The Cold War Flashcards
When did the wartime alliance between the Soviets, UK, and US ended.
By the time Germany surrendered in the spring of 1945
The Cold war became a confrontation for what?
Global influence principally between the US and USSR
What was the Cold War in a Nutshell?
Tense political and economic rivalry between liberal democracy and capitalism on one hand and international communism and one party rule on the other.
The Cold War was responsible for what?
Military and Political alliances, the creation of client states, and an arms race of unprecendented scope.
What did Winston Churchill in 1946 called the division of Europe?
An Iron Curtain
Who agreed to the creation of the UN and when and what is its purpose?
The Allies were among the nations that agreed to the creation of the United Nations (UN) founded in October 1945, it is a supranational organization dedicated to keeping world peace and security.
What was the derived commitment for a new international organization for peace.
It was the Allied cooperation during the war.
How does the United Nations prevent another world war like its predecessor the League of Nations (1920)?
The establishment of the powerful Security Council responsible for maintaining international peace.
Who and How were the members of the Security Council Picked?
Recognizing that peace could only be maintained only if the great powers were in agreement, the UN founders made certain the the Security Council consists of five permanent members and six rotating elected members. The Winners of WWII are the permanent powers and their unanimous vote is required on all substantive matters.
What were the first cracks in the cooperation with the Allies?
During the war, the formers Allies began to crack, especially expressing differences over the future of Poland and the Eastern European nations.
The Conference of Yalta states that “the earliest possible establishment through free elections of governments responsive to the will of the people.” Was this followed through?
No it wasn’t, Joseph Stalin insisted on “friendly” governments that were controlled by the Soviet Union in order to safeguard against any future threat that were controlled by the Soviet Union. Doing this gave them a safeguard against any future threat from Germany.
What were the views UK and the US had with Stalin’s “friendly” governments in Eastern Europe?
They realized Stalin’s intentions for a permanent Soviet domination of eastern Europe and the threat of Soviet influenced communist parties coming to power in the democracies of western Europe.
What were the UK’s and US’ worse fears of the Soviets occupations?
Was when in 1946-47 when the Soviets helped bring communist governments to power in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Poland. Communists had previously gained control in Albania and Yugoslavia in 1944 and 1945.
What shifted the focus of the Cold War from Europe to East Asia?
communist victory in China and unforeseen outbreak of hostilities in Korea
How was Korea partitioned after WW2?
Partitioned along the thirty-eighth parallel of latitude
Why did the U.S oppose North Korea and side with South Korea?
They viewed North Korea as part of a larger communist conspiracy to conquer the world
What security agreements did the U.S enter in because of comunism in SE Asia?
Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO), an Asian counter part to NATO.
Who asserted the domino theory?
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
What is the domino theory?
A theory that rationalized worldwide U.S intervention thinking that if one country became communist, neighboring ones would also collapse to communism until none remain standing.
Were the Soviets and Chinese always on the same side?
No.
What was the Chinese perspective of the Soviets>
Their perspective was that the Soviet aid programs were too modest and had too many strings attached.
Where did the Soviet Union and China compete for influence?
Africa and Asia
When did the Soviet Union first test their atomic weaponry and what weapon was it?
The atomic bomb in 1949.
What other country had nuclear weapons other than the U.S?
Russia
What is MAD?
Mutually assured destruction.
Why is MAD possible?
Because the U.S and Soviet Union had so many nuclear weapons. This led them to stabilize their relationship.
Significance of Cuba in this chapter:
A revolutionary movement headed by Fidel Castro led to Castro’s new regime taking Soviet aid instead of U.S aid.
What did Fidel Castro declare on December 1961?
“I have been a Marxist-Leninist all along, and will remain one until I die.”
How is John F. Kennedy significant in this chapter?
He authorized a secret invasion of Cuba to overthrow Castro and his supporters.
Describe the Bay of Pigs invasion:
A force of 1500 anti-Castro cubans transported by the CIA landed on Cuba at a place called the Bay of Pigs. The invasion failed and diminished U.S prestige and strengthened Castro’s position in Cuba.
What did the Bay of Pigs invasion lead to?
It encouraged Fidel Castro to accept the deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba as a deterrent to any future invasion.
Name a place that a nuclear bomb was dropped:
The Marshall Islands in 1954.
