Topic 3 - The Cold War Flashcards
1
Q
Who are the ‘Big Three’?
A
Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill
2
Q
Why was the Grand Alliance formed?
A
To fight the Germans during WW2
3
Q
What happened at the Yalta conference?
A
They discussed what to do with Germany, and agreed it should be split into 4 zones of occupation
4
Q
What happened at the Potsdam conference?
A
They agreed Germany would be divided into four zones, however German economy would run as a whole
The US and the USSR were deeply suspicious of each other
5
Q
What changed in world politics before the Potsdam conference?
A
Germany surrendered, removing the US and USSR’s common enemy. Roosevelt was replaced by Truman, who wanted to show American strength by delaying the conference until the A-Bomb was ready
6
Q
When was the Potsdam conference?
A
July/August 1945
7
Q
When was the Yalta conference?
A
February 1945
8
Q
What occurred on the 6th of August 1945?
A
The first ever atomic bomb was exploded by the US in Hiroshima, Japan
9
Q
Why did the US detonate the first atomic bomb?
A
In the hope of demonstrating US power and military strength, and scaring the USSR into doing what America wanted e.g. giving up control of Eastern Europe
10
Q
What were the effects of the first US atomic bomb detonation?
A
Rather than scaring the USSR into submission, it was a trigger for the strengthening and improved military of the USSR- Stalin tightened his control in order to create a buffer zone, and began developing his own atomic weapons
11
Q
When was the iron curtain speech?
A
March 1946
12
Q
What was the iron curtain speech?
A
A speech by Churchill in which he used the metaphor ‘iron curtain’ to describe the division between the capitalist West and communist East
13
Q
What were the effects of the iron curtain speech?
A
It was the first “declaration” of war and it was the formalisation of the unsaid divide that existed between the East and West
14
Q
When was the Truman Doctrine?
A
March 1947
15
Q
What was the Truman Doctrine?
A
Where Truman wanted to rebuild the war-torn countries economies, by offering large sums of money ($400 million to Greece and Turkey) in order to make capitalism appear strong
He also made a statement outlining the difference between capitalism and communism, describing communist as relying on “terror and oppression”.
16
Q
When was the Marshall Plan announced?
A
June 1947
17
Q
What was the Marshall Plan?
A
Where America offered $12.6 billion dollars to war torn countries. It was also offered to Eastern countries, however Stalin refused it
18
Q
Why was the Marshall Plan a big deal?
A
Prior to the Marshall Plan, the US had a policy of isolation, however now they were setting themselves up in opposition to communism, with their new policy being containment of communism
It was also disliked by Stalin- he referred to it as “dollar imperialism”
19
Q
When and what was Cominform?
A
In October 1947, Stalin set up cominform as a way of directing and controlling his satellite states
20
Q
What are satellite states?
A
A satellite state is a country that is formally independent in the world, but under heavy political, economic and military influence or control from another country
21
Q
When and what was comecon?
A
In January 1949, comecon was set up in order to organise trade, industrial and credit agreements within the East. For example Bulgaria’s trade with other comecon members increased by 80% since the 1930s
22
Q
What were the outcomes of the conferences?
A
- Tensions were rising; differences began to arise over the future of Germany and Eastern Europe, as well as Roosevelt being replaced by Truman, who was more distrustful of the Soviets
- They had agreed to split Germany and Berlin into zones of occupation
23
Q
When did the USSR build their first atomic bomb?
A
1949
24
Q
When did the US build their first atomic bomb?
A
1945
25
What were 2 major causes for the end of the Grand Alliance?
- Germany's surrender (loss of a common enemy)
| - Truman replacing Roosevelt (he was much more distrusting of the Soviets)
26
What was the USSR meant to do in Poland, and did it stick by it's word?
It was meant to include multiple political parties, but instead it was turned into a communist democracy
27
When was the Long Telegram?
1946
28
When was the Novikov Telegram?
1946
29
Summarise the details of the Long Telegram
- The USSR saw capitalism as a threat that must be destroyed
- The USSR was building it's military power
- Peace was not an option
30
Summarise the details of the Novikov Telegram
- The US wanted world domination
- The US was building it's military power
- The USSR was the only country remaining that could stand up to the US
31
How did the Soviets "free elections" work?
- The USSR held elections, thinking the communist parties would win, however they didn't
- So instead the USSR fixed the elections, ensuring communism did indeed win
- Once in power, they would shut down any of parties, making the country a single party state
32
What was the impact of the complete Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe on superpower relations?
