The Origins of the Cold War 1941-58 Flashcards
What 3 countries formed the Grand Alliance?
State their:
- Names
- Leaders
- Political Stance
- Britain - Led by Churchill - Democracy
- USA - Led by Roosevelt - Democracy
- Soviet Union - Led by Stalin - Communist One-Party State
State the date of the Tehran Conference
November - December 1943
What 4 things were agreed at the Tehran Conference?
- USA and Britain would open up a second front by invading Nazi-occupied Europe
- Soviet Union would declare war on Japan
- Boundaries of Poland would be moved westwards. Germany loses land, Soviets gain land
- An international body would be created to settle future disputes - this built the foundations of the UN
When was the Yalta Conference?
- February 1945
What 4 things were agreed at the Yalta Confernece?
- Germany, when defeated, will be reduced in size and would pay reparations
- Countries in Europe would be rebuilt along the lines of the Atlantic Charter (would have democratic elections)
- The UN would be set up
- Poland would be in the ‘‘Soviet sphere of influence’‘ but run on a broader democratic basis
When was the Potsdam Conference?
July-August 1945
What 4 things were agreed at Potsdam?
- The Nazi Party was banned and war criminals to be prosecuted
- Berlin was to be divided up into 4 zones
- Soviet Union was to receive 25% of the output from the other 3 zones in Berlin (did this happen? probably not)
- A Council of Foreign Ministers was set up to organise the rebuilding of Europe
Explain how Roosevelt’s death increased tension between the USA and Soviets
- Roosevelt was key in holding the Grand Alliance together as he was willing to work with the Soviets
- When he died, he was replaced by Truman who was much more suspicious of the Soviets.
When did the USA drop the atomic bomb on Japan?
August 1945
Why did the USA’s attack on Japan cause tension?
- Truman felt he could push around Stalin, with his new-found confidence due to the bomb’s success
- Stalin disliked the way in which Truman acted at Potsdam 1945
Why did Britain ‘‘fall out’’ of the Cold War?
- It was economically exhausted after the war therefore wasn’t able to stand up to the Soviets by itself
- It became an ally of the USA, however the Cold War became primarily about the US and The Soviets
Describe 3 differences between Capitalism and Communism
- Capitalism stated everyone should be free to make money for themselves whereas communism stated that capitalism only makes some people rich by exploiting others
- Capitalism stated that individuals are better at deciding to make/sell than the state whilst communism stated it’s stronger to have everyone working together for the same aim
- Capitalism stated trade between countries makes everyone richer, whilst communism said that the state should take control of the economy and run it to benefit all.
What year did both superpowers send telegrams?
1946
Describe the American Telegram
The Long / Kennan Telegram
It stated that:
- The Soviet union saw capitalism as a threat to communism that had tobe destroyed
- The Soviets were building its military power
- Peace between the two was unlikely
Describe the Soviet Telegram
Novikov’s Telegram
It stated that:
- The USA wanted world domination and was building military power
- The Soviet Union was the only country left that could stand up to them
- the USA was preparing its people for war
How did the Soviet Union use ‘‘salami tactics’’?
- Salami Tactics consisted of fixed elections and shutting down opposition parties
- At Yalta and Potsdam, the Soviets agreed to have free elections, however after they realised no one was voting for communism, they fixed the elctions.
How did Bulgaria become communist?
- Communist government elected in 1945
- All elected non-communists were executed
How did Romania become communist?
- A communist-led coalition took power.
- By 1947, communists had taken over and it was now a one-party state
How did Poland become communist?
- At Yalta, Stalin had promised a joint government.
- However, he then invited 16 non-communist leaders to Moscow adn arrested them.
- The communists then ‘‘won’’ the 1947 elections
How did Hungary become communist?
- Communists lost 1945 election
- Rakosi took control of the secret police, executed and imprisoned opponents
- Turned Hungary into a communist state
How did Czechoslavakia become communist?
- Edward Benes set up a coalition
- Communists controlled the army and secret police, so seized power in 1498
When did East Germany become communist?
October 1949
Explain two consequences of Soviet Occupation of Eastern Europe
- One consequence was increased tensions between the USA and the Soviets. The USA saw the Soviet Takeover as a betrayal of the Yalta agreement, in which Stalin had promised democratic elections. This led to tensions as the Soviets had directly defied their agreement, which was a hostile action.
- Another consequence was a change in the USA’s policies. It’s former policy of isolationism had gone, they now wanted to contain communism through military and economic assistance: The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid. This led to increased involvement of the USA in European affairs.
What was Truman concerned about?
- The spread of communism after the war
- Many countries, like France and Italy, had people with no jobs and no money, making communism much more attractive.