The Origins of the Cold War Flashcards
What were the key ideological differences?
Communism - Government in charge of all aspects of the economy - Democracy meant economic equality Capitalism - Private capital, free economy - Liberty and freedom - Freedom of speech - Democracy meant free elections These contradictions generated tension
What were their views on religion?
- Marxism-Leninism opposed religion as “god doesn’t influence the fate of mankind”
- In Europe, churches opposed communism
- The election o John Paul II of Poland strengthened opposition to communism in Europe
What was the Bolshevik Revolution?
- 1917 Bolsheviks overthrew the Tsarist regime and made peace with Germany
- Bolsheviks had to defeat the Whites who opposed them and were assisted by the Allied Intervention of Britain, USA, France and Japan
- The allies intervened to prevent the spread of communism to vulnerable Germany.
- Intervention was ineffective and fuelled Eastern suspicion with the West
- Bolsheviks successfully retained power in Russia
What was the Paris Peace Conference 1919?
- Polish Eastern frontier would be extended creating new line known as the Curzon Line
What were the causes and events of the Polish-Russian War 1920?
- The 1919 Paris Peace conference stated that Polish borders would be extended.
- The Poles wanted to seek this opportunity and attempted to seize more land
- Poland launched fight in Ukraine, countered by the Red Army
- Resulted in the Treaty of Riga 1921
What was the Treaty of Riga 1921?
- Poland were awarded areas of Ukraine and Belyorussia
- The Riga Axioms were created who were determined to stop the spread of communism
What major worldwide event occurred in 1929?
- The Wall Street Crashed, led to years of hardship in America known as the Great Depression. This had a knock on effect on Europe.
- At the same time there were huge improvement in the Soviet Economy which made communism very attractive.
When did the US see the Bolshevik Government as the legitimate government in Russia and why?
- 1933, US fears of communism spreading to the West led to Roosevelt giving the Ussr a formal recognition as long as they stayed out of US politics.
How did Hitler coming to power in 1933 change the Cold War? What was the Purges?
- Hitler hated communism so was a direct threat to USSR’s existence. Stalin began attempting to form a defensive alliance with Hitler against USA and Britain
- 1934, Stalin began purging elements of the party who he feared. Soviet officials who had been dealing with the Americans were killed
What was decided at the 1938 Munich Conference?
- Between Western Powers and Hitler
- Agreed that Germany would gain the Sudetenland of Checkosolovakia as long as they promised not to invade anyone else.
- Russia was not invited to this conference, which generated fear as Stalin believed that Western Powers and Germany could be forming a defensive alliance against Russia
What country does Germany invade in 1939?
- Germany invades Checkosolovakia despite agreeing at the Munich Conference that they would not invade any countries
What was the Nazi Soviet non aggression Pact?
- It committed both powers to benevolent neutrality and outlined their spheres of interest in Eastern Europe
What was the Atlantic Charter? How did Stalin react?
- Roosevelt and Churchill agreed that the tyranny of the Nazi’s was to be annihilated.
- Stalin believed that Charters ideas were as much of a threat to the Nazi regime to Russia’s.
What was “Casablanca”?
- Roosevelt and Churchill agreed there had to be an unconditional surrender from Germany
- Once again, Stalin was excluded generating suspicion
What was agreed at the Teheran Conference?
- Broad agreements on the future of Germany & Poland
- Confirmation when the Anglo-Americans would open a second front.