- The US viewed it as a betrayal of what was agreed in the Yalta conference
- It was also seen as Soviet expansion into Europe, and a stepping stone towards the takeover of the West
33
Other than "free elections", how did the USSR also take control of Eastern European countries?
Through supposed coalition governments, which quickly were taken complete control of by the communists
34
What were Truman's main concerns?
- After the war, much of Europe was poor and hopeless, and communism attracted those in these kinds of situations, therefore it could spread easily
- Some governments like Greece and Turkey were too poor to prevent communist invasions, and if they became communist it would trigger a domino effect across Europe and the Middle East, with them also turning to communism
35
When was the Truman Doctrine?
1947
36
What was the Truman Doctrine?
A speech made by Truman, saying:
- countries had to make a decision between communism and capitalism
- communism meant a lack of freedom
- the USA should provide money and troopsto help free governments from communist takeover
37
What was the Marshall Plan?
$13 billion offered to many European countries to help rebuild them- the US hope that as many turned to communism due to the terrible state they are in, the money would prevent this
38
What was the USSR response to the Marshall Plan?
They critised it as an attack on them, as it threatened their control
39
What did Cominform include?
- It removed any Soviet opposition in Soviet satellite states
- It encouraged the satellite states not to take the Marshall Plan money
40
What were the consequences of Cominform and Comecon?
It meant Eastern Europe in general was now one big camp, as it tied all the satellite states together
41
When was NATO set up?
1949
42
What was NATO?
A military alliance, in which if one country was attacked, the rest would give aid
43
What was the significance of NATO?
- It showed that the West was not prepared to accept future Soviet aggressions
- It led to the Soviet creation of the Warsaw Pact
44
What was Bizonia and Trizonia?
The US and British zones merged to create Bizonia. Then the French also merged to create Trizonia.
45
What was the Soviet reaction to the formation of Trizonia/West Germany?
They thought it was the West teaming up against the East, dividing them and forming a clear two sides
46
When was West Germany officially formed?
1949
47
When was the Deutschmark introduced?
1948
48
What was the Deutschmark?
The official currency of West Germany, which greatly improved the economy of West Germany
49
What was the Soviet reaction to the introduction of the Deutschmark?
It improved the economy therefore the living conditions of West Germany, therefore the Soviets feared it would cause the East German people to want to migrate to the more appealing west
50
What were the causes of the Berlin blockade?
To prevent East to West migration
51
What was the Berlin blockade?
The Soviets blocked all transport links from West Germany to Berlin, meaning it was unable to get any resources. This was an attempt to demonstrate the USSR strength, and to force the West to pull out of Berlin
52
What was the Berlin Airlift?
As all land routes in East Germany were blocked, in order to get the necessary resources like coal and food to the West Berliners, they responded with a huge airlift.
53
What were the 3 main consequences of the Berlin Blockade?
- Portrayed the US as strong, caring and peaceful, whereas the USSR as aggressive, weak and threatening
- NATO was formed (which later led to the Warsaw Pact)
- East and West Berlin became official separate states
54
Why did both sides having nuclear weapons help prevent war?
Because any military confrontation could quickly become a nuclear war, which would be devastating for both sides due to the immense damage they can cause
55
What was the Warsaw Pact?
A military alliance of the East
56
What were the main consequences of the formation of the Warsaw Pact?
- There were now two opposing military alliances, meaning if war occurred it would be of a far greater scale
- It meant the USSR now had control over the military of all their satellite states, tightening their control over the East and heightening their power
57
How did Hungary feel towards communism?
Due to restrictions placed on Hungary by Comecon, Hungary experienced economic hardship, so for the majority of Hungary communism was very unpopular
58
Who was the Hungary ruler during Stalin and how was he viewed by the people?
His name was Rakosi, and he was a brutal ruler, hated by the people. He ruled with terror, killing 2,000 and imprisoning 200,000
59
Who was the Soviet leader following Stalin's death?
Krushchev
60
When and what was the secret speech?
A speech made by Krushchev, hinting at a relaxed Soviet control
61
What was destalinisation and what did the Hungarians mistake it for?
Destalinisation was the undoing of much of Stalin's actions, including no longer seeing the USSR as a dictatorship. The Hungarians mistook this as the end of communism in Hungary
62
Who was Nagy?
