Cold War GCSE History Entire Topic

finished

Who were the superpower leaders during the period of Detente?

USSR- Brezhnev

USA-Nixon (1969-1974) Ford (1974-1977), Carter(1977-1881)

What were the collective Superpower’s motives for detente?

-Wanted to avoid the risk of nuclear confrontation

What were the Soviet’s motives for detente?

-Brezhnev wanted to concentrate resources on economy to raise living standrads

-USSR needed western technology to improve production

-USSR had caught up in the arms race, US had lost its advantage

What were the USA’s motives for detente?

-USA wanted to reduce military expenditure

-Nixon wanted to focus political/financial resources on domestic issues

-USA wanted soviet political assistance in vietnam

What were the features of Detente?

-Sharing of technology (including a shared space mission)

-Increase of superpower trade

-Arms control

-Visits and talks between leaders

-Series of international agreements

When was SALT I

May 1972

What were the agreements made at SALT I?

-Anti Ballistic Missiles were only allowed at 2 sities and each site could have a maximum of 100 missiles

-Interim (temporary) treaty restricted number of millies each country could have, US allowed 1045 ICBMs and 740 SLMBs compared the USSR who was allowed 1618 ICBMs and 740 SLMBs

-Rules laid down for conduct of nuclear warfare (such as banning placing of warheads on the seabed)

What were the weaknesses of SALT 1?

-Treaty did not cover the latest technological development

-It was unrealistic to think nuclear war could be avoided becos countries had signed a peice of paper

What were the consequences of SALT I?

-US and USSR could demonstrate their better relations publicly

-Negotiations began for SALT 2

When were the Helsinki Accords?

August 1975

What were the three baskets of the Helsinki Accords?

-European Borders

-International Cooperation

-Human Rights

What was the European Boarders agreement in the Helsinki Accords?

Borders and inviolable (unchangeable), they cannot be altered by force

What was the International Cooperation agreement in the Helsinki Accords?

We will continue to work for closer relations between the west and soviet controlled countries which will include trade agreements, technology exchanged and a joint space mission

What was the Human Rights agreement in the Helsinki Accords?

We will respect human rights and individual freedoms such as free speech, rekigion and free movement across europe

When was SALT 2?

18 June 1979

What were the agreements made at SALT 2?

-Restrictions on missile launches and strategic bombers

-Ban on testing or deploying new types of ICBM

Why did the period of detente end?

-Growing US belief among democrats that republicans and soviet governemnt could not be trusted

-Increase in soviet support in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Angola

-Nov 1979 islamic militants captured the american embassy in Tehran, American diplomats were publically humiliated and over 60 of them were held hostage for 444 days (which caused many angry americans to want to end detend and america to restore its position as a powerful nation)

-December 1979 USSR invaded Afghanistan which caused detente to finally end

Why did the USSR invade Afghanistan?

-Afghanistan was viewed as an important neighbour

-1979 Iranian revolution overthrew the Shah (king) and was replaced by a muslim fundamentalist government

-Moscow was determined to not let muslim fundamentalism spread across boearders

-To protect USSR interests, it was important to ensure that there was a pro soviet government in Afghanistan

What were the events of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

-April 1978 pro-soviet government took control in Afghanistan and received economic assistance from Moscow

-Government fell in September 1979 when Amin staged a popular overthrow

-24 December Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan

-Amin assisinated on December 27 (almost certainly by Soviets)

-Soviets remained in Afghanistan for almost 10 years fighting oponents

What was the american reaction to the soviet invasion?

-Americans belived USSR invasion was an example of them attempting to spread communism abroad

-Carter therefore withdrew SALT 2 proposal and increased spending on arms

-He made a speech to the American people in JAnuary 1980 saying that the US would repel by force if there was any threat to american interests on the Persian Gulf

-Carter imposed economic sanctions on the USSR and began sending weaponds and funds to Afghanistan

What was the Carter Doctrine?

