History CAT prac

When was the Yalta Conference?

4–11 February 1945.

Who were the Big Three at Yalta?

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

What was agreed about Germany at Yalta?

Germany would be divided into four occupation zones and disarmed/demilitarised.

What was agreed about the United Nations at Yalta?

The Allies agreed on the establishment of the United Nations (UN).

What did Stalin agree to do regarding Japan at Yalta?

Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan after Germany was defeated.

What was promised about Eastern Europe at Yalta?

Free elections were supposed to be held in Eastern European countries, particularly Poland.

Why was Yalta significant?

It was the last major display of Allied unity, but disagreements over Poland later became evidence of growing Soviet control.

Why was Poland important to Stalin?

The USSR saw Poland as a vital buffer state against future invasions.

What did Britain and the USA want for Poland?

They wanted Poland to be an independent democracy.

What happened to the Polish government after Yalta?

Stalin supported the communist-dominated Lublin Government.

Why did Poland damage trust between the USA and USSR?

The West believed Stalin had broken the promises made at Yalta about free elections.

Why is Poland a key case study for the origins of the Cold War?

It showed the conflict between Soviet security concerns and Western demands for democracy.

When was the Potsdam Conference?

17 July–2 August 1945.

Who attended Potsdam?

Harry Truman, Joseph Stalin, and Clement Attlee.

Why was Potsdam different from Yalta?

Relations were much more tense because the common enemy had been defeated and there was increasing mistrust and rivalry.

What happened to Roosevelt between Yalta and Potsdam?

Roosevelt died in April 1945 and Harry Truman became president.

What happened to Churchill during Potsdam?

Churchill was replaced by Clement Attlee after Labour won the British election.

What were the main issues at Potsdam?

Germany, reparations, Poland, and Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.

What did Potsdam reveal about Allied relations?

It revealed increasing mistrust and a significant deterioration in USA–USSR relations.

What is atomic diplomacy?

The use of the atomic bomb to strengthen the diplomatic position of the USA.

When was the Trinity Test?

16 July 1945.

When was Hiroshima bombed?

6 August 1945.

When was Nagasaki bombed?

9 August 1945.

What was the US nuclear monopoly?

From 1945–1949, the USA possessed nuclear weapons while the USSR did not yet have its own atomic bomb.

What are the three interpretations of the atomic bomb's use?

Orthodox: used to end the war. Revisionist: partly used to pressure the USSR. Post-revisionist: one factor among many.

How did atomic diplomacy affect the Cold War?

It increased Soviet mistrust and contributed to the nuclear dimension of the Cold War.

What was Kennan's Long Telegram?

An approximately 8,000-word telegram sent by George Kennan from Moscow to the US State Department on 22 February 1946.

What did Kennan argue about the USSR?

He argued that the USSR was expansionist and that the USA needed to resist Soviet expansion.

What is containment?

A US policy designed to prevent communism from spreading to other nations.

How did the Long Telegram influence US policy?

It provided the intellectual basis for containment and influenced Truman's thinking.

Who gave the Iron Curtain speech?

Winston Churchill.

When and where was the Iron Curtain speech delivered?

5 March 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri.

What did Churchill mean by the Iron Curtain?

Europe was becoming divided between a Soviet-dominated East and a Western bloc.

Why was the Iron Curtain speech significant?

It publicly identified the division of Europe and increased tensions with the USSR.

What was the Truman Doctrine?

A US commitment to support nations resisting communism.

When was the Truman Doctrine announced?

12 March 1947.

What caused the Truman Doctrine?

Crises in Greece and Turkey.

How much aid did Truman request under the Truman Doctrine?

Approximately US$400 million.

Why was the Truman Doctrine important?

It formalised containment and turned containment from an idea into official US foreign policy.

What is the easiest way to remember the Truman Doctrine?

Political/military support → stop communism.

What was the Marshall Plan?

A massive US economic assistance program to rebuild Europe.

When was the Marshall Plan announced?

June 1947.

How much money was provided through the Marshall Plan?

Approximately US$13 billion.

Why did Stalin prevent Eastern European countries from participating in the Marshall Plan?

The plan increased Western economic influence, which threatened Soviet influence over Eastern Europe.

How did the Marshall Plan affect Western Europe?

It helped rebuild Western European economies and reduced support for communist parties.

How did the Marshall Plan deepen the Cold War?

It strengthened the Western bloc while increasing Soviet fears of American influence.

What is the easiest way to remember the Marshall Plan?

Economic aid → rebuild Europe → reduce communist support.

What is the difference between the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan?

Truman Doctrine = political/military support to stop communism. Marshall Plan = economic aid to rebuild Europe.

What is Soviet expansionism?

The expansion of Soviet political influence and control into Eastern Europe.

What is a sphere of influence?

When one nation exercises political and economic control or influence over other countries or territories.

What were the two competing ideologies?

Communism associated with the USSR and capitalism associated with the USA/West.

What was the central conflict over Eastern Europe?

The USSR wanted security and friendly governments, while the West wanted independent democratic governments.

What were the major causes of the breakdown of the USA–USSR alliance?

Poland, Soviet expansion, ideological differences, atomic diplomacy, and the development of containment, followed by the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan.

What happened on 4–11 February 1945?

Yalta Conference.

What happened in April 1945?

Roosevelt died and Truman became president.

What happened on 17 July–2 August 1945?

Potsdam Conference.

What happened on 16 July 1945?

Trinity atomic test.

What happened on 6 August 1945?

Hiroshima.

What happened on 9 August 1945?

Nagasaki.

What happened on 22 February 1946?

Kennan's Long Telegram.

What happened on 5 March 1946?

Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech.

What happened on 12 March 1947?

Truman Doctrine.

What happened in June 1947?

Marshall Plan.

What is the overall development from 1945–47?

Wartime cooperation → mistrust → competing spheres of influence → containment → Cold War.