The Cold War (overall summary)

define Ideology

A collection of ideas of economic or political theory and policy (plan of action)

Hostility

opposition/unfriendliness

where was the USSR/Soviet Union?

Belarus, Russia and Ukraine (communists)

when was the the Nazi-Soviet Pact made?

1939

what was the nazi soviet pact

an agreement stating Germany and Russia can’t attack each other

who were the Bolsheviks (the reds)

Communists

Communists

• one political party

• economy (business’s managed by the state/government)

• information was controlled by the state/press

• equality

Capitalists

• people chose the political party in power

• people free to start their own business’s

• people could express their own ideas (weren’t controlled by the government, power comes from the people)

when did Joseph Stalin become communist leader of russia?

1924

define appeasement

to keep the peace

what was the ‘Red Scare’?

fear of the communists

what happened to Tsar Nicholas II?

Assassinated by the Russians (he was russian)

what was The Grand Alliance?

The attack of Germany on the USSR brought communists and capitalists together, due to a common enemy

Operation Barbarossa (1941)

• Germany invaded the soviet union

• breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact

• leading to an alliance between the USA and the USSR

• direction of the war changed due to the allied forces of Britain, the USSR and the USA

Third Reich

A type of German government

Battle of Berlin (1944)

• Red army (communists) had Berlin surrounded

• Nazi’s fled the capital due to fear of the Reds

• Hitler committed suicide and the Third Reich fell

Percentages agreement

• made by Churchill and Stalin in 1944

• stated that a division would be made to the Eastern European countries formerly occupied by the Nazis

what was the United Nations?

• Reinforced international peace and security

• came about in 1945 after WWII

3 TYPes of conference

1. Tehran- First time the big three met and discussed about the division of Europe

2. Yalta- issues were discussed and agreements were made Germany weren’t yet defeated (February 1945)

3. Potsdam- second conference between the allied leaders (July 1945)

who were the original big three?

• Winston Churchill (england)

• Franklin D Roosevelt (america)

• Joseph Stalin (russia)

define Sphere’s of influence

areas under indirect control of larger countries

what’s a Buffer zone?

an area separating conflicting countries

Churchill

• wanted to look after British interests whilst limiting the Soviet expansion

• close relationship with the USA and got on well with Stalin

• wanted Germany rebuilt as an independent, democratic country (power to the people)

• wanted to help the global economy as well as its safety (formation of the United Nations)

Roosevelt

• wanted to rebuild Europe built on capitalist principles

• got on well with Stalin and Churchill

• agreed with the United Nations to from a collective security to avoid another war

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• would help the global economy

• idea from Churchill and Roosevelt

Stalin

• was in the strongest position

• good relationship with other leaders

• main aim was to insure that the Soviet Union didn’t lose their industry, agriculture, towns or their people again due to another war

• wanted Germany to remain weak and the Germans to pay for the rebuilding of the USSR (however didn’t want another problem like the Treaty of Versailles caused/another dictator controlling country by fear

Where did Stalin Stand (Potsdam)

• Stalin’s troops occupied most of eastern Europe

• people were fleeing countries due to the fear of communists

• Set up communist government in Poland (Britain and USA protested)

Where did the USA stand (Potsdam)

• Roosevelt was replaced by Harry Truman

• anti communist and was suspicious of Stalin

• Both Truman and Attlee wanted countries to be independent

• wiling to use force to achieve America’s aims (held the first atomic bomb)

Where did Britain stand? (Potsdam)

• led by Clement Attlee

• concerned about the Soviets expansion wanted to keep peace

• focused on improving peoples lives in post-war Britain

• Britain had a damaged economy so disagreements would be risky

The Manhattan project (birth of the nuclear age)

• development of the nuclear bomb in 1939 due to the fear of Nazi Germany (carried out in the Mexico desert)

• two bomb were ready to be used after a month (‘Fat Man’ and Little Boy’

• Truman made the decision to use the bomb against Japan

Atomic bomb

• story of the bomb shows the mistrust that developed between the countries

• Truman told Stalin it worked, Stalin already knew about the bomb even before Truman did

