WWII Flashcards
Read this document and decide what it emphasizes:
Under Soviet rule, classical ballet grew…into a vast continental network of schools, companies, and amateur performing groups, all controlled from Moscow.… Ballet schools attached to the [world famous] Kirov and Bolshoi theaters grounded the
system; talent scouts recruited children from the far corners of the country…. Dance
classes were available across the country…. Amateur dance groups also performed locally, thus further spreading knowledge and enforcing the prestige of dance. By the mid-1960s…the Soviet Union had successfully established nineteen ballet schools across the country, offering serious nine-year courses fully sponsored by the state. No one could claim that the Soviets did not take ballet seriously.
Answers:
A) Ballet theater serve as cultural landmarks, preserving and promoting Russia’s vibrant theatrical heritage on the international stage.
B) The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow features stunning architecture and intricate interior design, attracting visitors from all over the world.
C) Kirov and Bolshoi theaters are both situated in major Russian cities, contributing to the vibrant cultural landscapes of Saint Petersburg and Moscow.
D) The ballet performances at the Bolshoi Theater often showcase traditional Russian folk dances, adding to the cultural diversity of the repertoire.
A) Ballet theater serve as cultural landmarks, preserving and promoting Russia’s vibrant theatrical heritage on the international stage.
A) During the Cold War era, the USSR achieved significant dominance in the Olympics, particularly in sports like gymnastics, weightlifting, and wrestling. Soviet athletes consistently topped the medal tables in multiple Summer and Winter Olympic Games, showcasing the effectiveness of the state-sponsored sports program.
A) Soviet space program, included pioneering achievements such as launching the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957, and sending the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961. Throughout the Cold War, it engaged in a space race with the United States, achieving significant milestones such as the first spacewalk by Alexei Leonov in 1965 and the first unmanned mission to the Moon, Luna 2, in 1959.
B) The United States allocated approximately USD 300 billion for defense, while the USSR did about the same. The US maintained a substantial absolute budget for its military endeavors, while the USSR prioritized a significant proportion of its overall budget towards military capabilities.
D) While elections were held regularly, they were tightly controlled by the Communist Party, which maintained a monopoly on political power. Opposition parties were either banned or marginalized, and candidates were pre-selected by party officials, leaving little room for genuine competition or alternative voices.
C) The secret police were responsible for maintaining state security and suppressing political dissent. Their mission included intelligence gathering, counterintelligence, monitoring and controlling the population, and eliminating perceived threats to the Communist Party’s authority upon the instruction of Stalin.
A) The US economy was consistently larger and grew at a faster rate compared to the Soviet economy however in terms of education the numbers were similar.
What would a map showing the USSR and its territories and satellite countries be conveying?
Answers:
A) It illustrates the major economic trade routes within Asia and Europe during the 20th century, focusing on international commerce and trade relations.
B) It displays the key agricultural and industrial production zones within the Soviet Union, emphasizing the main sectors contributing to the USSR’s economy.
C) It highlights the linguistic diversity and predominant languages spoken across different regions of the Soviet Union and its neighboring countries.
D) It spells out the sphere of Influence: These states were politically and economically aligned with the USSR and were often under its control or influence during the Cold War.
D) It spells out the sphere of Influence: These states were politically and economically aligned with the USSR and were often under its control or influence during the Cold War.
Including Russia, what were the 15 Soviet Socialist Republics?
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan
What were the seven East European Soviet satellite countries?
Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania
After World War II ended in 1945, what would explain why Soviet leaders wanted a buffer of satellite countries between the Soviet Union and Germany?
To protect the USSR from further attacks by Germany in the future.
Sort these into categories of benefits and drawbacks to having a very large country:
Economic potential
Cultural divisions
Political power
Diverse cultures
Linguistic divisions
Administrative challenges
Regional disparities
Diverse landscapes
Benefits: Economic potential, Political power, Diverse cultures, and Diverse landscapes
Drawbacks: Administrative challenges, Regional disparities, Cultural Divisions, and Linguistic divisions.