What was the name of the woman on the poster of 1942?
Rosie the Riveter. Coined the motto “We can do it”
Describe the Cuban Missile Crisis:
Soviet technicians were assembling nuclear launch sites on Cuba. Threatened U.S security so JFK and Khrushchev had an agreement to not blow up the world.
Results of the Cuban Missile Crisis:
Kennedy: Agreed to refrain from attempting to overthrow Castro’s regime in Cuba and a secret deal to remove U.S missiles from Turkey
Khrushchev: withdrew all missiles from Cuba and stopped the arrival of additional nuclear armaments in Cuba
Who embarked on the policy of de-Stalinization?
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev
What is de-Stalinization?
the end of the rule of terror and the partial liberalization of Soviet society. Things such as removing portraits of Stalin from public places and renaming institutions that were named after him. Lasted 1956-1964.
What did Khrushchev emphasize with the de-Stalinization policy?
a possibility of peaceful coexistence between different social systems and the achievement of communism through peaceful means
What happened in Hungary that is significant to this chapter?
Had a uprising because of de-Stalinization, they wanted democracy but was quickly shut down by Soviet leaders since they viewed it as a serious threat to their security system.
Twelve years after the Hungarian tragedy, where did the Soviets intervene and why?
Czechoslovakia because their communist leader Alexander Dubcek launched a “democratic socialist revolution.”
What was Prague Spring and how is it relevant to the chapter?
A liberal movement and it is relevant because Alexander Dubcek, the communist party leader of Czechoslovakia supported this movement.
How was Prague Spring put down?
Intervention by the Soviet and Warsaw Pact.
Who invaded Czechoslovakia and why?
Khrushchev’s successor Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev by using the Doctrine of Limited Sovereignty (Brezhnev Doctrine).
What was the purpose of the Doctrine of Limited Sovereignty (Brezhnev Doctrine)?
It justified the invasion of Czechoslovakia. It stated that they reserved the right to invade any socialist country that was deemed to be threatened by internal or external elements “hostile to socialism”
What is detente?
A policy the U.S and Soviet leaders agreed on which reduced hostility, tried to cool the costly arms race and slow their competition in developing countries.
Results of detente?
It signaled the relaxation of Cold War tensions and promoted a new spirit of cooperation.
What were President Nixon’s beliefs?
Anti-communism.
Fidel Castro
Year: 1959
Fact 1: Cuban Communist Dictator
Fact 2: Stayed in power many decades angered U.S.A
Berlin Airlift
Year: 1948
Fact 1: Soviet blockade of west berlin
Fact 2: U.S>A and allies dropped supplies and food.
Korean war
Year: 1950
Fact 1: Communist North Invaded south
Fact 2: U.S.A and China ended up fighting til a draw
Romanian Abdication
Year: 1947
Fact 1: Soviet forced Romanian king to resign
Fact 2: king was Micheal The First
Warsaw pact
Year: 1955
Fact 1: Soviet political alliance in eastern Europe
Fact 2: Phrase “Iron Curtain” used to criticize soviet oppression
Truman Doctrine
Year: 1947
Fact 1: Designed to contain Communism
Fact 2: USA supported anti communist government
Marshall Plan
Year: 1947 or 1948
Fact 1: Massive us funding for western Europe
Fact 2: Designed to rebuilt after WWII and counter communism.
Nato
Year: 1949
Fact 1: USA defense alliance primarily in western Europe.
Fact 2: Still very revertant in modern world
USA/Japan Mutual Defense Pact
Year: 1953
Fact 1: USA and Japan changed from enemies to close allies
Fact 2: Intended to strongly counter communism.
Suez Crisis
Year: 1956
Fact 1: Nagger nationalized key international water way (Suez Canal)
Fact 2: Exposed French and British military weakness
Formosan Resolution
Year: 1955
Fact 1: Formosa equals Taiwan
Fact 2: USA supported for anti communist government of Taiwan
De-Stalinization
Year: 1956
Fact 1: Soviet regime moved away from Joseph influence
Fact 2: Had major impact around the world
Cuban Missile Crisis
Year: 1962
Fact 1: Soviet placed missile in Cuba
Fact 2: Resolved peaceful after heated negation
Extra: Did not cause WWIII
SALT Negotiations
Year: 1972
Fact 1: Designed to reduce nuclear missiles
Fact 2: Strategic arms limitation treaty
Kitchen Debate
Year: 1959
Fact 1: Nixon and Khrushchev
Fact 2: Debated their country economic problems
EXTRA: Took place in a fake kitchen
Brezhnev Doctrine
Year: 1968
Fact 1: Leonid was Brezhnev first name
Fact 2: New soviet ideology after stalin/Josph
Salvador Allende
Year: 1970
Fact 1: Left wing Chilean leader
Fact 2: First democratic elected Marxist president in Latin America.
