Topic 4: The Cold War
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113 Terms
What was the “definition” of the cold war?
The indirect ideological, political, and economic clash between Communism (USSR) and Capitalism (USA)
For how long was the USSR a communist country?
30 years
From what policy to what policy did the USA change by the 1940s?
Isolationism to interventionism
How many soviet deaths were there during WW2?
Over 20 million
When did the USSR form?
December 30th, 1922
What were “superpowers”?
USA and USSR. Military powers which had total dominance
What was an “arms race”?
a competitive buildup of military weapons and technology between nations, driven by the desire to outmatch rivals and gain a strategic advantage.
What were “proxy wars”?
Indirect conflict between super powers through the funding of smaller conflicts
What were three examples of Proxy Wars during the Cold War?
Korean War, Vietnam War, and Afghan War
Size of the USSR’s Red Army by 1945?
12 million men
Size of the USA’s army by 1945?
12.2 million
Size of Britain’s army by 1945?
2.9 million
When did WW2 end in Europe?
May 7th 1945
When did WW2 end in the Pacific?
September 2nd 1945
What were two political aspects of Communism?
All industry was owned and run by the state. It was a one party dictatorship (elections were held but all candidates were from the Communist Party)
What were two political aspects of Capitalism?
Businesses and Property were privately owned. Government was chosen in free democratic elections
What were three economic aspects of Communism?
Standards of living were lower than in USA. Unemployment rare. Command business.
What were two economic aspects of Capitalism?
extremist (very rich, very poor), free market. Private business
USA vs. USSR unemployment in 1945
near 0% (USSR), 2% (USA)
Annual average wage USA 1945
$2,000 to $2,500
Annual average wage USSR 1945
$300 to $375
Main social aspect of communism
rights of individuals less important than good of society
Main social aspect of capitalism
being free of government control more important than social equality
What was USSRs total territory by the end of WW2?
22.5 million km2
When was the Yalta Conference?
February 1945
Where was the Yalta Conference?
Yalta, Ukraine
Who attended the Yalta Conference?
Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill
What three things were happening around the globe during the Yalta conference?
France and Italy were liberated, war in the pacific, and ongoing invasion of Germany
What were the 6 agreements at the Yalta Conference?
United Nations, Japan, Free Elections, War Criminals, German Division, and Eastern Europe
Difference between LoN and UN?
UN would have an army
What were the famous War Criminal Trials?
Nuremberg Trials
How many war criminals were hanged during the Nuremberg Trials?
12
How many War Criminals were arrested in total?
70,000 to 100,000 (not all convicted/tried)
What were the two disagreement at the Yalta conference?
Poland and Stalin’s Sphere of Influence (differences of what it meant)
What did Roosevelt and Churchill want with Poland in the Yalta conference?
That it would be independent of USSR
What did Stalin want with Poland during the Yalta conference?
It would be a Buffer Zone and it would extend USSRs Sphere of Influence
When was the Potsdam Conference?
July 17th 1945
Who attended the Potsdam Conference?
Stalin, Truman and Churchill
Winston Churchill was replaced by whom mid Potsdam?
Clement Attlee
Where was the Potsdam Conference?
Potsdam, Berlin
What were the two agreements at the Potsdam conference?
Formal division of Germany and the Nuremberg Trials
How was Germany divided after the Potsdam conference?
Both Germany and Berlin were divided in 4: France, Britain, USA and USSR
What were the three disagreements at the Potsdam conference?
Germany, Soviet Reparations, and Eastern Europe
What did Stalin want to do with Germany at the Potsdam Conference?
Cripple Germany
What did Truman want to do with Germany at the Potsdam Conference?
Build a strong country to stop the spread of communism
How many Russians had died during WW2?
20 million
By 1946, what countries had communist governments?
Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania
Why was Truman unhappy with Eastern Europe during the Potsdam conference?
Stalin’s army was occupying most of Eastern Europe and establishing Pro Soviet Governments
What 4 things were happening around the globe during the Potsdam conference?