Carter made a speech to the American people in January 1980 saying that the US would repel by force if there was any threat to american interests on the Persian Gulf

What were the consequences of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

-Officially ended the period of detente

-Second cold war begins

-SALT 2 abandoned

-War in afghanistan lasts 10 years

-US boycott of Moscow olympics/USSR boycott of soviet olympics

-Carter doctrine announced

-1.5million civilian deaths

Why were the olympic boycotts significant?

-The olympic games are a global event, which the USSR was hoping to use to promote communism to the huge television audience who would watch the olympics globally

-Over 60 nations supported the US boycott which meant may of the best athletes did not attend, causing the games to look ‘second rate’

-Relations were so poor that even four years later (1984) the USSR led a boycott of the LA olympics which was joined by 15 communist countries

What were Reagans policies under the ‘second cold war’?

-He persuaded the US congress to boost USA’s armed forces by increasing spending (1982= 13% more spent, further 8% in 1983 and 84)

-’Reagan doctrine’ stating that the US would not only support anti-communist governments, but anti-communist groups trying to overthrow communist governments, support was then given to El Salvador and Nicaragua and toppled communist government in Grenaada

What was the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI)?

Reagan new policy in 1983 that stated a series of satellites would be plavced in orbit that would carry powerful lasers that could shoot down soviet missiles and prevent them from harming the US

Why was SDI a significant turning point in the arms race/cold war?

Soviet leaders knew that they would have to invest large sums to develop equipment similar to SDI but the soviet economy was not strong enough to place funding into it.

What was Gorbachev’s ‘new thinking’?

-He proposed that the soviet states and economy should be reformed to include some of the practices that made capitalism sucsessful

-Openness and less corruption the government, people should not need to fear the state or fear expressing their opinions

-Brezhnev doctrine dropped

-USSR would reduce arms spending and withdraw from Afghanistan

What was the American response to Gorbachev’s new polices?

Reagan began to see that there was an opportunity to end the cold war and adopt a more open approach to the USSR while still sticking to his overall aim

What were the 5 Summit meetings in the 1980’s and when were they?

-Geneva Summit: November 1985

-Reykjavik Summit: October 1986

-Washington Summit: December 1987

-Moscow Summit: 1988

Malta Summit: 1989

What were the details of the Geneva Summit?

-Gorbachev just appointed a new foreign minister to replace the old hardliner

-Gorbachev and Reagan met for the first time

What was the outcome of the Geneva Summit?

No formal agreements made but establishment of a good working relationship and a mutual desire to improve relations

What were the details of the Reykjavik Summit?

-Gorbachev worried about danger of nuclear weapons and wanted to reduce world stockpile (beliefs strengthened when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded in April 1986)

-He proposed phasing out nuclear weapons if the USA gave up SDI

What was the outcome of the Reykjavik Summit?

Both leaders knew the US could not give up SDI, no formal agreements but an improvement in relations

What were the details of the Washington Summit?

-Gorbachev had accepted the US would not scrap SDI and his country’s best interest lay on disarmament, reducing weaponry speding and better western relations

What was the outcome of the Washington Summit?

First summit leading to a formal treaty- The INF (intermediate range nuclear force) treaty stated that both countries would abolish all land based missiles with a range of 500-5500 km

What were the details of the Moscow summit?

Complex detail related to INF treaty was resolved, later in the year Gorbachev traveled to the US and made a speech at the UN announcing a reduction in Warsaw pact troops and USSR leaving Afghanistan

What were the details of the Malta summit?

Gorbachev met new US president, George Bush

What was the outcome of the Malta Summit?

-No new agreements made, but this meeting was seen as marking the end of the cold war

When was the fall of the Berlin Wall

9 November 1989

What was the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall?

-Citizens of east/west germany could be reunited with family/friends who they had not seen for almost 30 years

-Wall was mainly a symbolic event as it became a symbol of the end of soviet control and the end of the cold war

How did Gorbachev fall from power?

-He lost control in all satellite states

-Hard-line communists blamed him for loosing control over eastern europe and threatening USSR secyrity

-Baltics declared themselves independent

-August 1991 communist hardliners set up a coup against Gorbachev which damaged his authority

-25 December 1991 Gorbachev announced his resignation which was followed by the break-up of the Soviet Union

Why was the Berlin wall built?