Charles de Gaulle
Year: 1969
Fact 1: Pursued independent foreign policy for France
Fact 2: Paris airport named after him
Cultural Revolution
Year: 1976
Fact 1: Period of Chinese political chaos
Fact 2: Caused by personality cult of Mao
Flower Power
Year: 1960
Fact 1: Hippies opposed to war
Fact 2: Especially in Vietnam
U2 Incident
Year: 1960
Fact 1: USA spied plane shot down over USSR
Fact 2: Embarrassed USA internationally
OPEC
Year: 1970
Fact 1: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
Fact 2: limited supply caused inflation in the 1970s
Camp David Accords
Year: 1978
Fact 1: Important in middle east peace process
Fact 2: Iseral and surrounding area
Pope John Paul II
Year: 1978
Fact 1: From Poland
Fact 2: Played a major role in European and internationally affairs.
Organization of American States (OAS)
Year: 1948
Fact 1: USA led political organization in Latin America
Fact 2: Still exist today
Liberation Theology
Year: 1969
Fact 1: Left wing catholic movement
Fact 2: Popular in Latin America
Sino-soviet border conflict
Year: 1969
Fact 1: Ussuri river skirmish
Fact 2: Prof that China had its own unique role
Vietnam War
Year: 1970
Fact 1: Started between France and Vietnam
Fact 2: USA eventually embroiled, embattled, withdrew
Iranian Hostage Crisis
Year: 1979
Fact 1: Religious Terrorists captured more than 50 Americans
Fact 2: contributed to the political demise of Jimmy carter
Margart Thatcher
Year: 1980s
Fact 1: conservative UK prime minister
Fact 2: Known as iron lady
Mikhail Gorbachev
Year: 1980s
Fact 1: Soviet leader who attempted numerous reforms
Fact 2: glassnost and perestroika
Daniel Ortega
Year: 1985
Fact 1: aggressive left wing leader of Nicaragua
Fact 2: current co president of Nicaragua
Chernobyl
Year: 1986
Fact 1: Soviet nuclear power disaster
Fact 2: Ukraine
Che Guevara
Year: 1956 or 1968
Fact 1: Cuban communist revolutionary
Fact 2: people among the counter culturally crowd
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Year: 1979
Fact 1: Failed military
Fact 2: Failed politically
NORAD
Year: 1981
Fact 1: U.S x Canada military alliance
Fact 2: still exists today
What was the Truman Doctrine?
Was a U.S. foreign policy initiative emphasizing a division between free (democratic) and enslaved (communist) peoples
What led to the Truman Doctrine
It was partly a response to crises in Greece and Turkey, where communist movements threatened democracy and U.S. strategic interests.
What major Cold War Stance did the Truman Doctrine establish?
It drew clear battle liens in the Cold War, advocating U.S. support for free peoples resisting oppression.
What was Truman’s statement to Congress regarding this policy.
Truman said that nations must choose between freedom and subjugation, and the U.S. should support free peoples resisting oppression by armed minorities or external pressures.
What was the outcome of the Truman Doctrine for U.S. foreign policy?
The U.S. decided to take action in world affairs to stop the spread of communism. This meant working to block Soviet influence from growing any further.
What was the Marshal plan, and why was it created?
The Marshal Plan, named after U.S. secretary of State George C. Marshall, was created to help rebuild the destroyed economies of Western Europe. Its goal was to promoted cooperation and capitalism while preventing Soviet or communist influence.
When was the Marshal Plan proposed and funded.
Proposed in 1947 funded in 1948
How much aid did the Marshal Plan provide
Over $13 billion to reconstruct Western Europe
How did the Soviet Union respond to the Marshall Plan
The Soviet Union rejected the plan, seeing it as capitalist imperialism. Instead, it created its own alternative for its satellite nations called the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) in 1949, which promoted trade with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
What was the significance of NATO and the Warsaw Pact in the Cold War?
