IBDP Cold War Test Notes

PLEASE DO NOT SHUFFLE OR IT WILL NOT MAKE SENSE. DO THE QUESTIONS IN ORDER OF HOW THEY WERE CREATED. SOME QUESTIONS BUILD OFF PREVIOUS QUESTIONS AND THEIR CONTEXTS. PLEASE🙏🙏🙏

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945), FDR is known for his New Deal policies aimed at alleviating the economic hardships of the Great Depression, and for his pivotal leadership during World War II, which included the establishment of Social Security and advocacy for labor rights. His presidency reshaped American politics and the role of government in the economy.

Winston Churchill

As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the height of World War II, Churchill is renowned for his steadfast leadership, rousing speeches, and indomitable spirit that inspired British resistance against Nazi Germany. His strategies and alliances were instrumental in the victory of the Allies.

Joseph Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953, Stalin’s enforcement of a totalitarian regime transformed the USSR into a formidable world power. His policies of rapid industrialization and collectivization had profound social impacts, and he played a significant role in the Allies’ defeat of Nazi Germany during WWII.

Yalta Conference

A crucial meeting held in February 1945 involving FDR, Churchill, and Stalin that aimed to discuss the reorganization of post-war Europe. This conference laid the groundwork for the geopolitical divisions of Europe during the Cold War.

Potsdam Conference

The 1945 meeting of the Allied leaders (FDR/Truman, Churchill/Attlee, and Stalin) to discuss the administration of postwar Germany, but also to address Eastern European territories, resulting in tensions that would ultimately contribute to Cold War hostilities.

Harry Truman

The 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953) who succeeded FDR. His policies during the early Cold War, including the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, aimed at containing communism and supporting European recovery, significantly shaping U.S. foreign policy.

The Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

The decision by President Truman to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, effectively ending World War II. This act initiated a new era of warfare while also raising ethical questions and starting an atomic arms race during the Cold War.

Eastern European Political Sovereignty

The principle concerning the independence and self-determination of Eastern European nations post-WWII, often compromised by Soviet influence, which led to Cold War tensions and resistance by local populations.

“Iron Curtain” Speech

Winston Churchill's famous speech delivered in 1946 that described the division of Europe into Western democracies and Eastern communist states, symbolizing the ideological conflict that characterized the Cold War.

Salamic Tactics

Military strategies employed by communist forces to divide enemy resources and create confusion, notably used during the Cold War conflicts, particularly in Vietnam and Korean engagements.

George Kennan

An American diplomat and historian best known for his role in formulating the policy of containment to counter Soviet expansion during the Cold War, which became the cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.

Containment

A U.S. policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism beyond its existing borders, particularly in Eastern Europe and Asia, by providing political, military, and economic support to countries resisting communism.

Truman Doctrine

Announced in 1947, this U.S. foreign policy committed to countering Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War, primarily by providing aid to Greece and Turkey to combat communist movements.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative launched in 1948 providing economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after WWII, strengthening political stability and resisting communist influence.

The Berlin Airlift

A year-long operation (1948-1949) in which Allied forces delivered supplies to West Berlin following the Soviet blockade; it exemplified the West's commitment to countering Soviet pressure and was a key event in the early Cold War.

N.A.T.O.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, established in 1949 as a military alliance of Western nations to provide collective security against the Soviet threat; it marked a significant commitment to mutual defense.

McCarthyism

A period in the early 1950s characterized by intense anti-communist suspicion in the United States, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, resulting in accusations, investigations, and the blacklisting of alleged communists.

NSC-68

A key U.S. policy document produced in 1950 that advocated for a bold stance against communism, urging increased military spending and a more aggressive foreign policy.

The Korean War

A conflict that lasted from 1950 to 1953 between North Korea, supported by China and the USSR, and South Korea, backed by UN forces (primarily the U.S.). It underscored Cold War tensions and the application of containment policy.

“Rollback”

A U.S. strategy aimed at reversing the gains made by communism rather than merely containing it, reflecting a more aggressive Cold War posture.

Dwight Eisenhower

34th President of the United States (1953-1961), known for his policy of 'Dynamic Conservatism' and for navigating Cold War tensions, including the establishment of the Eisenhower Doctrine that provided military and economic support to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.

Nikita Khrushchev

Leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, known for his attempts to de-Stalinize the USSR and for engaging in the Cold War's most significant crises, including the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Brinkmanship

A foreign policy tactic practiced by the U.S. during the Cold War, characterized by the willingness to go to the brink of war to force the opponent to back down.