6th August 1945

• the first Uranium bomb was dropped on Japanese city called Hiroshima

• killed 70,000 people instantly and days and weeks later thousands more died due to 3rd degree burns and radiation poisoning

• still Japan didn’t surrender

9th August 1945

• Second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki

• over 40,000 people were killed

• Japan surrendered and WWII ended (10th August 1945)

• clear that the USA wanted to dominate the post-war period

Stalin Soviet expansion

• felt threatened by the west

• wanted to consolidate (strengthen) his hold on Eastern Europe

• free elections were ignored (rigged)

• worked hard to ensure that communists rose to positions of power/authority within governments

• arrest and execution of opponents

Embassy

official offices

Long telegram

• written on the 22nd Feb 1946 by George Kennan

• wrote a detailed lengthy report (8000) words to the government in Washington (fears of the soviet expansion)

• Said how Stalin saw the USA as their enemy

How did the Soviet Union expand into Eastern Europe

Poland

• exiled non-communist leaders

• won the 1947 election

Romania

• communist was elected prime minister in 1945

• abolished the monarchy in 1947

Bulgaria

• Executed non-communists (bad) however less resistance

• won elections

Yugoslavia

• Marshal Tito held resistance against the Nazi’s

• however Tito was determined to apply communism in HIS own way leading to him being expelled from the coniform in 1948

Czechoslovakia

• Gottwald controlled propaganda (radio) and became Prime Minister

• banned other parties

Hungary

• Communist leader Rakosi had complete control over Hungary

• Catholic church was imprisoned

• communists became largest single party

East Germany

• Allies had given the USSR control of this sector of Germany

• Until the creation of German Democratic Republic in 1949

The ‘Iron Curtain’

Churchill described the border between Soviet-controlled countries and the West as an Iron Curtain

Why did the allies begin to fall out?

• Personalities

• Actions of the USA (the atomic bombs)

• Actions of the USSR (Soviet expansion)

• Misunderstandings

What was the ‘Truman Doctrine’?

The speech of promises made by Joseph Stalin talking about the containment of communism

When was the Truman doctrine announced?

12 March 1947

What was the Marshall plan?

The action taken place following the Truman doctrine

What did the Marshall plan involve?

• the creation of a market for American goods to help the US economy

• Aid the economic recovery of Europe

• Making communism less attractive

What was the policy of containment?

Promoted unity in Europe, halting the spread of communism

How much money was suggested to rebuild Europe?

$17 billion

Who was the anti soviet leader found dead below a window?

Jan Masaryk

What’s dollar imperialism?

Part of man empire due to the giving out of money

What are satellite states?

Countries that are officially independent but in reality are controlled by other country

What does cominform stand for and when was it created?

• The communist information bureau

• 1947

What were the aims of cominform?

International organisation, represented communist parties refusal of the Marshall plan

What does Comecon stand for and when was it created?

• The council for mutual economic assistance

• 1949

What were the aims of comecon?

It was the action towards the Marshall plan

What were the effects of Comecon?

It’s minimised American influence over Eastern Europe

How did the Marshall plan, cominform and Comecon heighten tensions between the superpowers?

• Increased tension due to it being direct competition between them

• mistrust due to Yugoslavia accepting Marshall aid

Why was Berlin important?

• its geographical location = USA and USSR keen for Central European military bases

• Wanted power (capital of Germany)

What was the trizonia?

Berlin was divided into 4 zones with new currency (separate currency planned for the East)

What’s a proxy war?

Countries have war with each other but not in their own countries

berlin blockade and airlift (1948)

• america and france joined zones and created a new currency = stalin had no control

• stalin blocked all supply lines going to and from berlin and western zones

• planes bought: materials, food, clothing from berlin to western zones landed every 45 seconds

• showed suspicions, showed that they were obstructing each other but weren’t willing to go to war

4 zones of berlin was called what?

trizonia

what was the order of the US presidents

1. Franklin Roosevelt

2. harry Truman

3. Eisenhower

4. John F Kennedy (JFK)

order of soviet leaders

1. Lenin

2. stalin

3. joseph Khrushchev

4. brezhnev