7: Cold War Origins and Early Development (1919-1955)

These flashcards cover the major events, concepts, policies, and terminology from the origins of the Cold War up to 1955, providing a comprehensive review for exam preparation.

What period is known as the Cold War and what characterised it?

From the mid-1940s to the late-1980s, a period of sustained political, economic, and military tension—without direct great-power warfare—between the US and USSR.

Which event in April 1945 symbolised initial camaraderie between US and Soviet troops?

Elbe Day, when American and Soviet forces met on the River Elbe in Germany.

Why did relations shift from Allied cooperation to enmity after WWII?

War-torn Europe left a power vacuum, Western European powers declined, and the US and USSR emerged as rival superpowers with conflicting ideologies and security aims.

What are the core features of US ideology during the early Cold War?

Democracy with free elections and capitalism with private ownership and free competition.

What are the core features of Soviet ideology during the early Cold War?

Communism with one-party rule and a command economy with state ownership and central planning.

How did the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 feed later mistrust?

Western powers wanted Germany as a bulwark against communism, signalling early suspicion of Soviet intentions.

Why did the Russian Civil War (1918-21) worsen US-Soviet distrust?

US and British troops intervened on the anti-communist side, fostering Soviet fears of Western hostility.

What was Stalin’s main request of the Western Allies during WWII, and when was it met?

Opening a second front in Western Europe; fulfilled only in June 1944 with Operation Overlord.

How did Stalin interpret the delay in opening the second front?

He suspected the Allies wanted Germany and the USSR to bleed each other, deepening distrust.

Who were the ‘Big Three’ at Yalta (Feb 1945)?

Winston Churchill (Britain), Franklin D. Roosevelt (US), and Joseph Stalin (USSR).

What major decisions were reached at the Yalta Conference regarding Germany?

Germany and Berlin would be divided into four occupation zones among the US, USSR, Britain, and France.

What compromise was reached at Yalta over Poland?

Roosevelt accepted Poland’s shifted borders eastward if the USSR promised not to interfere in Greece.

Which two new Western leaders adopted harder lines at Potsdam (July-Aug 1945)?

Harry Truman (US) and Clement Attlee (Britain).

How did the secret Manhattan Project affect post-war relations?

The US’s development and use of the atomic bomb without informing Stalin heightened Soviet suspicion and triggered an arms race.

What was the major disagreement over Germany at Potsdam?

Stalin wanted crippling reparations; Truman opposed harsh measures to avoid repeating Versailles‐era mistakes.

Define ‘salami tactics’ in the context of Soviet expansion.

Stalin’s method of gradually eliminating opposition in Eastern Europe to install pro-Soviet communist governments slice by slice.

What overarching US strategy sought to limit Soviet influence after 1947?

Containment—preventing the spread of communism beyond its existing borders.

Which telegram strongly influenced Truman’s policy of containment?

George Kennan’s ‘Long Telegram’ (1946).

State the purpose of the Truman Doctrine (1947).

To provide political, military, and economic aid to countries threatened by communism, starting with Greece and Turkey.

How much aid did the US send to Greece and Turkey under the Truman Doctrine?

US$400 million in economic and military assistance.

Why did the US launch the Marshall Plan (1948)?

To revive European economies, reduce poverty and instability, and make communism less attractive.

How much money did the Marshall Plan allocate for European recovery?

Approximately US$13 billion.

What accusation did the USSR level at the Marshall Plan and what term did it coin?

It called the plan ‘Dollar Imperialism,’ claiming the US sought economic domination of Europe.

What was COMINFORM (1947) and its purpose?

The Communist Information Bureau—created to coordinate communist parties and tighten Soviet control over satellite states, ensuring rejection of the Marshall Plan.

What was COMECON (1949) and why was it formed?

The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance—an economic bloc to integrate Eastern European economies under Soviet leadership as a counter to the Marshall Plan.

What immediate Western action prompted Stalin’s Berlin Blockade in 1948?

The Western powers merged their occupation zones into ‘Trizone’ and introduced a new currency, signalling moves toward a strong West Germany.

What were Stalin’s aims in initiating the Berlin Blockade?

To starve West Berlin, force the Allies out, and keep Germany weak and divided.

How did the Western Allies respond to the Berlin Blockade?

With the Berlin Airlift, flying supplies into West Berlin for 11 months via an unblocked air corridor.

What was the outcome of the Berlin Airlift for Stalin?

He lifted the blockade in May 1949, suffering humiliation and a loss of prestige.

Name the two German states created in 1949 and indicate which bloc each joined.

Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) aligned with the West; German Democratic Republic (East Germany) aligned with the Soviet bloc.

When was NATO formed and what principle underpinned it?

1949; collective security—an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all.

Why did the USSR view NATO as a threat?

It unified Western military power directly against potential Soviet aggression.

What was the Warsaw Pact (1955) and its key purpose?

A Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern Bloc states established to counter NATO and cement Soviet control over their armed forces.

Explain the term ‘Iron Curtain.’

Coined by Winston Churchill (1946) to describe the ideological and physical division between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled Eastern Bloc.

How did differing wartime experiences shape US and Soviet post-war priorities?

The US emerged relatively unscathed and focused on markets and democracy; the USSR suffered massive losses and prioritised security, reparations, and buffer zones.

What was the Soviet Union’s security goal in Eastern Europe after WWII?

To create a buffer zone of friendly (communist) satellite states to prevent future invasions.

Define ‘satellite state’ in the Cold War context.

An officially independent nation under heavy political, economic, and military influence or control by the USSR.

Why did the US fear the spread of communism to Western Europe’s weak economies?

Economic hardship could make communist promises appealing, threatening US trade opportunities and security interests.

What is meant by ‘proxy war’ in the Cold War?

A conflict where the superpowers support opposing sides without engaging each other directly, e.g., Korea or Vietnam.

Why did neither superpower seek direct military confrontation after 1949?

The advent of nuclear weapons created the risk of mutually assured destruction, making direct war too dangerous.

What strategic advantage did the US see in rebuilding Western Europe?

Healthy markets for American goods, political stability, and stronger democratic allies against communism.

How did COMECON often disadvantage Eastern European members?

Trade terms favoured the USSR, compelling satellites to supply raw materials cheaply and buy Soviet manufactured goods.

Summarise the significance of the Berlin Blockade in Cold War development.

It crystallised division of Germany, proved resolve of both sides, accelerated formation of NATO, and demonstrated the Cold War would be fought by pressure, not direct war.

What event sparked the nuclear arms race between the USSR and the US?

The US’s 1945 atomic bomb use and secrecy, followed by the USSR’s first successful test in 1949.