-The high standard of living in West Berlin contradicted with the condition in communist east Berlin

-An estimated 2.7 million people had crossed from east to wesy Berlin between 1945 and 1960, many of which were young skilled and professional people

-Khrushchev suspected the US of sending spies into east berlin from there into the eastern bloc from west berlin

What happened during the Berlin crisis?

-13 August 1961 The east germans began building a wall around west berlin, which was initially a barbed wire fence which was gradually replaced with concrete

-All movement between east and west Berlin was stopped

-For several days soviet and US tanks faced eachither across the divided berlin streets

What were the consequences of the Berlin Crisis?

-Flow of refugees significantly reduced (only 5000 peole successfully crossed while the wall was up)

-Western nations given a propaganda victory as it seemed communist states needed to build a wall to stop their citizens leaving

-Wall became a symbol of the east/west division

Why was the refugee crisis in berlin called the ‘brain drain’

All of the educated men and women left to make new lives in the west as they could be paid more for their services

What were the causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

-Fidel Castro’s Cuba

-Bay of Pigs Crisis

-Misile Bases

What was Fidel Castro’s cuba?

-Fidel Castro, a socialist, had overthrown the american-backed leader Batista in 1959

-America did not want a socialist/communist country so close

-America therefore refused to buy Cuba’s main export (sugar)

-Castro did a deal with the USSR as he faced financial collapse (USSR would buy Cuba’s crops if Cuba nationalised american companies and sold off US-ownded property)

What was The Bay of Pigs Crisis?

-In April 1961 the US sent it 1400 exiled cuban rebels to overthrow Castro but they were easily defeated

-This was a humiliation for the US and encouraged Castro to turn to the USSR for protection

-USSR begun shipping weapons and equipment to Cuba

What were the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

-Kennedy ordered a naval blockade and threatened retaliation if any missile was fired

-The world was on the brink of nuclear war

-Kennedy promised to remove US missiles from Turkey in return for the bases on Cuba being dismantled and the missiles were taken back to the USSR

-28 October 1962 Khrushchev removed the missiles and the crisis was over

What were the consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

-Khrushchev seemed to have failed as he backed down in the face of american pressure

-Kennedy became the hero of the western world (the public did not know that Kennedy had secretly agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey)

-Telephone hot line set up between moscow and washington so leaders could speak directly

What was the context of Czechoslovakia during Prague Spring?

-Under communist rule since 1948

-Run by Novotny who had risen with soviet backing

-Repression (secret police, hardline, entirely loyal to moscow)

-Economic problems due to comecon, reforms had failed

-Politcal instability

What were the causes of Prague Spring?

-Ruled by Novotny since 1953

-Novotny lost Brezhnev’s support who saw he was unpopular and failing after visiting czechoslovakia

-With soviet support Dubcek replaced Novotny in 1968

-Dubcek began a reform programme which worried Brezhnev

What was Dubcek’s limited reforms before Brezhnev interneived?

-Relaxed powers of the secret police

-Relaxed censorship laws

-Gave industries more freedom

-Relaxed travel restrictions

What was Dubcek’s further reforms?

-Non-communist party tolerated

-Free press

-Plans to open borders to west

-Trade discussions with West Germany

What was the events of Prague Spring?

-August 1968 Warsaw pact forces entered Czechoslovakia (USSR, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Poland)

-Some fighting by students but not much (100 deaths)

-Dubcek arrested and taken to Moscow

-Demonstrations continued but ‘normalisation’ began

What were the consequences of Prague Spring?

-Temporarily worsened relations but soon repaired themselves

-Longer term reduction in tensions continued

-Brezhnev Doctrine established

-Tensions within Warsaw Pact

-US did not offer millitary support for Czecheslovakia (as distracted by Vietnam war)

-’Normalisation’ in czecholovakia

-Czechoslovakia had communist rule for next 20 years

What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?

The USSR had right to intervene if any member state of Warsaw pact looked like they were going to leave or were straying from the path of one-party communsim.

What is meant by the term ‘cold war’?

