Yellow Flashcards
When were Poland taken over by the USSR?
1947
When were Hungary taken over by the USSR?
1948
How was Poland taken over by USSR?
USSR feared that a non-communist government would be elected so they arrested @6 non-communist politicians in Moscow
How was Romania taken over by USSR?
Monarchy was abolished and communists were elected
How was Czechoslovakia taken over by USSR?
Communists purged non-communists from the government.
How was Bulgaria taken over by USSR?
Monarchy was abolished and communist government was elected
How was Hungary taken over by USSR?
Communists took control of the police to eradicate opponents
When was Kennan’s Long Telegram produced?
1946
What did Kennan’s Long Telegram discuss?
How the USSR could not peacefully coexist with the West
What did George Kennan believe?
- the collapse of East-West relations was because the USSR wanted to demonise the West
- Stalin wanted to replace the fear of Germany and Japan with the fear of Britain and the USA
- the USA should adopt a hardline against the USSR
When was the Berlin Blockade?
1948-49
What were the causes of the Berlin Blockade?
- creation of Bizonia and Trizonia
- introduction of Deutschmark to help economic recovery in West Germany
- the US proposed an economic reform to help German industry but the Soviets believed that it would give the US more infleunce so they rejected
What happened at the Berlin Blockade?
Stalin blockaded all around West Berlin and blocked all road and rail links to western zones and West Berlin which stopped supplies getting in and people getting out
What was the significance of the Berlin Blockade?
- failure was embarassing for the USSR
- caused the creation of NATO
- caused the division of Germany
- proved that the west were willing to stand up to USSR in a peaceful manner
- proved that neither side were willing to risk a nuclear war
What was the Western response to the Berlin Blockade?
- organised airlifts which brought supplies into Berlin (by 1949 - 2.3 million tons)
- neither side could have used force as it would have been seen as an act of war
When was Bizonia created?
1947
Why was Bizonia created?
To help the the British and US zones economically as the Soviet reparations were not allowing German recovery
Why did Germany divide?
After the Berlin Blockade, Western allies wanted to move away from the soviets and communism
When did Germany divide?
1949
What was the purpose of the House of Unamerican Activities?
To investigate any communist infiltrators in US society
What was McCarthyism?
A growing sense that communists were everywhere - particularly within the US government
Who was Alger Hiss?
An American official accused of having spied for the USSR which heightened McCarthyism
Who was Senator McCarthy?
The man who started the idea of McCarthyism as he claimed that there were many communists inside the US government who were influencing decisions
Why was there panic about the Cold War in 1950?
- China had become communist and formed an alliance with the USSR
- USSR had successfully tested nuclear weapons (which ended the US’ nuclear monopoly)
- Stalin had been able to consolidate his power in Eastern Europe
When was McCarthyism rife in the US?
Early 1950s
What policies of Truman’s did Eisenhower accept?
- USA must retain influence over Western Europe and in Asia
- Soviet threat was significant and real (containment was fundamental to US security interests)
- USA must retain a strong nuclear arsenal and conventional forces to deter and counter soviet opportunism
What policies of Truman’s did Eisenhower reject?
- containment was not effective as the basis of US foreign policy
- commitment to major expansion of US conventional forces (regardless of the cost)
Impact of Eisenhower’s New Look Policy
Ended the static position of the US which was created by Truman
What were the two strategies of Eisenhower’s New Look Policy?
Brinkmanship and Massive Retaliation
When was massive retaliation introduced?
1954
What was massive retalitation?
An emphasis and reliance on nuclear weapons - to retaliate in much greater force in the event of an attack
Why was massive retaliation introduced?
It was the most cost-effective method of guaranteeing the USA security and winning the Cold War
How did the NSC 162/2 impact Eisenhower’s New Look Policy?
It stated that the most effective way to deter aggression was to forcefully display determination to use nuclear weapons - which is why they used massive retaliation
What was Brinkmanship?
Using the USA’s nuclear arsenal as a diplomatic tool to force agreements from communist opponents even to the point where a nuclear war may break out
Who’s idea was brinkmanship?
John Foster Dulles’
When were the risings in Hungary and Poland?
1956
What was the rising in Poland?
Workers were on strike to protest about wage cuts and poor working conditions.
Why were there risings in Poland?
- Edward Ochab was nominated to implement destalinisation and so many Poles began to demand political freedom
- Gomulka was elected first secretary of the Polish Communist Party (threat to communist rule)
Impacts of the risings in Poland
- many Poles began to support Gomulka as he had ‘preserved a Polish path to socialism’
- 60 killed, over 200 wounded
What was the rising in Hungary?
