Unit 1-Origins of the Cold War

Question 1

When was the communist revolution and what happned?

Answer 1

-In 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power and set up the the world’s first communist state
-Led to a civil war between the reds( red army) and the whites

Question 2

How did the west show that they hostile towards communism?

Answer 2

• By backing the whites against the reds

Question 3

What was comintern?

Answer 3

• was set up in 1919 to coordinate communist groups in the world and support their attempts to undermine capitalism
  -led to the red scare

Question 4

How did WW2 begin?

Answer 4

• With the invasion of the USSR from Germany and Hitler in 1941

Question 5

Why did the US join WW2?

Answer 5

• Japan bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941

Question 6

What was the nazi soviet pact?

Answer 6

-in 1939 the Nazi-Soviet Pact was made by Stalin and was a way for Stalin to stall to prepare for a war with Germany that he saw as inevitable

Question 7

Which 3 leaders first formed the Grand Alliance?

Answer 7

• Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin in 1941

Question 8

What were the tensions in the Grand Alliance?

Answer 8

• In 1942 Stalin wanted to open the second front to alleviate some of the pressure the USSR was getting from Germany however it was not done until 1944 which caused tensions as it caused USSR to be suspicious about the west and if they wanted the USSR to be destroyed by Germany
  -Further distrust because of the Katyn Massacre in 1940 where 25,000 polish nationalist were executed and buried in the Katyn forest by the NKVD under Stalin’s orders this caused distrust as the USSR lied and said it was the Germans and not them who had done it
• Percentages agreement between Churchill and Stalin where UK got 90% of Greece USSR got 10 , Romania- USSR got 90% and UK 10 and Yugoslavia and Hungary was split 50-50, this caused tension because agreement was made without Roosevelt
  -Atlantic Charter in 1941 where US and UK stated their post world war aims, and this increased tension because it undermined USSR’s influence

Question 9

What happened in Tehran Conference?

Answer 9

-In 1943 November
-The USSR would help the UK and US in war against Japan
-Proposed Idea of the United Nations
-Discussions how Germany would be divided after

Question 10

What happened in Yalta conference?

Answer 10

• In February 1945
  -Agreed that Germany would be divided into 4 zones between US, UK, France and the USSR
  -Berlin would also be divided
  -Stalin agreed to hold free and fair elections in Poland

Question 11

What happened in the Potsdam Conference?

Answer 11

• July 1945
• Truman, Attlee and Stalin
  -No sign of Stalin holding free and fair elections and he has set up a communist party in Poland
  -Disagreements about the future of Germany, Stalin wanted the German economy to cripple