The Cold War And Rise Of The Superpowers

Question 1

What policy did the USA use against the spread of communism.

Answer 1

Containment

Question 2

What was the iron curtain

Answer 2

The imaginary line splitting Europe into the communist east and capitalist west

Question 3

What were the McCarty trials

Answer 3

Trials to find communists in the USA

Question 4

Why was the Berlin Wall built

Answer 4

To prevent the educated people from East Germany from moving to the more prosperous West Germany.

Question 5

What was détente

Answer 5

The ‘thaw’ of the Cold War, after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Question 6

Explain Superpowers

Answer 6

The USA and USSR as they were more powerful than other countries

Question 7

Explain Cold War

Answer 7

Period of Hostility between the USA and USSR which began after WW2

Question 8

Name three causes of the cold war

Answer 8

Political differences between USA and USSR
Iron Curtain in Europe
Truman Doctrine

Question 9

Describe how Political differences between USA and USSR triggered the Cold war

Answer 9

Usa believed in democracy and capitalism while The Soviet Union believed in dictatorship and communism

Question 10

What was the truman doctrine?

Answer 10

President Truman promised military aid to any country resisting communism, became the basis of containment

Question 11

How did the USA and USSR disagree on what to do with Defeated German Poland after the War

Answer 11

USA wanted to see a freely elected government in Poland but USSR wanted a communist government in Poland

Question 12

What was the Marshall plan

Answer 12

America offered help to Europe’s economy to recover after the war. Now Europe had economic and military aid (marshall plan and truman doctrine)

Question 13

How was Germany split after WW2

Answer 13

Into four zones controlled by USA, France, Britain and the Soviet Union.

Question 14

Explain how East and West Germany/Berlin were formed

Answer 14

The Allies joined together to form West Germany and West Berlin. The Soviets controlled East Germany and East Berlin.

Question 15

How was West Germany’s economy improved and how was it governed

Answer 15

USA wanted to revive the economy and install a strong democratic government. Marshall aid was used to revive the economy with a new currency increasing growth of economy.

Question 16

How was East Germany’s economy dealt with and how was it governed

Answer 16

Soviet Union took reparations from their part of Germany and it was harshly governed. The economy struggled after the war.

Question 17

Explain why Stalin introduced the Berlin blockade

Answer 17

Ordered a blockade, cutting off road,rail and canal links to the west Berlin to drive the Allies out of Berlin.

Question 18

Explain Berlin Airlift

Answer 18

USA and it’s Allies flew supplies into West Berlin

Question 19

Explain how Operation Vittles/ Berlin Airlift worked

Answer 19

Large cargo planes flew tonnes of goods and supplies into West berlin. Keeping with policy of containment. Soviets did not attack so as to avoid war

Question 20

How did the Berlin Blockade end

Answer 20

Stalin realised he could not win and lifted the blockade May 1949

Question 21

What were the results of the Berlin Blockade

Answer 21

USA and USSR were now bad enemies and dangerous.
Containment had worked
NATO- Was formed to fight against the spread of communism
Germany remained divided
West Germany prospered and became an Ally to America
Berlin was a source of tension as the economies of the West and East side differed

Question 22

What two events worried the USA in 1949

Answer 22

Soviets tested their first atomic bomb developing an arms race
China became communist under Mao Tse Tung

Question 23

How was Korea divided after Japan was defeated in WW2

Answer 23

Divided along the 38th parallel
North Korea controlled by the USSR
South Korea controlled by the USA
No agreement could be reached on reuniting the two parts.

Question 24

Describe invasion of South Korea 1950

Answer 24

Pressure was put on Stalin to approve the attack which he did.
North Korea invaded the south taking control of the country except for city of Pusan

Question 25

How did the USA fight back in South Korea

Answer 25

Containment still strong in US
UN armies from multiple countries and America helped the South Koreans and pushed the North Koreans back while led by Douglas MacArthur

Question 26

Explain how China began to fight in Korean war

Answer 26

Joined when American troops took over North Korea and approached border with China. Troops attacked driving UN forces back

Question 27

Why was Mac Arthur fired during the Korean War

Answer 27

He wanted to attack communist China and proposed using an atomic bomb

Question 28

What year did the Korean War end

Answer 28

1953

Question 29

Describe how a ceasefire was agreed

Answer 29

War dragged on both sides not advancing.
Stalin wanted to continue war to drain American resources
Khrushchev replaced Stalin as President and agreed a ceasefire was agreed with American president Truman.

Question 30

What were the effects of the crisis of the Korean War

Answer 30

Many soldiers, civilians were killed with fighting and bombing
USA made more alliances to stop spread of communism
The USA and USSR did not go to war even though they were great rivals

Question 31

Explain Arms race

Answer 31

Rivalry between the USA and the USSR to have more and better weapons than each other

Question 32

Describe the development of the arms race in the 1950s

Answer 32

Both sides developed long range missiles

Question 33

Explain how the berlin wall came about

Answer 33

1961 Khrushchev and J. F. kennedy had a bad meeting
Khrushchev wanted to unite berlin and force Allies out
Soviets then built the wall when J. F. Kennedy refused to stop migration from east to west

Question 34

Explain how Cuba became communist

Answer 34

Fidel Castro came to power. The USA invaded (Bay of Pigs invasion) but failed to overthrow Castro

Question 35

Explain how Cuba and The Soviet Union made good relations in trade

Answer 35

Soviet Union bought Cuban sugar after USA banned trade with the communist country

Question 36

Explain the placing of missiles on Cuba

Answer 36

Khrushchev wanted to protect ally close to the USA from attack
Installed secret missiles on Cuba to even arms race
Soviet propaganda boasted that there were hundreds of long range missiles in Cuba but this was not true

Question 37

How did the USA find the secret missiles

Answer 37

U2 spy planes spotted missile bases on cuba and nearly all american cities were in range of these missiles

Question 38

What was J. F. Kennedy’s reaction to the missiles and explain his decisions

Answer 38

He did not want to alert the USSR he knew about the missiles
Called a committee meeting where he was advised to invade Cuba
Decided to blockade Cuba to prevent war
22nd October publicly announced quarantine on Cuba and threatened USSR with war if missiles were fired

Question 39

How was the agreement negotiated after Kennedy announced the blockade of Cuba

Answer 39

Both sides wanted to avoid war
Kennedy’s brother Robert negotiated with USSR
Agreement reached between the two countries preventing war

Question 40

What did the agreement ending the Cuban Missile crisis state

Answer 40

Agreed to withdraw missiles from Cuba if the USA did not invade Cuba
USA also agreed to withdraw missiles from turkey

Question 41

What were the effects of the Cuban missiles crisis

Answer 41

Both sides agreed to cooperate to prevent nuclear war
A hotline was set up from USA and USSR to improve communication
Both countries signed the Nuclear test ban treaty

Question 42

When was berlin wall brought down

Answer 42

1989

Question 43

When did german division end

Answer 43

1990