Students in Budapest had a demonstration where they listed 16 demands and then workers groups joined and seized power from the communist local authorities.
Examples of the 16 demands of the students in Hungary
- appointment of Imre Nagy as PM
- withdrawal of Soviet troops
- freedom of speech
- multi-party elections
Impacts of the rising in Hungary
- lack of intervention from the west confirmed that Eastern Europe was back in the USSR’s control
- UN demoted the riots to a ‘debating issue’ which showed that they were not getting involved in Eastern Europe
- showed the need for social and political reform in Eastern Europe
- Nagy was appointed PM
- Troops were withdrawn
When did the USSR issue an ultimatum?
1958
What was the USSR’s Berlin Ultimatum?
- Western troops had to be removed from West Berlin
- Berlin was to be declared a free city
- If the west were unable to negotiate a suitable settlement, the USSR would negotiate a separate treaty with the GDR
Was the Berlin Ultimatum successful?
No, the west rejected it
When was the Berlin Wall built?
1961
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
West Berlin was a geographical loophole which many talented East Germans were able to flee to the West (3.6 million Berliners had already gone to the West)
How many GDR citizens had emigrated to the west in 1961?
10,000
Impacts of the Berlin Wall
- Khrushchev had effectively handed the US a propaganda tool to show that capitalism was superior
- alternative to nuclear war
- GDR’s immediate economic problem was solved as skilled workers were now unable to leave
- lack of response from the West shows that they had reached some recognition of the GDR (end to Hallstein Doctrine)
When was the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
1962
What was the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
Forced relocation of South Vietnamese rural peasants into armed stockades
Strategic Hamlet Programme 1962 stats
By the end of 1962, there were over 3000 hamlets
What was the aim of the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
- to isolate South Vietnamese rural presents from the Vietcong as they are the ones most likely to follow/support them (Diem described it as a ‘means to institute basic democracy’
- would allow Diem and Nhu to spread their own influence
What were the problems with the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
- lack of developed incentives
- little planning
- peasants were under pressure to move
- often led to improved recruitment of the peasants into the Vietcong as it was impossible to isolate the Vietcong
When was the Buddhist Crisis?
1963
What was the Buddhist Crisis?
Buddhists were banned from flying their flag on Buddah’s birthday but Catholics were encouraged the previous week to display the Papal flag
The military was used to prevent a speech by their leader Tri Quang (9 people killed)
What happened at the Buddhist protests?
- mass rails
- hunger strikes
- public self immolation
- trained in how to develop anti-government propaganda
- engaged with US press
Why did the Buddhist Crisis happen?
Diem was a Roman Catholic and so naturally favoured that religion but made the mistake of persecuting the Buddhist community
What were the causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
- Operation Mongoose
- The Bay of Pigs
- Castro took over Batista regime
- Cuba was near to US
- Oplan 312
- Operation quicknik
- Cuba was not strong enough to withstand US attack
When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
1962
When was the Bay of Pigs?
1960
What was the Bay of Pigs?
1500 Cuban exiles attempted to remove Castro from power but it failed
When was Operation Mongoose?
1961
What was Operation Mongoose?
Tried to do what the Bay of Pigs failed to do by using anti-Castro propaganda and establishing guerilla bases throughout the country.
Failed.
Impacts of the Cuban Missile Crisis
- creation of hotline in 1963
- Moscow test ban treaty in 1963
- nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 1968
- improved relations between USSR and USA
- showed how they understood consequences of potential nuclear war
- Cuba remained a communist state with Castro in charge
Why was Diem assassinated?
Nhu (his brother) organised a renewed assault on the Buddhists in 1963 and it was clear that Diem was not going to stop repression of his people or control Nhu.
How was Diem assassinated?
A military coup by South Vietnamese rebel generals - would not have been initiated without USA.
When was Diem assassinated?
1963
When was the Gulf of Tonkin?
1964
What happened at the Gulf of Tonkin?
- 3 NV patrol boats fired torpedoes at USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin (near Vietnam)
- 2 days later, 2 NV naval bases were bombed
- failed attack = 1 NV boat sunk, other 2 badly damaged
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Gave Johnson the power to do whatever he felt necessary to resist any further attacks in Vietnam - didn’t have to consult congress.
When was the Tet Offensive?
1968
What is Tet?
Most important event on the Vietnamese calendar (celebration of the lunar new year)
In the previous years, it had been part of an informal truce between North and South Vietnam.
What was the aim of the Tet Offensive?
- cause ARVN troops to collapse
- a SV uprising agaisnt the US
- convince US leaders to give up their defense of SV
What was the Tet Offensive?