Their creation marked the militarization of the Cold War, dividing the world into two opposing military alliances.
When was NATO established and Why?
NATO was established n 1949 as a regional military alliance to counter Soviet aggression and maintain peace in postwar Europe through collective security.
Who were the original members of NATO
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States
What events strengthened NATO’s military focus?
The Soviet Union’s first atomic bomb in 1949 and the Korean War in 1950
How did the Soviet Union respond to NATO’s expansion in 1955
After NATO admitted West Germany and allowed it to rearm, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact with seven communist nations as a countermeasure.
Why was Germany a key fault line during the Cold War?
Germany was divided into four zones by the U.S., Soviet Union, Britain, and France after World War II, making it a focus of Cold War tensions.
What caused the 1948-1949 crisis in Berlin?
The Western powers merged their zones in Germany, including Berlin. In retaliation, the Soviet Union blockaded all road, rail, and water links between Berlin and western Germany.
How did the Americans and British respond to the Soviet blockade of Berlin?
The Berlin Airlift. They organized an airlift to supply West Berlin with food, fuel, and other necessities, flying mission nonstop for 11 months.
When did the Soviet Union call off the Berlin blockade?
May 1949, after the persistence of the airlift effort.
What happened to Germany after the blockade ended?
The U.S., British, and French zones merged into West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) in May 1949. In October, East Germany (German Democratic Republic) was formed from the Soviet Zone.
How was Berlin divided after the blockade?
The Soviet sector became East Berlin, the capital of East Germany. The other three sectors united as West Berlin, while the Wester German capital moved to Bonn.
Why did East Germany build the Berlin Wall in 1961
To stop the loss of citizens to West Germany, as nearly 3.5 million East Germans had fled between 1949 and 1961
What was the Berlin Wall initially made of, and how did it evolve?
It started as barbed wire, and developed into a multilayered barrier with watchtowers, searchlights, mines, and armed guards.
What impact did the Berlin Wall have?
It successfully stopped the flow of refugees but exposed East German regime’s lack of legitimacy among its own people.
How did the Cold War affect societies in the U.S. and the Soviet Union
The Cold War led to internal censorship and ideological conformity in both nations. The U.S. feared communist infiltration, while the Soviet Union enforced anti-capitalist policies.
What was McCarthyism, and how did it impact U.S. society?
McCarthyism, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, aimed to expose communists in the U.S. government. It caused thousands to lose jobs and reputations due to perceived security risks.
How did Cold War ideologies influence Soviet culture and politics?
Stalin enforced Soviet economic planning and ideological conformity. Artists and writers who opposed these restrictions were silenced or denounced.
What changes occurred after Stalin’s death in 1953?
Some repression eased, but limits on liberalization remained. Soviet troops crushed the Hungarian uprising in 1956, and Boris Pasternak was barred from receiving his Nobel Prize in 1958.
What broader effects did the Cold War have on both societies?
It triggered dramatic cultural and political transformations in both the U.S. and the Soviet Union as their rivalry intensified globally.
How did the birth of Communist China impact the Cold War?
It ended imperialist intrusion in China and strengthened the Soviet Union and its communist allies.
What two groups vied for control of China in the 1920s, and what happened during WWII?
The nationalists and communists competed for control. During WWII, they were engaged in a civil war.
What shifted the balance of power after WWII in China?
The communists, led by the People’s Liberation Army, defeated the nationalists in 1948-1949
What happened to the national government under Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek)?
They fled to Taiwan with most of the nation’s gold reserves and claimed to remain the legitimate government of China
What was proclaimed on 1 October 1949?
Mao Zedong announced the creation of the People’s Republic of China, forging stronger ties between communist states.
Why did Moscow and Beijing strengthen their relationship during the early Cold War?
Both felt threatened by a common enemy, the United States, which was creating anti-communist allies in Aisa.
What actions by the U.S. concerned Soviet and Chinese leaders the most?
The U.S. supported Japan’s recovery and formed alliances with South Korea and Taiwan.
How did the Chinese-Soviet partnership develop in the 1950s?
Beijing accepted Moscow’s leadership in world communism, and in return, China received Russian military equipment and economic aid.
