Who Was To Blame For The Cold War?

Question 1

What Was It About : Capitalism

Answer 1

• Land and industry owned privately
• Some rich some poor
• Government is democratic (elections)
• People enjoy freedoms
• USA was capitalist country that emerged from WW2 as a leading superpower

Question 2

What Was It About : Communism

Answer 2

• Land and Industry owned by government
• People work for government
• Everyone is equal in terms of wealth
• Communist dictatorship (no choice)
• Lives strictly controlled
• USSR was communist country that emerged from WW2 as a leading superpower

Question 3

What Was It About

Answer 3

-Tension and rivalry between USA and USSR between 1945 and 1991

Question 4

War Time Alliance Strength

Answer 4

• Strategic, not bond of brotherhood

- United by common enemy (Nazi Germany)

Question 5

War Time Alliance Strength : Division Before War

Answer 5

• USA ans UK helped fight Communists during Russian Civil War
• 1920s, USA persecuted Communists in Red Scare
• 1926, British government dealt harshly with general strike fearing Communist take-over
• Stalin deeply suspicious of British policy of appeasement fearing Britain hoped Germany would destroy USSR
• 1939, Stalin angered US and UK by signing Nazi-Soviet Pact

Question 6

War Time Alliance Strength : Divisions During War

Answer 6

• Stalin angry that USA and UK delayed invasion of France until 1944
• Left USSR to fight Nazi Germany alone in Europe between 1941 and 1944

Question 7

War Time Alliance Strength : Divisions Immediately After War

Answer 7

• US and USSR emerged as dominant superpowers

- Both determined to ensure their way of life dominated the world

Question 8

Yalta Conference

AGREEMENTS

Answer 8

• 1945
• Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan
• Germany and Berlin split into 4 zones
• Free elections in all liberated countries
• UN would be established (all three allies would join)
• Nazi war criminals would be brought to justice
• Eastern Europe would become a ‘Soviet sphere of influence’

Question 9

Yalta Conference

DISAGREEMENTS

Answer 9

• Over Poland
• USA and UK wanted Capitalist ‘London Poles’ to lead Poland
• Stalin wanted Communist ‘Lublin Poles’ to lead Poland
• Stalin wanted to move borders westwards to create a buffer zone
• Churchill and Roosevelt opposed but eventually agreed

Question 10

Potsdam Conference

TENSION

Answer 10

-1945
-Churchill often bridged the gaps but now replaced by Atlee
Truman replaced Roosevelt
-Truman informed Stalin that USA had successfully tested an Atomic Bomb
-Truman furious that Stalin Red Army was occupying countries in Europe and installing pro-Communist Governments instead of free elections

Question 11

Potsdam Conference

AGREEMENTS

Answer 11

-Most arrangements agreed at Yalta (division) were implemented

Question 12

Potsdam Conference

DISAGREEMENTS

Answer 12

• Stalin determined to cripple Germany with harsh reparations
• Truman opposed
• Stalin wanted to share in occupation of Japan
• Truman Opposed

Question 13

Iron Curtain

Answer 13

• Speech made by Churchill after losing election (during tour of USA)
• 1946
• Accused USSR of drawing an Iron Curtain across Europe
• Post-war division of Europe
• Stalin had established pro-soviet dictatorships in all eastern countries behind the curtain
• In the west were the capitalist free Countries

Question 14

East Germany

Answer 14

• Remained under Red Army control
• Communists established German Democratic Republic
• 1949

Question 15

Poland

Answer 15

• Communists took full control in 1947

- Non-Communist coalition partners were forced into exile

Question 16

Hungary

Answer 16

• Communists took control in 1945

- Rival politicians and religious leaders were imprisoned

Question 17

Romania

Answer 17

• Communists took control 1945

- Monarchy abolished in 1947

Question 18

Bulgaria

Answer 18

• Communists took control in 1945

- Leaders of other parties were executed

Question 19

Albania

Answer 19

-Communists took control in 1945

Question 20

Yugoslavia

Answer 20

• The Communist Marshal Tito took control 1945

- Remained fiercely independent of USSR

Question 21

Czechoslovakia

Answer 21

• Communists in coalition government from 1945
• Gained full control in 1948
• Rival parties banned

Question 22

Cominform

Answer 22

• Established 1947
• Led by Stalin
• Enabled USSR to control Communist countries of Eastern Europe

Question 23

Containment : Greece

Answer 23

• 1947

- USA paid Britain to keep troops stationed in Greece to prevent Communist take-over

Question 24

Containment : Truman Doctrine

Answer 24

• 1947

- Truman promised USA would support any country threatened by a communist takeover

Question 25

Containment

Answer 25

- Policy established by Truman | - USA would prevent the further spread of Communism throughout the world

Question 26

Containment : Marshall Plan

Answer 26

- General George Marshall warned that poverty affecting the whole war-torn Europe was creating perfect breeding ground for Communism - Recommended USA provide $17 billion of aid to help recovery - Congress initially rejected the plan

Question 27

Containment : Marshall Aid

Answer 27

- Congress agreed to Marshall’s plan after the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia - pro-American leader Jan Masaryk died in suspicious circumstances - $17 billion provided - Stalin prevented countries of Eastern Europe from receiving it

Question 28

Berlin Blockade

Answer 28

- 1946, Britain, France, USA combined zones into Trizonia (West Germany) - 1948 introduce new currency - Within 3 months there were signs that Germany was recovering - Stalin saw this a provocation as he wanted Germany to remain crippled - Recovery of Berlin particularly bothered Stalin as Berlin was deep into his zone - 1948 Stalin blocked all roads, railways and canals between west Germany and west Berlin - Hoped to forced Allies put - Truman determined to maintain West Berlin as an oasis of Capitalism

Question 29

Consequences of Berlin Blockade : Berlin Aircraft

Answer 29

- For 10 months, the Western Allies airlifted supplies into Berlin - Three planes landed every minute - Widespread fear that war would break out if the planes were shot down - 1949 Stalin lifted blockade

Question 30

Consequences of Berlin Blockade : Divided Germany

Answer 30

- Following blockade, division of Germany became more permanent - 1949, British, French, USA zones known as ‘Federal Republic of Germany’ - USSR zone known as ‘German Democratic Republic’

Question 31

Consequences of Berlin Blockade : NATO

Answer 31

-April 1949 | USA ans western European Allies formed NATO

Question 32

Consequences of Berlin Blockade : Warsaw Pact

Answer 32

- West Germany joined NATO 1955 - USSR and Communist allies in Eastern Europe formed the Warsaw Pact - Military alliance - Pledged to retaliate if any member was attacked

Question 33

Who Was To Blame? USA

Answer 33

- Truman intimidated Stalin with atomic bomb - Truman Doctrine was a promise to help any country under threat of a communist takeover; became a policy of ‘containment’ - USA gave Marshall Aid to countries in Western Europe to stop the spread of Communism - Western Germany united its zones and created a new currency - Responded to Berlin Blockade with Berlin Aircraft - 1949 formed NATO

Question 34

Who Was To Blame? USSR

Answer 34

- Stalin caused tension at Potsdam by preventing elections in liberated countries - Installed Communist dictatorships that were loyal to USSR in those countries - Formed Cominform ans Comecon to strengthen ties between countries in Eastern Europe - Berlin Blockade - Successfully tested atomic bomb (arms race) - USSR formed military alliance (Warsaw Pact)