The PAVN launched a series of simultaneous military attacks against US targets in over 100 towns and cities in SV - managed to get inside US embassy before US forces regained control.
What was Walter Cronkite known as?
The most trusted man in America
Impacts of the Tet Offensive on the Vietcong
- major military defeat
- didn’t end up arousing much support in SV
- 5000 captured
- 25,000 killed
- strategic success
Impacts of the Tet Offensive on the US and South Vietnam
- 3000 killed
- long struggle head to the end of the war
- Johnson announced he would not stand for re-election
- Clark Clifford (new Secretary of Defense) recommended de-escalation
- anti-war protests
What was MAD?
Mutually Assured Destruction - if one side launched nuclear war attack, the other side should respond with such force.
A deterrent to use of nuclear weapons
Problems with MAD
It was based on the assumption that all nuclear powers were rational actors - this was the case in 1962 after Cuban missile crisis but not guaranteed all the time.
When and what was the report by General Leon Johnson on the results of nuclear war between USA and USSR?
1963 Report of the Net Evaluation Subcommittee
What did General Leon Jonson’s report say?
- ‘Neither the USA nor the USSR can emerge from a full scale nuclear exchange without suffering very severe damage and high casualties.’
- estimated 93 million casualties between the 2 countries
- said that USSR was also aware of consequences
What were Khrushchev’s attitudes to nuclear weapons after the Cuban missile crisis?
Agreed with Kennedy about limiting nuclear weapons and the manner in which they would be tested
When was the Washington-Moscow Hotline implemented?
1963
What was the Washington-Moscow Hotline?
It meant the USA and the USSR could reach each other within minutes rather than hours (24/7) in order to avoid the kind of delays like during the Cuban missile crisis
Impact of the Washington-Moscow Hotline
- symbolised a new spirit of cooperation
- neither Kennedy nor Khrushchev used it - was first used by Johnson in 1967
When was the Moscow Test Ban Treaty brought in?
1963
Who was the Moscow Test Ban Treaty between?
USA, USSR & Britain
What was the Moscow Test Ban Treaty?
It prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons in outer-space, under water or in the atmosphere.
Impact of the Moscow Test Ban Treaty
Was an important step towards the control of nuclear weapons - the first collective agreement to establish limitations
Problems with the Moscow Test Ban Treaty
Nuclear weapons could still be tested under ground - was hard to regulate as it couldn’t be distinguished from an earthquake
When was the Outer Space Treaty brought in?
1967
What was the Outer Space Treaty?
- USA and USSR agreed not to use space for military purposes
- exploration of space was to benefit all
- specifically ruled out putting nuclear weapons in orbit
- the moon was to be used for peaceful purposes only
Why was the Outer Space Treaty brought in?
The USSR began another space race and the possibility of launching a military attack from space was starting to look realistic.
When was the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty brought in?
1968
What was the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?
Signatories could not share nuclear technology or assist non-nuclear states to manufacture nuclear weapons
Why was the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty brought in?
To stop the spread of nuclear weapons
How many states participated in the European Security Conference?
35 (including the whole of Europe - except Albania - the USA and Canada)
How long did the European Security Conference last?
2 years
What was the outcome of the European Security Conference?
The Helsinki Accords
How many ‘baskets’ were there in the Helsinki Accords?
3
What was the Basket 1 of the Helsinki Accords?
Security in Europe
What was Basket 2 of the Helsinki Accords?
Cooperation in economics, science and technology and the environment
What was Basket 3 of the Helsinki Accords?
Human rights
What were some of the 10 principles ‘guiding relations between participating states’ from Basket 1 of the Helsinki Accords?
- respect of sovereignty and equality
- rejection of threat/ use of force
- peaceful settlement
- territorial integrity to be recognised and acknowledged
- no intervention of internal affairs of other states
- cooperation among states
What was addressed in Basket 2 of the Helsinki Accords?
- trade and industrial cooperation
- issues concerning migrant labour
- the environment
- promotion of tourism
- science and technology
What was addressed in Basket 3 of the Helsinki Accords?
- cultural and educational exchange
- encouraging freer movement of people, information and ideas
How did the Soviets feel about the Helsinki Accords?
- less interested in human rights issues
- reluctant to notify on military exercises
How did the US feel about the Helsinki Accords?
Feared that signing the accords meant accepting a divided Germany and an Eastern Europe subservient to the USSR
What were the positive outcomes of the Helsinki Accords?
- so many countries came together from NATO and the Warsaw Pact to discuss better relations
- seemed to be a high point of detente and marked a new approach to international relations (discussions and negotiations)
