The Origins and Emerging of the Cold War

Question 1

Cold War

Answer 1

1947-1991: tense relationship between USA and USSR, gradual escalation caused by build-up of NWs, shaped American and foreign policy, led to the development of the thermonuclear bomb and enlargement of NAs, speculated to have begun either at the end of WWII or latter half of WWII due to secrecy, ideological differences, and USSR not being notified of Hiroshima and Nagasaki prior to

Question 2

Argument over Poland

Answer 2

USA, UK, USSR had diff ideas about Poland’s future, USSR was occupying it and believed control over land and gov’t was important for security

Question 3

Yalta Conference

Answer 3

Feb 1945: Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin met to discuss Poland, Stalin had no intention of supporting democracy and liberation in Poland since it was in USSR’s sphere of interest

Question 4

atomic diplomacy

Answer 4

using atomic bombs as leverage and intimidation over other powers to gain concessions

Question 5

“Iron Curtain Speech”

Answer 5

Mar 5, 1946: Churchill delivered a speech to Washington acknowledging USSR’s concern for Western bordered and stressed important of cooperation between USA and UK to fight against Soviet communism and expansionism spreading

Question 6

containment strategy

Answer 6

implemented Mar 1947: developed by George Kennan, US foreign policy that prevented the spread of Soviet influence, declared that US policy towards USSR should be patient and firm, containment of expansive tendencies, and treat them as rivals, used thereafter to justify American involvement in foreign affairs

Question 7

Kennan’s Main Soviet Ideological Concepts

Answer 7

antagonism between capitalism and socialism (lack of cooperation with capitalist states) and infallibility of the Kremlin (creation of own truths)

Question 8

Marshall Plan

Answer 8

developed in 1947 by Secretary of State George Marshall and implemented on Apr 3, 1948: American plan, aid program to protect and boost Eastern European nations’ economies from USSR, USA believed that financial instability would contribute to rise of communism, by 1947 EE nations were running out of resources, USA’s aid was offered but USSR denied it and pressured its controlled nations to reject too, aid was only used by Western European nations

Question 9

Communist Information Bureau (Cominform)

Answer 9

July 1947: headed by Andrei Zhdanov (Communist party secretary and helped organize Cominform), published propaganda to encourage communism, response to Marshall Plan, enabled USSR to control other Communist Parties in E and protect them from USA

Question 10

Division of Germany (post-WWII)

Answer 10

Germany was divided into two parts after WWII: Western (USA, UK) and Eastern (USSR)

Question 11

Berlin Blockade

Answer 11

Jun 24, 1948-May 12, 1949: tried to merge the regions under one currency but Stalin was dissatisfied and set up a blockade against West Germany with purpose of forcing Western powers to give up Berlin and to show that USSR wasn’t intimidated, backfired as USA and UK organized airlifts to provide supplies to the West, was a symbol of Western determination to resist USSR, resulted in West control over West Berlin

Question 12

Division of Germany (1949)

Answer 12

established the Federal Republic of West Germany (USA, UK, France, capitalist) and German Democratic Republic (East Germany, USSR, communist), seen as a symbol of tension between USA and USSR

Question 13

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Answer 13

Apr 4, 1949: military alliance to assist EE nations in fighting against Russian expansion, signed by USA and 11 nations at the time but has expanded to 30, states that if any attack against a party occurs, every party must assist it thru action and/or use of armed forces, relevant to current Ukraine-Russia War