The Cold War

Question 1

What was the Cold War?

Answer 1

A period of time between 1945-1989 where tensions between Russia and America ran extremely high, aggravating to almost the point of war.

Question 2

What were the causes of the Cold war?

Answer 2

Stalin’s disdain towards the UN was a main cause, his views clashed with those of the Big Three, during the war, and towards the end of the war these disagreements grew.

Question 3

What were the 4 main reasons of the Cold War?

Answer 3

1. Views
2. Aims
3. Resentment about History
4. Events

Question 4

What was the Yalta Conference?

Answer 4

Held during the war, on the surface, the Yalta conference seemed successful. The Allies agreed a Protocol of Proceedings to:
divide Germany into four ‘zones’, set up a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity, help the freed peoples of Europe set up democratic and self-governing countries , set up a commission to look into reparations.

Question 5

What was the Potsdam conference?

Answer 5

At Potsdam, the Allies met after the surrender of Germany (in May 1945) to finalise the principls of the post-war peace – Potsdam was the Versailles of World War II. Relations between the superpowers had worsened considerably since Yalta. They agreed to set up four zones of occupation in Germany, bring Nazi war-criminals to trail, recognize the polish provisional government of national unity. But, they disagreed on the details of how to divide Germany, the size of reparations Germany ought to pay and Russian influence over the countries of eastern Europe.

Question 6

What was the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 6

His policy towards the Soviet Union was one of ‘containment’ – he did not try to destroy the USSR, but he wanted to stop it growing any more. This was called the ‘Truman Doctrine’.

Question 7

What was the Marshall Plan?

Answer 7

The Marshall plan was devised by George Marshall, which entailed America giving 17 billion USD, to stop the spread of communism and to strengthen the economy.

Question 8

What was the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 8

The American Army wanted to fight its way into Berlin – that would have caused a war. Instead, Truman decided to supply Berlin by air.
The situation was bad at first, but things got better as the blockade went on. On 12 May 1949, Stalin re-opened the borders.

Question 9

What were the results of the Cold War?

Answer 9

1. Khrushchev lost prestige – he had failed. Particularly, China broke from Russia.
2. Kennedy gained prestige. He was seen as the men who faced down the Russians.
3. Both sides had had a fright. They were more careful in future. The two leaders set up a telephone ‘hotline’ to talk directly in a crisis.
4. In 1963, they agreed a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Cuba was the start of the end of the Cold War.
5. Cuba remained a Communist dictatorship, but America left it alone.