The Cold War Flashcards
Dates?
1945-1991
How and why did the Cold war emerge?
It emerged after WW1 following defeat of Germany and Japan. The USSR and the US turned against each other after being allies and defeating a common enemy in WW1
What was the cold war based on?
Ideological differences. US democratic and capitalist, USSR communist dictatorship
What was some Soviet ideology?
A buffer zone between the West and USSR and Commuinst governments to be set up in liberated countries which were dictatorships controlled from Moscow
In 1946, Churchhill said what?
An iron curtain had come down in Europe dividing democratic countries and communist dictatorships
According to Trumen, what was Americas job in 1947?
To contain the growth of communism
1946 Yalta Conference
- the 4 allies split Germany and Berlin into 4 zones of occupation. The US, Brittain and france unite to form West germany with West berlin as the capital
When and where did the Berlin Blockade start?
Stalin made the berlin blockade from west germany to west berlin.
Berlin airlift?
US and Brittain supplied west berlin by air
When did stalin abandon the blockade? And what happened afterwards?
12 May 1949, the superpowers began arms race and the western allies set up millitary alliance (NATO) to resist soviet union, who responded with the Warsaw pact
What was the Arms Race?
It was the most distinctive feature of the cold war. Both sides were competing to buikd the most weapons.
Who won the arms race?
US held early lead (atom bombs on japan 1945) but soviets exploded first bomb in 1949 and had larger conventional forces. USSR collapsed due to the wastefullness of arms race.
Spacerace?
Between US and soviets, the soviets had first sattelite and the first man in space. The US landed the first men on the moon.
What was the end of the Cold war like?
1980s the soviets were in trouble, Mikhail Corbachew became the soviet leader and the Berlin Wall fell in Nov 1989. The communist party fell from power resulting in end of the cold war.
