Unit 8: Topic 2 - The Cold War Flashcards
How did the Yalta Conference set up the structure for the future of Germany?
In February of 1945, the leaders of the U.S. (Harry Truman), the United Kingdom (Winston Churchill), and the Soviet Union (Joseph Stalin) met to discuss the future of Germany after it’s unconditional surrender.
Here, the “Big Three” agreed to split Germany into four occupation zones, one for each country: the U.S., the U.K., the Soviet Union, and France. Berlin, the capital of Germany, was also split into four zones for each major Allied power. The division of Germany between nations would later cause tensions to grow between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
Why did Western nations want to rebuild Germany’s economy post WWII?
The Western Powers occupying Germany (France, Great Britain, and the US) wanted to make Germany strong again. They believed that strengthening Germany’s economy was the key to a stable Europe. The Western Powers wanted to improve Germany’s economy so they would not fall to the Soviet Union’s idea of widespread communism. The Soviets, occupying the eastern zone of Germany, exploited the nation, taking their resources as war reparations to keep them weak. The Soviets wanted to disarm and unify the nation under communism.
What was the importance of George Kennan’s “Long Telegram”?
In February 1946, George F. Kennan, deputy chief of the American Embassy in Moscow, sent a lengthy telegram to warn the US government about Soviet ideals on the expansion of communism.
The Soviets believed that “there could be no peaceful coexistence between communists and capitalists, and that the Soviets desired the relentless expansion not only of their own borders but of communism writ large.” This helped lay the foundation for the U.S. strategy of containment.
What was “containment”?
During the Cold War, the U.S. sought to “contain” communism by preventing it from spreading. This policy was prompted by ideas from George Kennan’s Long Telegram, the National Security Council’s recommendation known as NSC-68, and the Truman Doctrine.
Containment justified extreme measures to prevent countries from falling to communism as evidenced by examples including the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
What was the goal of the Berlin Blockade?
After WWII, Germany and Berlin were split into four occupation zones between the Allied powers: the US, Great Britain, France, and the USSR. In hopes of getting the rest of Germany to fall to communism, the USSR blocked canals, roads, and railways to prevent other nations from sending resources to Berlin.
In response to the Berlin Blockade, between June 1948 to May 1949, the United States organized the Berlin airlift in which 200,000 Allied flights carried supplies into Western Berlin. This helped the civilians withstand the blockade without having to send in the military and provoke a confrontation. The airlift was a big victory for capitalism as it showed the world that the Soviets were willing to starve a population in order to force them to turn to communism.
What were the effects of the nuclear arms race during the Cold War?
Throughout the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union continuously upgraded their military arsenal in direct competition with each other. Even though both countries kept producing these nuclear weapons, they could never use them because to do so would result in mutually assured destruction.
The military budget for both countries continued to increase even when they were in very few active conflicts. This economic strain contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
What are Proxy Wars?
Proxy Wars are indirect fighting/wars between two nations. In the Cold War, no direct military engagements took place directly between the United States and the USSR. The actual fighting took place in countries such as Vietnam and Korea.
What was the Korean War?
After Korea was liberated from Japanese control at the end of WWII, the US and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily divide Korea at the 38th parallel of latitude. In 1950, communist North Korea, backed by the USSR and China, invaded South Korea, which was supported by the US, in the hopes of unifying Korea under communism.
Despite lasting for 3 years, the war ended with a stalemate from both sides at the 38th parallel, where the war began.
How did the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961) help lead to the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
In a poorly planned invasion, CIA trained Cuban exiles landed in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in an attempt to take control of the island from Fidel Castro.
Despite being an embarrassing failure for President Kennedy, this convinced Castro that the U.S. was intent on removing him from power and replacing him with a non-communist government. In response, he become even more closely tied to the Soviet Union and asked for missiles to be sent to the island to protect Cuba from the U.S.
How was “détente” different than “brinkmanship”?
Brinkmanship refers to early policies in the Cold War where the U.S. would force conflicts to the point of a confrontation, using the threat of nuclear weapons to deter communist expansion.
From the late 1960’s-70’s, Cold War tensions thawed as the U.S. and Soviet Union entered the era of “détente” (French for “relaxation). While the Cold War certainly continued through this time, diplomacy became more common and the intensity of conflicts was reduced when compared to events such as the Korean War, the Berlin Blockade, and the Vietnam War, which ended during “détente” in 1973.
What was the importance of NATO in the development of the Cold War?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance formed in 1949 by the U.S. and their allies that resisted any aggressive actions of the Soviet Union and communism.
This alliance created even more tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. To combat this alliance, the Soviets formed their own counter-alliance called the Warsaw Pact in 1955, creating an association of communist nations in Eastern Europe. These are both examples of collective security during the Cold War, in which nations joined together to help guarantee each other’s safety.
What was the “iron curtain”?
The “iron curtain” was a phrase used in a 1946 speech by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill when he compared Soviet influence and expansion to an iron curtain descending across Eastern Europe. The phrase became a popular way to refer to the divide between communist countries and the rest of the world.
How were SALT I and II related to “détente”?
The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaties (SALT) were signed in 1972 and 1979. While the U.S. and Soviet Union still possessed many nuclear weapons and missiles, the talks were considered a significant diplomatic success as they helped ease tensions and reduced armaments.
What was the Domino Theory?
Domino Theory suggested that if a country were to fall to communism, the surrounding countries may fall as well. This theory complimented the idea of containment with the use of military force and financial assistance even when the country was relatively small or undeveloped.
For the most part, the domino theory has been discredited as any ripple effects from the spread of communism have been very minor.
What was the National Security Act? What did it do?
The National Security Act of 1947 united the branches of United States armed services under the new Department of Defense, advised the president on foreign policy, and undertook activities supporting the nation’s security interests. This act eventually helped create the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which helped gather foreign intelligence indicating threats to national security.