C.I.A.

The Central Intelligence Agency, established in 1947, responsible for gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world, and playing a significant role in covert operations during the Cold War.

Peaceful Co-existence

A foreign policy concept advocated by Khrushchev that emphasized the possibility of peaceful relations between communist states and capitalist countries, despite their ideological differences.

Sputnik I

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the beginning of the space age and intensifying the space race and technological competition between the U.S. and USSR.

The Missile Gap

The perceived superiority of Soviet missile capabilities in the late 1950s compared to the United States, leading to heightened fears of nuclear war and driving U.S. military and technological advancements.

The U-2 Incident (1960)

The shooting down of a U.S. U-2 spy plane over Soviet airspace, which escalated tensions between the superpowers and led to the collapse of a summit conference in Paris.

Kim Il Sung

The leader of North Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994, significant for his role in the Korean War and for establishing a rigid, totalitarian regime.

38th Parallel

The latitude line that served as the border between North and South Korea before and after the Korean War, becoming a symbol of Cold War division.

17th Parallel

The latitude line that divided North and South Vietnam following the Vietnam War, representing the ideological and political division that characterized the conflict.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A resolution passed by the U.S. Congress in 1964, providing President Johnson with broad powers to escalate military involvement in Vietnam following alleged attacks on U.S. ships.

Tet Offensive

A series of surprise attacks by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) in 1968, which significantly shifted American public opinion about the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh

The leader of North Vietnam from 1945 until his death in 1969, central to the Vietnamese struggle for independence from French colonial rule and pivotal in the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

A U.S. policy initiated by President Nixon aimed at transferring combat roles from American troops to South Vietnamese forces in an attempt to reduce American involvement in the Vietnam War.

Domino Theory

The political theory that posited the spread of communism in one country would lead to successive states falling to communism, particularly in Southeast Asia, influencing U.S. foreign policy.

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th President of the United States (1963-1969), known for his Great Society programs and for escalating U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War to combat the spread of communism.

GDR (German Democratic Republic)

Also known as East Germany, established in 1949 and became a socialist state under Soviet influence, symbolizing the ideological divide of the Cold War.

FRG (Federal Republic of Germany)

West Germany, established in 1949 as a capitalist state aligned with the West, contrasting sharply with the GDR and becoming a focal point of Cold War tensions.

Berlin Crisis 1958-61

A series of crises in which the status of Berlin became a focal point of Cold War tensions, culminating in the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

Non-Aligned Movement

A group of states that sought to remain independent from the influence of the major Cold War powers (U.S. and USSR), promoting a position of neutrality in international relations.

Suez Crisis

A diplomatic and military confrontation in 1956 following Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal, illustrating the decline of British and French influence and the rise of U.S. and Soviet power in global affairs.

Hungarian Uprising

A nationwide revolt against the Soviet-backed government in Hungary in 1956, which was ultimately suppressed by Soviet military intervention, demonstrating the limits of U.S. influence in Eastern Europe.

Detente

A period of improved relations between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the 1970s, characterized by arms control agreements and increased diplomatic dialogue aimed at reducing Cold War tensions.

Mikhail Gorbachev

The last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1985-1991), known for his reforms of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which contributed to the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the USSR.

Ronald Reagan

40th President of the United States (1981-1989), whose administration adopted a hardline stance against the Soviet Union, promoting military buildup and a strategic defense initiative that renewed Cold War tensions before pivoting toward negotiation.

Leonid Brezhnev

General Secretary of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, during his tenure, the U.S.-Soviet relations were characterized by military buildup, the Brezhnev Doctrine, and the stagnation of reform.

SALT I

The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, culminating in 1972 agreements that aimed to curb the arms race between the U.S. and USSR, marking a significant step towards arms control.

SALT II

Follow-up negotiations to SALT I, signed in 1979 but never ratified due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, reflecting the volatile nature of Cold War diplomacy.

Jimmy Carter

39th President of the United States (1977-1981), known for his focus on human rights in foreign policy and for brokered peace efforts in the Middle East but faced criticism for handling of the Iranian hostage crisis.

Moscow Treaty

A 1970 treaty between the USSR and West Germany that reaffirmed the post-WWII borders and aimed at improving relations and easing tensions between the two nations.

Basic Treaty

A treaty signed in 1972 between the GDR and FRG that normalized relations between East and West Germany, acknowledging the existence of both states.

Helsinki Agreements and the 3 Baskets

A series of agreements (1975) resulting from the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which addressed security, economic cooperation, and human rights, marking an attempt to ease East-West tensions.

