The Cold War: Key Issue 1 Flashcards
Why was the wartime alliance formed?
Hitler was a common enemy
Why were relations suspicious pre WW2?
USA helped WA in the civil war
USA deported thousands of suspected communists in 1920s
UK policy Of Appeasement meant hitler could attack USSR with their naval power
President Wilson called B ‘poison of Bolshevism’
What was the impact of WW2 on the east vs west?
Over 20m died in Russia
Britain and France lost less people in comparison
What was agreed in Yalta in Feb 1945?
Stalin agreed to fight against japan once Germany surrendered
Germany and Berlin each divides into 4 zones
Liberated countries can hold free elections
All joined the UN to keep peace
Eastern Europe= a soviet sphere of influence
WA begrudgingly agreed to move polish border west if S leaves Greece.
What happened in Potsdam, jul 1945?
New people: Truman and Atlee
Stalin set up Communist gov in Poland. Broke elections
agreement.
He insisted it was a defence measure
S demanded 10m in reparations. Others didn’t want a repeat of WW2.
USA secretly tested atomic bomb 1 day before but Stalin knew
How was communist influence growing?
By 1948: Poland, Hungary, Albania Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia all communist. Communists also seized power in Czechoslovakia
France and Italy had 2 million Communist party members
Compare Stalin and Truman’s attitude to Eastern Europe
Stalin: EE is a defence measure and his buffer zone and satellite states
Truman only saw the suspicious spread of communism
What was the situation in Greece and turkey?
Greece: civil war between communists and monarchists (supported by UK). UK withdrew 1947.
Turkey: Stalin wanted to get access to the Mediterranean for soviet trade. Truman worried about communism in turkey and Middle East… OIL !
How did Truman deal with Greece and turkey?
He exaggerated the threat of communism.
March 1947: USA gives 400m in aid to Greece and turkey.
This secured them as allies and propped up a monarchist government in Greece
What was the Truman doctrine?
The policy to contain communism
What was the Marshall plan?
1948
Communism succeeded in poverty, and Europe was in economic turmoil
Eg: Countries owed 11.5bn to the US. Eng had a coal shortage in 1947 and electricity was shut off every day
George Marshall suggested 17 bn would repair Europe
Why did Congress initially refuse the Marshall plan?
Americans were concerned with Truman’s involvement in foreign affairs
In the 1920s the USA was isolationist
What was Comecon?
Set up in 1949 after Stalin discovered the Marshall plan
Coordinated Eastern European trade
Provided USSR with a market to sell goods
Poland forced to sell coal for a 10th of the price to USSR
1964: set up the bank for Socialist countries
What was cominform?
Coordinated governments in Europe by running meetings and sending them instructions
Why was Yugoslavia expelled?
Marshal Tito resisted domination from Stalin.
USSR had a propaganda war with Yugoslavia but no military action.
They were expelled 1948
