thaw and moves towards detente 1963-72

The thaw

A

Short term:
- Hotline
- Limited test ban treaty 1963 - No nuclear weapon testing that would contaminate the environment outside their countries

Long term:
- Outer space treaty 1967 - No nuclear weapons in space - no one can own the moon
- Nuclear non proliferation Treaty 1968 - divided countries into nuclear weapon states and non nuclear weapon states - NWS work to disarmament - NNWS not develop weapons

55
Q
A
56
Q

Thaw and moves towards detente 1963-72

Detente

A

Why US wanted:
- 1968 Nixon elected
- Wants to take US out of Vietnam
- Hugely unpopular
- Shorrtage of money to spend in the US
- Social inequality
- Concerned with frowing power of China

Why Nixon wants:
- Personal ambition to reduce tension and establish rel;ations with Mao
- Thought this would gain public approval

Why USSR wanted:
- Felt they were equal in nuclear strength
- Vietnam had shown US weakness which might lead to agreement on SOviet control of Eastern Europe
- Facing economic problems - 30% of GDP on defense
- Falling behind in new techonolgies
- Better relations might equal sharing of technology

57
Q

g

China and the USSR

A
  • 1949 Sino - Soviet Treaty of Friendship, ALliance and Mutual Assistance signed - USSR provided 300m in air - would provide milkitary assitance in the event of invasion
  • Mao was offended by the treatment of Chineses delegates
  • Khrushchev replaced Stalin in 1956 - Gave speech about dangers of culty of personality
  • Visited China in 1958 an did not get on with Mao
  • Mao accused him of cowardice during CMC
  • Mao complained about USSR invasion of Czech
  • In 1959 there were border skirmishes and a genuine belief all out war might happen
58
Q

China and the USA

A
  • Fought against each other in the Korean War
  • In 1954 and 1958 the USA made it clear it would go to war to defend Taiwan
  • Mao criticised the US and their allies of being capitalist running dogs
59
Q

Ping ponng diplomacy

A
  • World Table Tennis Championships in Japan
  • Friendly contact etweens ome players
  • US invited to play matches in China
  • After the matches Henry Kissinger (US secretary of state) and Zhou en lai (Chinese prime minister) met
60
Q

Detente with China

A
  • 1971 agreement on China in the UN
  • Nixon visits Mao in Beijing
  • Shanghai communique to find a peacefgul solution to Taiwan. Agreement over one china
61
Q

Ostpolitik

A
  • Willy Brandy becomes chancellor of West Germany in 1969
  • Established links between East and West Europe aka Ostpolitik
  • Other EUropean nations followed suit boosting detente
62
Q

SALT 1 May 1972

A
  • Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
  • Seveeral years of negotiations
  • Treaty set out agreement in 3 areas: ABMs. ICBMS, SLBMs - Did not include MIRVs

Weaknesses:
- If nuclear war looked likely, would countries back down because of a treaty
- Did not cover certain developments like MIRVs

Strengths:
- Symbolic immportance
- Shortly after Nixon visited Brezhnev in Moscow
- Brezhnev visited Washington
- Negotiation for SALT 2

63
Q
A

History (4 decks)

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