A war of worlds, of propaganda and of threat between the US and USSR, however there was no direct confrontation (proxy wars).

Why did the cold war begin?

-Differing ideologies

-Stalin’s suspicion of the west

Why did the US and USSR have different ideologies?

-1917 Russia became first communist country in the world, both the US and USSR believed their system was the best way of organizing a country and other countries should follow

-USSR= one party state, no free elections, state owned industry. Lack of freedom and strict censorship.

-USA= democratic and capitalist, free elections, privately owned industry run for profit, free press and freedom of movement.

Why was Stalin suspicious of the west?

-USSR had previously been attacked (Germany invaded Russia in 1914, Hitler invaded in 1941). Stalin believed it was essential to have friendly countries on his boarder

-Stalin did not trust the West (they appeased Hitler in 1930’s and were slow to open a second front to help the russians fight Hitler)

What was the grand alliance?

An alliance established by the USSR, US, ad GB in 1941 to defreat the axis powers (Germany, Japan and Italy).

When was Yalta Conference?

February 1945

When was the Potsdam conference?

July 1945

When was the Tehran conference?

November 1943

Who were the leaders during Yalta and Tehran?

-USSR= Stalin

-USA= Roosevelt

-GB= Churchill

What were the agreements made at Tehran?

-The US and GB would open a ‘seccond front’ by launching an attack on Germany

-Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan once Germany was defeated

-Discussions about what should happen to germany post WW2

-A general agreement that an international body should be set up to settle disputes through discussion/negotiation (laid the foundation of the UN)

What were the agreements made at Yalta?

-Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan once Germany was defeated

-All 3 agreed to join the United Nations.

-Germany to be divided into four zones of occupation (Br, Fr, USA, USSR)

-Berlin to be divided into four zones, as Germany

-Stalin to have ‘a sphere of influence' in Eastern Europe.

-‘Free elections' to be held to decide governments countries liberated from Nazi occupation

What was the disagreement at Yalta?

Stalin insisted on a ‘friendly government’ in Poland. The West demanded free elections in Poland.

What was the personality clash at Potsdam?

Truman, the new President of the USA, was fiercely anti-communist. He was not prepared to negotiate with Stalin.

What were the agreements made at Potsdam?

-USSR to gain eastern Poland and Poland to be compensated with some German territory - the German border was settled at the Oder-Neisse Line.

-Nazi Party to be banned and Nazi war criminals to be put on trial.

What were the disagreements at Postdam?

-Stalin demanded harsh reparations from Germany for the USSR - demanded $20 billion compensation. This figure was rejected by Truman and Attlee – they did not want to make the same mistakes as at Versailles.

-Stalin denied a naval base in the Mediterranean

-Stalin had set up a communist government in Poland without free elections being held – this angered Truman and Attlee and made them suspicious of Stalin’s motives.

The Atomic Bomb/Arms Race

-USA successfully tested their first A Bomb (Aug 1945 during Potsdam)

-Truman informed Stalin about it, but was not willing to share the technology, starting an arms race.

-Until 1949 the USSR could not risk a war against USA.

-When the USSR exploded its own nuclear weapon in 1949 tension began to increase.

-The USA began to develop the H bomb. In 1952 the USSR exploded its own H-bomb.

-The USA began to build bomber aircraft, to deliver the H-bomb, in the mistaken belief that the USSR had more bomber aircraft than the USA did.

What was the Long Telegram?

-Truman received a worrying telegram from Kennan (an american ambassador in Moscow) in a secret report from their embassies trying to gain information on Stalin and his plans.

What did Kennan report in his telegram?

-Stalin had given a speech calling for destruction of capitalism

-America could have no peace with Russia while it opposed capitalism

-Russia was building military power

-The USA should seek to contain communism.

What was the novikov telegram?

Stalin received a worrying telegram from Novikov (an russian ambassador in Washington) in a secret report from their embassies trying to gain information on Stalin and his plans.

What did Novikov report in his telegram?

-America desired to dominate the world.

-Following Roosevelt’s death, the American government was no longer interested in co-operation with the USSR.

-The American public were being prepared for war with the USSR.