OPEC

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, formed to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among member states to secure fair oil prices and manage production levels.

Chernobyl

The site of a catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986 in Ukraine, significant for its long-term impacts on nuclear policy, public health, and environmental safety across Europe.

Perestroika

A program initiated by Gorbachev in the 1980s aimed at restructuring the Soviet economy to encourage efficiency and productivity while introducing elements of market economics.

Glasnost

A policy introduced by Gorbachev that promoted greater transparency and openness in government institutions and activities, leading to increased freedom of expression and the gradual disintegration of the Soviet control over Eastern Europe.

Ostpolitik

The policy of reconciliation and improved relations initiated by West Germany with Eastern Bloc countries in the late 1960s and early 1970s, aiming to ease Cold War tensions and foster cooperation.

Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 at the end of World War II, two competing Superpowers emerge:

United States, Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR)

Part of what made the Cold War so intense was that both of these Superpowers had fundamental what?

differences in ideology

America (and the “West”), economic differences between the USSR

• Individuals should be able to compete with each other with a minimum of state interference and make as much money as they wish

  • Capitalism

• Individuals are thus encouraged to work hard with the promise of individual reward

America (and the “West”) Political Differences between the USSR

• Individuals choose the government through voting. There is a range of political parties to choose from

• Individuals have certain rights, such as freedom of the press

  • Liberal Democracy

America (and the “West”) Economic Differences between the USSR

• Capitalism creates divisions between rich and poor. Thus all businesses and farms should be owned by the state on behalf of the people

  • Communism

• Goods will be distributed to individuals by the state. Everyone will thus get what is needed and everyone will be working for the collective good

America (and the “West”) Political Differences between the USSR

• There is no need for a range of political parties, as the Communist Party truly represents the views of all of the workers and rules on behalf of the people.

• Individual freedoms valued by the west are not necessary

  • This is a one party state

Idealism v. Self Interest: What ideals underpinned the view of each country/ How was this achieved by each country? (USA)

• Idealism of Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt

• Struggle for a better world based on collective security, political self-determination, and economic integration

• Peace freedom, justice and plenty

  • Achieved by democracy/Capitalism and international co-operation

Idealism v. Self Interest: What ideals underpinned the view of each country/ How was this achieved by each country? (USSR)

• Marxist idealism and Stalinism

• Struggle for a better world based on international socialism

• Peace, freedom, justice, and plenty

  • Achieved by spreading Soviet- style communism

Idealism v. Self-Interest: Which Elements of self-interest lay behind each country’s ideals (USA)

• The need to establish markets and open doors to FREE TRADE

• The desire to avoid another economic crisis of the magnitude of 1929

• President Truman and most of the post war US administration’s belief that what was good for America was good for the world

Idealism v. Self-Interest: Which Elements of self-interest lay behind each country’s ideals (USSR)

• The need to secure boarders

• The need to recover from the effects of World War II

• The need to regain strength as the nursery of Communism

• Stalin’s belief that what was good for the USSR was good for the workers of the world

Significance of Stalinism (Stalin’s Policies)

• Collectivization of all farms (Leads to the death of millions of agricultural workers)

• Five-year plans (Industry: dramatically increase production, put USSR in a position to defeat the Nazi’s by 1945)

• Great Terror (Purges of all political opponents as well as millions of ordinary people, Gulag’s – slave labor camps)

By 1945, Stalinism means:

• Dominance of Stalin over the party, and the party over state institutions

• A powerful state machinery

• The ruthless maintenance of power by the elimination of opposing leaders, groups or entire sections of the population

• The development of a regime associate with paranoia and violence

Stalin’s role in World War II (Operation Barbarossa)

• Red Army is ill prepared for war, many military leaders had not survived Stalin’s purges , Ukraine is quickly overrun , German Army besieged , Leningrad and reached the outskirts of Moscow , Winter in Russia devastates the underprepared Germans

Stalin’s role in World War II - overall, Stalin plays a key role

in defeating the Nazis

Why Does the USA and USSR Emerge as Superpowers after 1945: Military Reasons

• To defeat Germany, USA had become the number one air force power in the world

• To defeat Germany, USSR had become the number one land force power in the world

• France’s and Britain’s inability to defeat Germany had changed the balance of power – they are now “second tier”

• The USSR now lacked any strong military neighbors. This made it the regional power

Why Does the USA and USSR Emerge as Superpowers after 1945: Economic Reason

• The USA’s economy was strengthened by the war. It was now able to out-produce the other powers put together

