Who was to Blame for the Cold War? Flashcards
What ideologies were in conflict during the Cold War?
Capitalism (USA) and Communism (USSR)
What is capitalism?
An ideology where everyone can own property and businesses to make money
What is communism?
An ideology where the state owns all property to ensure that everyone has a fair share
Who was the President of the USA in 1941?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Who was the leader of the USSR in 1941?
Joseph Stalin
What does a “cold war” mean?
A war with no direct fighting between the main countries; instead they fought through economic and political actions and proxy wars
What do Orthodox historians argue about the Cold War?
They argue that Stalin’s actions caused the Cold War by forcefully expanding communism into Eastern Europe
What do Revisionist historians argue about the Cold War?
They insist the USA was to blame for the Cold War by creating nuclear technology and not sharing it with USSR
What was the “Grand Alliance” also called?
Big Three
Who were the members of the Grand Alliance?
The USA
Why did historians call the Grand Alliance a “marriage of convenience”?
They united to defeat a common enemy but were suspicious of each other
What happened to the “old powers” after WWII?
Old powers like UK and France decreased in power
What happened to the USA and USSR after WWII?
They became new “superpowers” with increased power
Where was the Yalta Peace Conference held?
In a city in the USSR
When did the Yalta Conference take place?
In the final few months of the Second World War
What did the USSR agree to do at the Yalta Conference regarding Japan?
The USSR declared war against Japan in August 1945
What did Stalin agree to regarding Eastern Europe at Yalta?
Stalin agreed to free elections in Eastern Europe
How much of the reparations would the USSR gain according to Yalta?
Half of the $20 billion reparations
Which USSR states joined the UN after Yalta?
Russia
Where was the Potsdam Peace Conference held?
A city in Germany
What significant event had happened to Roosevelt between Yalta and Potsdam?
Roosevelt had died and Harry S. Truman replaced him as president
How did Truman’s approach to Stalin differ from Roosevelt’s?
Truman wanted a tougher approach to Stalin
Who replaced Churchill during the Potsdam Conference?
Clement Attlee replaced Churchill following a general election
What new weapon had the USA developed by the time of Potsdam?
The atomic bomb
What was the “Trinity test”?
The USA’s test of the atomic bomb
Why did the Potsdam Conference have a negative impact on US-Soviet relations?
Increased tensions due to the atomic bomb test
How many Japanese civilians were killed by the atomic bombs?
Roughly 120
When did the USA drop atomic bombs on Japan?
August 1945
What were the names of the cities bombed by the USA with atomic weapons?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
How did Stalin react to the atomic bombings?
He wanted to create a buffer zone between Germany and USSR and accelerated the USSR’s atomic bomb project
When did the USSR successfully test an atomic bomb?
August 29
Who was George Kennan?
The USA’s ambassador in Moscow
What was the “Long Telegram”?
An 8
What did the Long Telegram recommend regarding the USSR?
The USA should aim to “contain” the USSR and Communism
Who was Nikolai Novikov?
The Soviet ambassador in Washington
What was the Novikov Telegram?
A telegram sent by Novikov from Washington to Stalin in September 1946 assessing American attitudes toward the USSR
What did the Novikov Telegram claim about US intentions?
The USA wanted to build up its military strength to achieve world domination
Who delivered the “Iron Curtain” speech?
Winston Churchill
When was the “Iron Curtain” speech delivered?
March 1946
What phrase did Churchill use to describe the division in Europe?
From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent
What does the “Iron Curtain” refer to?
The impenetrable divide between capitalism in the West and Communism in the East
Where did Churchill give his “Iron Curtain” speech?
In the USA
How did Stalin view Churchill’s speech?
Stalin believed it reflected the beliefs of the US government
What impact did the “Iron Curtain” speech have on US-Soviet relations?
It increased tensions further and led to both countries building up military forces
What term describes countries that relied on and were influenced by the USSR?
Satellite states
Why did Stalin want control of Eastern Europe?
He wanted these countries to act as a buffer zone between East and West
What were the “Baltic States” that the Soviet Union took over during WWII?
Estonia
What was the Warsaw Uprising?
Poland’s attempt to overthrow their Nazi German occupiers in 1944
How did the USSR respond during the Warsaw Uprising?
The Red Army waited until the defeat to occupy Poland
What was agreed about Poland at the Yalta Conference?
The Grand Alliance agreed to free elections in Poland
How did Stalin influence the 1947 Polish elections?
The USSR led a campaign of violence and intimidation and the communists gained 80% of the vote
What was agreed about East Germany at the Yalta Conference?
It would fall under the USSR’s influence
What happened to Romania and Bulgaria’s monarchies under Soviet influence?
They were replaced by Communist governments
Who won the 1945 election in Hungary?
Non-Communists
Who was Rakosi and what role did he take?
A Communist politician who took control of the secret police in Hungary
When were all other political parties banned in Hungary?
1949
Who was Edward Benes?
