the origins of the cold war Flashcards
What is a democracy?
It is where there are several political parties representing different sectors of society. Governments are chosen by democratic elections.
What is communism?
What It is a one-party state and there are no democratic elections and no opportunity to change the government by election.
When was the Tehran conference?
November 1943.
What were the objectives of the Tehran conference?
To discuss the group’s planned invasion of Nazi occupied France. As at this point the Soviet
Red Army was the only army fighting the Nazis on land.
What was decided at the Tehran conference that benefited Roosevelt?
The USSR would join the USA in the war against Japan, once
Nazi Germany was defeated
What was decided at the Tehran conference to help fight WW2?
Britain and USA were to open up a second front by invading France in May 1944.
What was decided in the Tehran conference that benefited Stalin?
Area of Eastern Europe added to soviet union.
When did the Yalta conference take place?
February 1945.
What was the main objective of the Yalta conference?
To decide what to do with Germany once it had been defeated.
What was decided relating to Germany in the Yalta conference?
3 things
Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation with the USSR, Britain, France and the USA each controlling a zone. Berlin was to be split the same way. All countries freed from Nazi control were to be guaranteed the right to hold free, democratic elections to choose their own governments.
What was decided at the Yalta conference, not relating to Germany?
All countries freed from Nazi’s were to be guaranteed the right to hold free, democratic elections to choose their own governments. When the war was over the soviet union would enter war against Japan. They all joined new United Nations organisation. Lastly, eastern Europe would become a sphere of influence for the USSR.
When did the Potsdam conference take place?
July 1945
What changed between the Yalta and Potsdam conferences?
Hitler surrendered so war was over. Winston Churchill had been replaced by Attlee Clement. The USA had developed the atomic bomb which they tested day before conference began. Roosevelt replaces by Truman.
What agreements were made at Potsdam about Germany?
Germany was to be demilitarised. Democracy was to be restored in Germany. germany was to py reparations to the allies.
What agreements were made at Potsdam about the Nazis?
The nazi party was banned and all nazis were put on the Nuremberg trials in 1946.
What else was decided at Potsdam (not relating to Nazis or Germany)?
The big 3 all participated in United Nations. Poland frontier was to be moved westwards to the river Oder and Neisse.
By when had Stalin created his first atomic bomb?
Successfully tested by August 1949.
When did the USSr expand into Albania?
1945
How did the USSR expand into Albania?
A communist government took power at the end of World War Two.
When did the USSR expand into Bulgaria?
1946
How did the USSR expand into Bulgaria?
The Bulgarian monarchy was abolished and later that year a communist government was elected and gradually eradicated its opponents.
When did the USSR expand into East Germany?
1945
How did the USSR expand into East germany?
East Germany was part of the Soviet zone of occupation agreed at the Yalta Conference and in 1945 the Soviets set up a communist regime.
When did the USSR expand into Poland?
1949
How did the USSR expand into Poland?
Fearing that a non-communist government would be elected in 1947, Stalin invited 16 non-communist politicians to Moscow, where they were arrested. With their political opponents removed, the Polish communists won the election.
When did the USSR expand into Hungary?
1948
How did the USSR expand into Hungary?
Although non-communists won the 1945 election, a communist politician, Rakosi, took control of the secret police and used it to arrest and execute his political opponents. By 1948 the Communist Party was in complete control of the country.
When did the USSR expand into Czechoslovakia?
1948
How did the USSR expand into Czekoslovakia?
At elections that year only Communists were allowed to stand and a communist government was duly elected.
What was the Long Telegram?
George Kennan, an official at the US Embassy in Moscow, was asked to provide a summary of what the Soviets were up to. His response became known as The Long Telegram. What Kennan’s telegram said was that the USSR was heavily armed and feared the outside world. It was determined to spread communism and therefore there could be no peaceful co-existence between the USSR and the USA. However, the USA was stronger than the USSR and so communism could be ‘contained’.