• The USA was committed to more “open trade” Its politicians and businesspeople wanted to ensure liberal trade, and market competition flourished. The United States was willing to play an active role in avoiding the re-emergence of the disastrous pre-war pattern of trade blocs and tariffs

• The USA had the economic strength to prevent a return to instability in Europe

• The small Eastern European countries that had been created after World War One were not economically viable on their own, so they needed the support of a stronger neighbor, and the USSR could replace Germany in this role

Why Does the USA and USSR Emerge as Superpowers after 1945: Political Reasons

• For the West, the outcome of World War Two showed that the ideals of democracy and international collaboration had triumphed over fascism. Thus the political system of the USA was the right path for the future

• For the Soviet Union, it was Communism that had triumphed over fascism. Indeed Communism had gained widespread respect in Europe because of its part in resisting the Germans

• The USSR had huge losses, and the role of the Red Army in defeating the Nazis, gave Stalin a claim to great influence in forming the post-war world.

• The USSR had the political and military strength to prevent a return to instability in Eastern Europe. Communism could fill the political vacuum

• The alliance that existed between the United States and the USSR to defeat Germany completely collapses by 1949.

Liberalism

• Liberals put their main emphasis on the freedom of the individual

• Economically they believe in minimal interference by the state.

• Foreign policy: promote the ideas of free trade and cooperation

• Strong beliefs in: (Civil liberties (freedom of conscience, freedom of speech), Universal suffrage, Parliamentary constitutional government, An independent judiciary, Diplomacy rather than force in relations between states)

Fascism

• This ideology is rooted in ideas that are the very opposite of liberalism

• Limiting individual freedoms in the interest of the state

• Extreme nationalism

• Use of violence to achieve ends

• Keeping power in the hands of an elite group or leader

• An aggressive foreign policy

Socialism

• Ideology developed in the early 19th century in the context of the Industrial Revolution

• Socialists believe: (A more egalitarian social system, Governments providing for the more needy members of society, International cooperation and solidarity)

Conservatism

• The general implication is a belief in maintaining the existing or traditional order (Respect for traditional institutions, Limiting government intervention in people’s lives, Gradual and/or limited changes in the established order)

Right Wing v. Left Wing

• Right: describes groups who favor free-market capitalism and place an emphasis on law and order, limited state interference and traditional societal values

• Left: describes those groups who favor more equality in society, and thus more government intervention in the economy to secure this situation

In 1945, American and Soviet Soldiers met at the River Elbe, what did this signify

Signified the final defeat of Germany, due to the successful collaboration between the USA and the Allies in the Grand Alliance

By 1949 however, Europe has been divided into two separate spheres of what?

“spheres of influence”

In September of 1949, following the Berlin Blockade, West Germany was established, what was it called?

the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)

In October of 1949, following the Berlin Blockade, East Germany was established, what was it called?

the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

What marked the beginning of the Grand Alliance

When Germany attacked Russia in June of 1941, both British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent aid to the Soviets

What were the three major wartime conferences

Tehran, Yalta, Potsdam

Tehran Conference (date/ leaders present)

First Major Conference, held in Tehran Iran – November 1943

Leaders present: Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill

Tehran Conference (what was discussed)

Allies were beginning turn the fight around, pushing the Germans back from North Africa and had invaded Italy

Soviets were pushing the Germans into retreat on the Eastern front

British and Americans had not launched a second front yet in Stalin’s eyes

Continues to press that the allies invade northwestern Europe

Early discussions on Japan start, US has begun its Island hopping strategy

Tehran Conference (germany)

Question is raised – what to do with Germany post defeat

Divide between Stalin and Allies

Allies are looking to learn from Treaty of Versailles failures

Too punishing of Germany – leading to Hitler’s rise

Stalin is less forgiving

One major agreement: “unconditional surrender” of Germany was the objective

Roosevelt does believe that Operation Overlord – the allied invasion of northern France that would eventually begin June 6th 1944– was a priority

Tehran Conference (Poland)

Stalin’s main concern: “security” – which influences his demands over the future of Germany, but also thus shapes his concerns over the shape of Poland’s post war boarders.