A non-Communist who led a coalition government in Czechoslovakia after 1945
Who led the 1948 communist coup in Czechoslovakia?
Pro-communist Klement Gottwald
Which two satellite states were never occupied by the Soviet Red Army?
Yugoslavia and Albania
How did the United States’ foreign policy change after WWII?
From isolationism to containment
What countries were struggling to prevent a Communist takeover in 1947?
Greece and Turkey
What happened to Britain’s support for Greece in 1947?
Britain announced it could no longer provide military support to the Greek government
When did Truman announce aid to Greece and Turkey?
March 12
How much money did Truman commit to Greece and Turkey?
400 million dollars
What were the “two ways of life” according to Truman’s speech?
“First way” based on majority rule and free institutions vs. “second way” based on terror
What did the Truman Doctrine promise to countries vulnerable to communism?
Money
What was the outcome of the Greek civil war by 1949?
The Greek government defeated the Communists
What did US General George Marshall tell Truman about Europe after his visit?
Every country in Europe was at risk of turning to Communism due to post-war destruction
How much aid had the USA given to other countries before the Marshall Plan?
$12.7 billion
How much aid did the Marshall Plan provide to European countries?
$13 billion
How many countries received Marshall Aid?
16 European countries in Western Europe
What factors determined the amount of Marshall Aid a country received?
Population and pre-war economy
What did British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin call the Marshall Plan?
Lifeline to sinking men
Was Marshall Aid offered to Eastern European countries?
Yes
What did Stalin call the Marshall Plan?
Dollar imperialism
How did Berlin get divided after WWII?
The USA
What was “Bizonia”?
The combination of Britain’s and USA’s territory in Germany
What was “Trizonia”?
When France combined their territory with Bizonia in 1948
What currency did Trizonia introduce in June 1948?
The Deutschmark
What was Stalin’s response to the introduction of the Deutschmark?
He decided to blockade Berlin
Why did the USSR believe they had control over all of Berlin?
Berlin fell within East Germany
How did the USSR implement the Berlin Blockade?
They closed road
How many days of food did West Berlin have when the blockade began?
36 days
What were the three options the West had to respond to the blockade?
Leave Berlin
What was the Berlin Airlift also known as?
Operation Vittles
When did the Berlin Airlift take place?
From June 1948 to May 1949
How did the Berlin Airlift work strategically?
It was not an aggressive action and the USSR would start a war if they shot any planes down
When did the USSR lift the Berlin Blockade?
May 12
Until when did the Western Allies continue the Berlin Airlift?
September 30
What was the outcome of the Berlin Crisis for East and West relations?
It was seen as a victory for the West and worsened tensions between the superpowers
What organization was formed by Western powers partly as a result of the Berlin Crisis?
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
When was NATO formed?
April 1949
What organization was formed by Communist countries in response to NATO?
The Warsaw Pact
When was the Warsaw Pact formed?
May 1955
What happened to Germany after the Berlin Crisis?
It was officially divided into East Germany (GDR) and West Germany (FRG)
What did orthodox historians argue about Stalin’s actions regarding Eastern Europe?
They violated agreements made at post-war conferences
What did revisionist historians argue about the atomic bomb?
It intimidated Stalin and forced him to act aggressively
What did revisionist historians claim about US motivations in Europe?
The USA wanted a capitalist Europe to export to
What is the significance of Czechoslovakia’s 1948 coup for Cold War history?
It was the final Eastern European country to fall to communism and helped push the Marshall Plan through Congress
How many Soviet planes did the West lose during the Berlin Airlift?
None
What did Kennan’s Long Telegram say about peace between USSR and USA?
Peace would not be possible between them
How many flights were made during the Berlin Airlift?
Over 200
What was the maximum daily delivery during the Berlin Airlift?
Up to 8
What was the “salami tactics” used by Communist parties?
Taking control slice by slice—gradually removing opposition through intimidation and electoral fraud
What was the policy of “containment”?
The US strategy to stop the spread of communism without direct war
Where was Germany’s capital city located after the division?
Berlin was deep inside East Germany
What percentage of votes did Communists win in Hungary’s 1945 election?
17% (shown in the diagram)
What was the name of the right-wing party that won Hungary’s 1945 election?
FKgP
What was the status of Czechoslovakia from 1919 to 1938?
A democracy
Which country occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938?
Nazi Germany
Which satellite state was given the least amount of independence?
Poland
Why was control of Berlin important symbolically?
It was the capital city of Germany
Who did Churchill identify as being behind the Iron Curtain?
Countries from the Baltic to the Adriatic (Eastern Europe)
What did the Marshall Plan aid provide to recipient countries?
Food
What did many Americans believe the Marshall Plan would prevent?
Another Great Depression
What does the image of a stork in the American cartoon represent?
The delivery of communism to Western Europe
What was the main reason for the USA dropping atomic bombs according to the text?
To end the war with Japan quickly
How did the USSR satellite states vote in the United Nations?
They voted according to Soviet instructions