A more liberal Prime Minster that was appointed to aim to calm down the revolts in Hungary
63
What did Nagy want to do?
He wanted to introduce reforms into Hungary, such as:
- Leaving the Warsaw Pact and becoming a neutral country
- Holding actual free elections leading to no more communist government
64
What was the Soviet reaction to Nagy's reforms?
They knew that if Nagy succeeded in allowing Hungary to leave the communist rule, other countries in Eastern Europe would follow, and the Soviet rule would collapse
65
What did the Soviets do to prevent Nagy's reforms from occurring?
They invaded Hungary
66
Summarise the Soviet invasion of Hungary
Krushchev sent 200,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers and 6,000 tanks, and crushed the Hungarian revolt, killing over 5,000 Hungarians and capturing, trying and executing Nagy
67
When was the Soviet invasion of Hungary?
1956
68
Who was appointed in Hungary after Nagy and what did he do?
Janos Kadar was appointed, and he reinstated a moderate communist rule
69
What was the UN reaction of the Soviet invasion of Hungary?
They condemned their actions, and some boycotted the Olympics in protest- nothing more serious occurred
70
What did the US do and what was the consequence of this?
The US refused to send in troops to help Hungary against the invading Soviets, despite Nagy's pleads. This showed that the Eastern European countries would not be defended by the US if they revolted, therefore Soviet control re-tightened. It also portrayed the US as weak and scared of the Soviets, and not willing to keep to their promises made in the Truman Doctrine
71
What happened in Cuba in 1959?
Cuba had a socialist revolution which succeeded, meaning the new government was socialist.
The US then decided to stop sugar trade with Cuba- this meant US-Cuba relations deteriorated. Instead, Cuba began building economic links with the USSR, improving the Soviet-Cuba relations
72
What was Kennedy told about Cuba?
- Most Cubans disliked Castro
| - Castro's control of Cuba was weak
73
What was the Bay of Pigs meant to be?
A US-backed invasion of Cuba, with the intension of overthrowing Castro. They sent trained Cuban-exiles into Cuba in the hope of starting a revolution which would then be backed by the people. They believed there would be no evidence of US involvement
74
What actually happened in the Bay of Pigs?
- Castro knew of the invasion in advance, and met the 1400 US-backed troops with 20,000 Cuban troops; they surrendered
- US planes were recognised and photographed, proving US involvement in the invasion to the world
- In fact, most Cubans liked Castro as their leader, therefore the US gained none of the support from the people they thought they would
75
What was the impact of the Bay of Pigs incident?
- It completely destroyed US-Cuban relations
- Cuba announced itself as communist
- Cuba built even stronger ties to the USSR
- It embarrassed the US, portraying them as weak
76
When was the Bay of Pigs incident?
1961
77
From 1949 to 1961, how many East Germans migrated to the West?
2.7 million
78
What was the refugee problem in Berlin?
More and more East Germans were migrating to the more appealing and better economy of the West.
This meant a lack of skilled workers in East Berlin, and made it clear that the West was favoured, portraying the East negatively
79
What and when was Krushchev's ultimatum?
In 1958, Krushchev all of Berlin belonged to East Germany, and that occupying West troops must leave within 6 months. They knew that they could not force the West Berliners out, without starting a nuclear war, which the Soviets would most likely lose
80
When was the Geneva summit and what happened during it?
May 1959, and no solution was agreed, however it was an important step towards reduced tensions
81
When was the Camp David summit and what happened during it?
September 1959, Krushchev agreed to withdraw his ultimatum, however no long term solution was agreed
82
When was the Paris summit and what happened during it?
May 1960, and Krushchev stormed out as the USSR had just shot down a US U2 spy plane
83
When was the Vienna conference and what happened during it?
Jan 1961, and neither side was willing to back down. Krushchev saw Kennedy's inexperience as weakness and reinstated the ultimatum
84
What was significant about the Camp David summit's location?
Eisenhower invited Krushchev onto US soil, showing a trust and respect for each other
85
What was the significance of the U2 spy plane spotting?
- America was embarrassed as it was shown to have lied about the U2 plane’s mission, meaning they no longer held the ‘moral high ground’ in the Cold War
- Nothing was resolved on the issues of Berlin and Cuba. Both would remain major sources of tension in the Cold War.
- The relationship between the USA and the USSR deteriorated even further, heightening Cold War tensions.