Nuclear Bomb developed and tested, Germany surrenders in may 1945 , Truman becomes president of USA after FDR’s death, and Red Army invades Eastern Europe
When did FDR die?
12 April, 1945
When was the atomic bomb tested?
16 July 1945
What was the name given for the test of the atomic bomb?
The trinity test
Where was the atomic bomb tested?
Los Álamos, New México
How much time passed between Yalta and Potsdam?
5 months
What was the main cause of Germany’s surrender?
Hitler’s suicide
What past events urged ussr to expand?
Invasions of Russia: 1917, Napoleon, 1940s
What were the three “expansionist” reasons why the ussr wanted to expand?
Communist was correct, create a buffer zone, as a superpower it should be allowed to expand
What were the salami tactics?
Stalin’s way to gain political control of Eastern Europe
What was the first step of the salami tactics?
Communists share power in coalition governments
What was the second step of the salami tactics?
The communist parties gain majority (threats, vote miscount, propaganda)
What was the third step of the salami tactics?
The communist government takes over service, media security and defence
What was the fourth step of the salami tactics?
Arrests of opposition leaders
What was the fifth step of the salami tactics?
Oppression of political parties
What was the sixth step of the salami tactics?
Establishment of ‘people’s democracy’
What was cominform?
Communist Information Bureau
When was Cominform established?
October 1947
What was the purpose of Cominform?
Brought communist party leaders to Moscow regularly and allowed Stalin to keep an eye on them
Who was the only communist leader who escaped Stalin’s control in Cominform?
Tito from Yugoslavia
What happened to Tito when he opposed Stalin?
Expelled from Cominform for hostility
When was the Greek Civil War?
1944
Who fought who in the Greek Civil War?
Communists (Stalin) vs. Royalists (Britain + USA)
When did USA join the Greek Civil war?
1947 with financial aid
Which side won the Greek Civil War?
The Greek Government (Royalists)
When did the Greek Civil War end?
1949
What were the two causes of the Greek Civil War?
Turning point for Cold War, precursor to Truman Doctrine
When was the Truman Doctrine set forth?
March 1947
What was the Truman Doctrine?
USA would intervene against communism —militarily, economically and politically
Times when the Truman Doctrine was put into action
Greek Civil War, Turkey (1947), and Marshall Plan
What caused Truman to establish the Truman Doctrine?
Czechoslovakia
When was the Marshall Plan established?
1948
After whom was the Marshall plan named?
US Army General George Marshall
What was the Marshall Plan?
The economic part of the Truman Doctrine
What 4 countries did the Marshall Plan help?
GB, France, Austria, Greece
How much cash did the Marshall Plan give to Europe?
$17 billion
What was the objective of the Marshall Plan?
Rebuild Europe to prevent further communist expansion
How much did Europe owe the USA before the Marshall Plan?
11.5 billion
What did the USA want with the Marshall plan?
Create a new market for American goods (to prevent depression) and prevent communist expansion
When was the Iron Curtain speech?
1946
Where was the Iron Curtain speech?
Fulton, Missouri
Why was the “iron speech” important?
The term “iron curtain” became synonymous with ideological and physical division between the communist East and capitalist West (which lasted until 1989)
How many people listened to the “Iron Curtain” speech?
2000 people (including US government officials, college students, and dignitaries)
When was the Czechoslovakia incident?
1948
What happened in Czechoslovakia?
Communists took over the coalition government. Anti soviet ministers were purged.
Who was found dead in Czechoslovakia?
Jan Masaryk (American Minister)
What happened in Poland?
USSR’s secret police (UBP) conducted purges against leaders and took over
When did the Berlin Blockade start?
1948
Why did the USSR intervene in Czechoslovakia?
The coalition government was trying to pursue policies independant of Moscow
What were the four reasons Stalin made the Berlin Blockade?
Trizonia (1946), Deutsche-Mark, differing views about German recovery, and Stalin threatended
What does Stalin do apart from doing the Berlin Blockade?
Leaves the Four Power Council
How many tons of supplies were dropped on Berlin?
4500