HL History: The Cold War

Franklin D. Roosevelt

US President March ‘33 - April ‘45; personal liberty and self-determination focus

Truman

US President April '45 - January '53; led post-war recovery and containment policy

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister May ‘40-July ‘45; focus on maintaining British empire

Stalin

General Secretary of Soviet Union April ‘22-March ‘53; great concern for security, wanted buffer states and the establishment of communist governments in Eastern Europe.

Roosevelt Wartime Conference Focus

Self-determination

Churchill Wartime Conference Focus

Concerned of Britain weakening

Stalin Wartime Conference Focus

Soviet geopolitical security and the spread of communism

Tehran conference

Nov & dec ‘43; discussed opening a second front and forming the UN

Operation Overlord

The code name for the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe (France) during World War II, which took place on June 6, 1944.

Border of Poland Compromise

Stalin gets Poland but government will be democratically elected

United Nations

An intergovernmental organization founded in 1945 to promote international cooperation, peace, and security among nations.

Yalta Conference

1945; discussed UN, occupation zones of Germany, Poland!, terms for Soviets to enter war with Japan

Stalin’s condition for entering war with Japan

would gain south sakhalin island and part of manchuria

Potsdam Conference

1945; discussed demilitarizing Germany and denazification, hopeful to reunite a divided Germany

communism

based on class struggle between working class and capitalists

Marxism and Leninism

the working class to overthrow capitalists; would result in revolution

realpoltik

political decisions based on practical objectives rather than moral or ideological considerations

US Grand Alliance Goals

free elections in a liberated Europe, US economic interests supported (free trade and self-determination)

USSR Grand Alliance Goals

ensure security, hope for economic support

Great Britain Grand Alliance Goals

maintain the British empire/influence, democratic Poland

Long Telegram by Kennan

warning of expanding communism, suggested containment policy

churchill’s speech

called for western alliance against communist threat (stalin’s “iron curtain”)

Truman Doctrine

response to long telegram, stop communism rather than push it back

salami tactics

taking bit by bit; Stalin used in czechoslavakia

Marshall Plan

offer of Marshall aid, $1.3B offered to all of europe, marked as start of cold war, stalin turned down but western europe accepted

allied controlled comission (ACC)

the governing body that oversaw the administration of Germany after World War II, ensuring cooperation among the Allies.

western vision for germany post war

industirialized, strong and democratic state aligned with the West.

Trizonia

est. ‘48, done outside of ACC (US and Britain formed), est. own currency and constitution

eastern vision for germany post-war

rural and easy to control

satellite states

Countries in Eastern Europe under Soviet influence or control after World War II, often lacking political independence.

berlin blockade crisis causes

marshall plan, trizonia, and the division of Germany.

berlin airlift

The operation by Western Allies to supply West Berlin with food and essential goods via air transport during the Soviet blockade from 1948 to 1949.

west germany

est. 1949 (after blockade ends), US troops remain

east germany

est. 1949, authoritarian state controlled by Moscow

Stasi

police of east germany, known for aggressiveness/intensity

wasaw pact (‘55)

USSR version of NATO, soviets and satellite states