Topic 4 Flashcards
What ideological differences existed between the USA and USSR?
America = democracy, USSR = communism
Both believed society should be organized differently
What was the US economy based on?
Capitalism (economy is privately owned)
How did the USSR control religious beliefs?
Religious beliefs were not tolerated and few political rights existed
What was the Lend-Lease program?
USA lent, leased, and sold goods to countries fighting Germany, Italy, or Japan
What was the significance of the Enigma codes?
Machine that sent encrypted signals to German forces during WWII
What happened between the Yalta Conference and the Potsdam Conference regarding the USA’s leadership?
Roosevelt died in April, Harry Truman became president
Who replaced Churchill as British Prime Minister during the Potsdam Conference?
Clement Attlee (Labour leader)
What was the Manhattan Project?
USA & Britain planned to develop an atomic weapon during WWII
What was the Oder-Neisse Line?
The proposed border for Polish/German territory
What was the role of the Allied Control Council?
Governed Germany; decisions required a unanimous verdict
What was the aim of the Marshall Aid?
Stabilise economies of Europe and prevent the spread of communism
Fill in the blank: The _______ was a commitment to defend free countries threatened by aggressive countries.
Truman Doctrine
What was Cominform?
Communist Information Bureau to maintain unity under Moscow’s control
What was Bizonia?
Merged American and British zones into a single economic unit
What was the purpose of the Berlin Blockade?
To force the Western powers out of Berlin
What was Operation Vittles?
Airlift operation to supply West Berlin with goods
What was the outcome of the Berlin Blockade?
Stalin lifted the blockade in May 1949
What alliance did the USA join in April 1949?
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
What was the German Democratic Republic?
East Germany, established by the Soviets in October 1949
What was the Warsaw Pact?
Military alliance of communist countries established in 1955
Who was primarily blamed for starting the Cold War according to historians?
Stalin, though some later rethought America’s role
Who was primarily blamed for starting the Cold War?
Stalin
Historians have debated the responsibility since the late 1940s.
What did the Soviet Union create around the world?
Their own style of government
This included installing communist governments in various countries.
What agreement did Stalin not follow after Yalta?
Agreements made at Yalta
This led to tensions with the West.
What was the purpose of COMECON?
To ensure every country followed Soviet economic policy
It was a response to Western economic initiatives.
What did COMINFORM aim to do?
Undermine capitalist society through communist parties
It was a tool for Soviet influence in various nations.
What was one defense for Stalin’s actions?
A system was needed to aid Soviet post-war recovery
The USSR suffered significant losses during WWII.
How many Soviet losses were there compared to American losses during WWII?
Soviet losses were almost 20 million; American losses were less than half a million
This highlighted the devastation in the USSR.
What was a key point of blame against the USA?
Global free markets influenced US policy
This led to actions perceived as hostile by the USSR.
What was the Marshall Aid’s purpose?
Market for US goods, not to prevent European economies from collapsing
This created suspicion in the Soviet Union.
What did the creation of Bizonia signify?
Failed to follow Potsdam agreement and attempted to start a capitalist system across all of Germany
This was seen as a provocation by the USSR.
What was the Truman Doctrine perceived as by the USSR?
Designed to isolate them
It was part of the US strategy to counter Soviet influence.
What was the primary reason for the Korean War?
NK invaded SK for communist control over all of Korea
Kim Il-Sung aimed to unify Korea under communist rule.
What was the 38th parallel?
The line separating North Korea and South Korea
It became a significant boundary during the Korean War.
What led to the UNO’s involvement in the Korean War?
NK troops crossed into SK, prompting a Security Council meeting
The absence of the Soviet representative allowed resolutions to pass.
What was the USA’s attitude towards the invasion of SK?
They wanted to stop communist expansion
This was part of the broader containment policy.
Fill in the blank: The Korean War began in _______.
June 1950
This marked the start of active conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
What was the role of the USA in the UNO’s actions during the Korean War?
Primarily American-based, including leadership and military forces
The USA played a significant role in organizing the response.