The creation of Satellite States

-The USSR responded to its nuclear inferiority by strengthening its control over Eastern Europe.

-Rigged elections, violence, intimidation and other methods were used to gain control over Eastern European states including Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

-By 1947 all eastern European states apart from Czechoslovakia had communist governments

How did the USSR justify the creation of satellite states?

-It had created a buffer zone against the West.

-It was afraid of the USA’s atomic power

-It was afraid of an attack by the West in the near future.

-It had created a ‘sphere of influence’ as agreed at Yalta.

What did the US claim against the Soviet creation of satellite states?

-The USSR had seized control of Eastern Europe and rejected free elections as agreed at Yalta.

-The USA feared that the USSR was determined to extend its influence into Western Europe -The USSR claimed that their measures were defensive, but the USA claimed they were aggressive and a threat to the west.

What were the causes of the Truman Doctrine?

-USSR increasing its hold over Eastern Europe

-Greek civil war: Britain said it could no longer support capitalist monarchy

-Truman feared greece (and then turkey) would fall to communism

What were the details of the Truman Doctorine?

-Truman announced US would intervene and support in Greece

-Major change of policy from USA isolation to active containment of communism

-Truman made clear his approach applied wordwide

What were the consequences of the Truman Doctrine?

-Communism defeated in Greece

-Rivalry grew, formed idealogical division

-USA became more involved in European affairs

What were the causes of The Marshall Plan?

-Czechoslovakia became communist

-US secretary of state (George Marshall) witnessed extent of poverty in post-war europe during a visit

-US feared Western Europe was susceptible to falling to communism

What were the details of The Marshall Plan?

-From 1948 US offered economic support to all European nations who applied

-USA supported Western European economies with 12billion in loans

-Most aid given to GB, Fr, and Western Germany

What were the consequences of The Marshall Plan?

-Support for communism in Western Europe fell

-USSR barred any satellites from applying for aid

What were the causes of Cominform?

-US Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid convinced stalin of need for coordinated on USSR interests

-Number of communist governments across europe growing and needed unification

-Desire to coordinate communist activities under soviet direction

What were the details of Cominform?

-Coordinate activities of communist parties across europe

-Western european communist parties were charged with disrupting marshall plan activities

-International communist newspaper started to promote consistency with soviet doctrine

What were the consequences of cominform?

-USA believed USSR wanted european impoverishment

-USA saw communism as a violent threat to recovery

-Increased use of coordinated propaganda by both sides

What were the causes of comecon?

-Marshall aid was taking affect in western europe which was improving living standards

-Some communist states were tempted to start to apply for aid

-Attempt to organise european recovery without needing to trade with the capitalist west

What were the details of comecon?

-Economic council for communist governments based in moscow

-Comecon promoted international planning and division of resources

-Comecone gave countries ‘specialisms’ that they could supply the communist world with (e.g. Bulgaria = electronics)

What were the consequences of comecon?

-Gave USSR more influence in communist states

-Less trade and other links across the iron curtain

-Long term gap between living standards between east and west grew

When was cominform?

1947

When was comecon?

1949

What were the causes of the formation of NATO?

-Western europe would not be strong enough to repel soviet military expansion

-Tensions had risen over Berlin crisis

-USA wanted a detern to further soviet aggression

What were the details of the formation of NATO?

-Collective defence alliance signed April 1949

-Western Germany admitted in 1955

-USA troops and missiles provided strategic defence across western europe

What were the consequences of the formation of NATO?

-Stalin believed the alliance was an aggressive treaty made to threaten the USSR

-Admission of West Germany was seen as aggressive (and led to the Warsaw pact)

-Arms race intensified

What were the causes for the Warsaw pact?

-West Germany admitted to nato meaning they would be armed and supported

-Stalin wanted control over military resources of eastern europe

-Stalin wanted a counterweight to NATO

When was the Warsaw pact?

1955

What were the details of the warsaw pact?

-Collective defence alliance signed in Warsaw, weeks after Germany joined NATO

-Gave USSR effective control over the Communist states’ armed forced

-Deployment of strategic soviet forces across eastern europe