Stalin wants to secure his western boarder by taking land from Poland

Wants a pro-soviet government installed in Poland

Claims that historically, Poland had been a launching pad to the invasion of Russia

Thus it was agreed to that USSR was to keep territory seized in 1939 and Poland would be given territory on its western boarder with Germany

No independent Poland would agree to this – ensuring hostilities in the future between Poland and Germany

Made it likely that a puppet regime would have to be installed, and it would have to look to the USSR for security

Tensions between Pole and Soviets increased in 1943, when a mass grave of 10,000 Polish officers was discovered in the Katyn Forest. Though the Soviets blamed the Germans, many Poles rightly suspected that this had been committed by the Soviets

Tehran Conference (Eastern Europe)

Soviets demanded the right to keep the territories that they had seized between 1939 and 1940, giving them control of the Baltic States and parts of Finland and Romania

Americans and British reluctantly agreed to allow it

Goes against the Atlantic Charter agreement between the United States and Britain

The Charter they drafted included eight “common principles” that the United States and Great Britain would be committed to supporting in the postwar world. Both countries agreed not to seek territorial expansion; to seek the liberalization of international trade; to establish freedom of the seas, and international labor, economic, and welfare standards.

Tehran Conference (japan and UN)

Japan

• United States and Britain pressed the USSR to enter the war with Japan

• Stalin says no until Germany has been stopped

The United Nations

• British and Soviets give general approval of the idea of such an organization

• Settle international disputes though collect security

Tehran (overall)

Agreement on a new international organization

Agreement on the need weak post-war Germany

Roosevelt: “I got along fine with Marshal Stalin… I believe that we are going to get along very well with him and the Russian People…”

However, there is a growing gap between Soviet post war goals and Churchill

Roosevelt even assures Polish that Stalin is not imperialist

The Yalta Conference (date/ leaders present)

By the time of February 1945 Yalta Conference on the Black Sea in Russia Stalin’s diplomatic position is greatly strengthened

Red Armies control most of Eastern Europe

Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill represent the big powers

Yalta COnference (the State of the War)

Germany is on the verge of defeat

Normandy landings in 1944 – second war front has been opened

British and Americans had forced the Germans from France, poised to cross the Rhine and invade Germany from the West

Soviets are ready to invade Germany from the East

Japan

Still fighting on, but are under heavy aerial bombardment from the Americans

USA is in control or Air and Sea in the Pacific

Japan is preparing for final defense of the homeland

Yalta Conference (Germany)

Allies decide that Germany would be disarmed, demilitarized, de-Nazified, and divided

Four Zones of Occupation: USA, USSR, Britain, France would each control a portion

Divisions would be temporary and Germany was to be run as one country

Allied Control Council (ACC) would be set up to govern Germany

Stalin demands reparations

It was agreed Germany would pay 20 Billion, with half going to USSR

Yalta Conference (Poland)

Biggest issue: boarders of Poland

Boarder between USSR and Poland would be drawn at the Curzon Line

Puts boundary to what it had been before the Russo-Polish War of 1921.

Poland would be compensated by gaining back territory taken by Germany

Land east of the Oder-Neisse Line

Thus Stalin gets what he wants in terms of boundaries

Establishment of Polish Government

British support the London Poles, pre-war government that had fled in 1939

Soviets want Communist Lublin Committee in Poland to form the new government

Katyn Forrest massacre and failure of Soviets to back Polish in Warsaw Uprising – specifically those who followed the London Poles

Yalta Conference (Eastern Europe and Japan)

There is agreement over the future nature of governments in Eastern Europe

Stalin agrees that Eastern Europe would be able to have free elections

Perceived at the time as a major victory for Britain and US

Japan

Stalin promised to enter the war against Japan as soon as the war in Europe drew to a close

Demanded territory as a reward: South Sakhalin and Kuril Islands.

Terms accepted by Roosevelt and Stalin

Yalta Conference (United Nations)

Stalin agreed that the Soviet Union would join the UN organization

Allies agree to five permanent members of the Security Council, each with veto power: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Stalin wants all 16 Soviet Republics to have seats in the UN General Assembly

British and USA agreed in the end to only Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Three main positive outcomes of Yalta:

Agreement on UN

Soviet agreement to join the war with Japan

The Big Three signing a “Declaration on Liberated Europe” pledging for free elections in all European Countries, including those in Eastern Europe

Crucial Developments between Yalta and Potsdam Conferences

President Roosevelt died in April 1945, and was replaced by Truman, who was to adopt a more hardline approach towards the Soviets

Germany finally surrendered unconditionally on May 7th, 1945

Winston Churchill’s conservative party lost the July 1945 general election, and Churchill was succeeded as prime minister by Labour Party leader, Clement Attlee

As the war in Europe ended, the Soviet Red Army occupied territory as far west as deep inside Germany

On July 17, 1945, the day after Potsdam begins, the US successfully tested its first atomic bomb