86
What was the impact of Soviet rule of Czechoslovakia?
- Their economy crashed
- Any communist opposition was crushed
- Communist rule became very unpopular
- There was very strict censorship in place, creating a lack of freedom
87
When was Dubcek appointed?
1968
88
Who was Dubcek?
He was a good friend of USSR leader Brezhnev
He was a strong communist and supporter of the Warsaw Pact, however wanted to improve communism and make it easier to live under
89
What was Dubcek's new approach know as?
Socialism with a human face
90
What were Dubcek's reforms?
- Relaxed censorship
- Trade unions given wider powers
- Government control of industry was reduced
- People given more freedom of travel
- Trade with rest of the world increased
- Idea of multi-party elections introduced
91
What was the result of Dubcek's reforms?
The beginning of Prague Spring, a period of increased political freedom and heightened criticism of communism
92
What was Brezhnev's dilemma regarding the Prague Spring?
On the one hand, Dubcek was a good friend of his, and military action would damage the Soviet reputation
On the other hand, it may lead to demands of reforms elsewhere in the Eastern bloc, possibly causing Soviet control to collapse
93
What was Brezhnev's actions to Dubcek's reforms?
He could not allow the reforms, therefore after failing to convince Dubcek to stop them, and when Dubcek invited Yugoslavian and Romanian leaders for 'talks', he invaded Czechoslovakia with 500,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers, and ended the Prague Spring
94
What happened after the end of the Prague Spring?
Dubcek was arrested and replaced by Gustav Husak, he returned Czechoslovakia back to it's original strict Soviet control
95
What did the Brezhnev Doctrine say?
That from now on, the USSR declared the right to invade any Eastern bloc country that threatened the security of the Eastern bloc as a whole
96
What were the reactions to the Brezhnev Doctrine and the invasion of Czechoslovakia?
- The US condemned it, however took no action
- Yugoslavia and Romania openly condemned their actions
- Other Eastern bloc countries like Poland were forced to stick rigidly to Soviet style communism, or risk invasion themselves
- Other communist leaders were horrified and cut links with the Soviet Union
97
Why did the USSR want to build missile sites on Cuba?
As the US had many missile sites on countries close to the USSR such as in the UK, but the USSR had none, therefore Cuba was a location close to the US to solve this problem
98
When were Cuban missile sites first spotted?
October 1962, causing nationwide panic
99
Summarise the events of the Cuban missile crisis
- The US set up a naval blockade around Cuba, not allowing ships to get in
- They were at a standoff, with neither side backing down, pushing to the edge of nuclear war
- A hotline was set up between Washington and Moscow, allowing the leaders to communicate directly
- Eventually, an agreement was made and the USSR would not place missiles on Cuba, in exchange for the US secretly removing their missiles from Turkey and Italy
100
What were the impacts of the Cuban missile crisis?
- Krushchev was seen to have given an embarrising submission, and was later sacked
- Kennedy was viewed as strong and hard, both against those encouraging to begin nuclear war, and the USSR
- US-USSR relations improved, as both sides had been pushed to the breaking point, and neither started a nuclear war, demonstrating how neither side wants or is willing to start one
101
Why was the Berlin wall constructed?
To prevent East to West migration in Berlin
| As the West wouldn't leave Berlin, this was the alternative to a complete submission
102
When was the Berlin wall built?
In August 1961, a wall was erected, separating East and West Berlin
103
What was the impact of the wall?
- It solved the refugee crisis
- It was a humiliation for the Soviets, and a success for the West, as the East people had to be literally trapped in order to remain in the East, and out of the preferable west
104
Give 2 embodiments of the Iron Curtain
- NATO and the Warsaw Pact
| - Two Germanys
105
What was the impact on superpower relations as a result of the Czechoslovakian invasion?
There was little effect on the growing detente, as few people died in the invasion
106
What was SALT I?
An agreement between the USSR and the US about limiting arms
- No further production of ballistic weapons
- No new missile launchers
- No increase in intercontinental ballistic weapons
107
When was the Helsinki accords?
1975
108
What were the Helsinki accords?
An agreement signed by 35 countries, including the US and the USSR, on security issues, cooperation, human rights and borders
109
Why did the USSR invade Afghanistan?
After their president had been assassinated, the USSR sent troops into Afghanistan in order to try and take control
110
Why was the US so concerned about the USSR invasion of Afghanistan?
- If the USSR took control of Afghanistan, they could spread and take big control over the middle East
- A successful invasion of Afghanistan could lead to influence in Iran, and Iran could block middle East oil exports, which would greatly affect USA's prosperity
111
What was the Carter Doctrine?
- He threatened to use force if the Soviets attempted to take control of the Persian Gulf
- The US imposed economic sanctions; there would be no trade with the USSR
112
What did the US do to directly confront the USSR in Afghanistan?
It provided assistance to the Mujahedeen, an anti-Soviet organisation in Afghanistan
113
What is the significance of the US providing assistance to the Mujahedeen?
It showed a clear end to detente, as the US were no longer working with the USSR, but rather directly opposing and confronting it
114
Who refused to sign and ratify SALT 2?
The US Senate
115
When did the US break off from diplomatic relations with the USSR?
1980
116
When did the USSR invade Afghanistan?
1979
117
When did the US boycott the Moscow Olympics?
1980
118
When did the USSR boycott the US Olympics?
1984
119
What did the Olympic boycotts show?
The end of cooperation and good relations between the US and the USSR
120
What were the long term impacts for the USSR of the Afghanistan invasion?
The Soviet troops remained in Afghanistan, who came under repeated attacks from the Mujahedeen, leading to increasing casualties on both sides, causing the war to become increasingly unpopular, putting pressure on the Soviet government to end it
121
What position were the US in at the start of the second cold war?
- Beginning to develop new technology
- Becoming increasingly determined to stop communism
- Thriving economy
122
What position was the USSR in during the second cold war?
- In economic decline, with poor living standards
- Dealing with anti-communist protests
- Ageing technology
123
What showed the deterioration of US USSR relations during the second cold war?
- Olympic boycott
- Election of very anti-communist Reagan
- Increased military expenditure
124
What was the SDI?
A space device that could destroy Soviet intercontinental missiles before they reached the US
125
When was the SDI launched?
1983
126
What was the impact of the SDI?
Badly damages East-West relations, as the USSR argued it broke the Outer Space Treaty, and gave the US a large advantage in the arms race
127
What happened to Reagan's mindset toward the USSR?
- Public opinion was against the arms race
- Gorbachev was popular
- Reagan liked Gorbachev and was willing to work with him
128
When did Gorbachev become leader of the USSR?
1985
129
Who was Gorbachev?
The leader of the Soviet Union following Brezhnev. He had ideas about how to reform the USSR, and discussed with the US about peace
130
What was the INF treaty?
A treaty that banned all intermediate range nuclear missiles on both sides
131
What was perestroika?
Gorbachev's new way of doing things
132
What was glasnost?
A new, more open government and freedom of speech, introduced by Gorbachev
133
When did Gorbachev scrap the Brezhnev Doctrine?
1988
134
Why did Gorbachev scrap the Brezhnev Doctrine?
- He believed freedom would make all the Eastern bloc countries better
- He thought the Eastern bloc countries were only planning small reforms
- Reform would end unrest and revolts in many Eastern bloc countries like Poland
- The USSR had to improve trade links with the West to rebuild it's economy, however the West would only agree if oppression was reduced
135
When did Gorbachev introduce the Sinatra Doctrine?
1989
136
What was the Sinatra Doctrine?
It allowed Eastern bloc countries to go their own way
137
What happened following the Sinatra Doctrine?
In many Eastern bloc countries such as Czechoslovakia and Poland, non-communist governments came into power, and the USSR no longer intervened
138
When did Gorbachev officially announce the dissolution of the Soviet Union?
December 1991
139
Why did the Soviet Union lose the Cold War?
- It was hard for the USSR to 'sell' communism, when capitalism was working so much better
- The Soviet economy was crippled, especially due to the Afghanistan war and the arms race
- The whole of the Soviet control existed just because of force and repression, not willingness
140
When did the Berlin wall fall?
1989
141
What were the consequences of the fall of the Berlin Wall for Germany?
- East and West Germany were reunified
| - The USSR withdrew it's troops from East Germany
142
What were the consequences of the fall of the Berlin Wall for superpower relations?
- It gave further momentum to the thaw of the Cold War
143
How long was the Berlin Blockade?
10 months
144
How much did the Berlin Airlift cost the different countries?
The airlift cost the United States $350 million; the UK £17 million and Western Germany 150 million Deutschmarks
