Cold War

Why was the “Cold War” cold?

It didn’t involve any physical confrontation between the USA and USSR.

Define: Ideology

A set of political ideas/beliefs on how society should be run.

Describe a capitalist society.

• Free elections - people can vote their own leaders.

• Everyone can own a business so everyone has opportunities to get rich.

• Company’s choose their own prices/goods - more competition, money and goods available.

• Class system/hierachy.

• Large gap between poor and rich.

Describe a communist society.

• No free election - people can’t vote/choose their leaders.

• State owns everything - no chance of becoming rich.

• State control everything so no choice in goods - less competition, bland and boring food.

• Classless society.

• Everyone treated the same = everyone treated equally badly/poor.

• Censorship.

• Lack of freedom.

Is the USA a capitalist or communist society?

Capitalist.

Is the Soviet Union a capitalist or communist society?

Communist.

Is the UK a capitalist or communist society?

Capitalist.

When was the grand alliance formed?

1941.

Who was in the grand alliance?

Britain, Soviet Union and USA.

Who invaded the USSR in 1941, triggering the grand alliance to be formed?

Nazi Germany.

What was the aim of the grand alliance?

To defeat Hitler and Nazi Germany.

How was the grand alliance a weak alliance from the very start?

• USA + GB were suspicious of Stalin whilst the Soviets were suspicious of the west, showing they lacked trust.

• The Soviet Union believed that the Western countries had deliberately delayed opening a second front against Germany.

How many conferences were there between 1943-5?

3.

Which 3 wartime conferences took place between 1943-5?

Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam.

What was the first wartime conference in 1943?

Tehran.

When was the Tehran conference?

November 1943.

Which wartime conference took place in November 1943?

Tehran conference.

What was the second wartime conference in 1945?

Yalta.

When was the Yalta conference?

February 1945.

Which wartime conference took place in February 1945?

Yalta conference.

What was the third wartime conference in 1945?

Potsdam.

When was the Potsdam conference?

July 1945.

Which wartime conference took place in July 1943?

Potsdam.

Who attended the Tehran conference?

Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt.

Who was president of the USA during the Tehran and Yalta conferences?

Roosevelt.

Who was president of the USA during the Potsdam conference?

Truman.

Who was priminister of the UK during the Tehran and Yalta conferences?

Churchill.

Who was president of the UK during the Potsdam conference?

Atlee.

Who was president of the USSR during the 1943-45 wartime conferences?

Stalin.

Why were tensions low at Tehran?

They all had a common enemy (Hitler) so they were too busy defeating him.

Which conference had the least tension and best relations?

Tehran.

What were tensions in the grand alliance like at Tehran?

Countries were busy defeating their common enemy (Nazi Germany) so tensions were low and put aside.

What was the USA hoping would be agreed at Tehran?

Stalin would agree to help defeat the Japanese.

What was the USSR hoping would be agreed at Tehran?

The USA/UK would open a second front against Germany from the West to take pressure off the USSR.

What was agreed at Tehran?

• USA/UK would open a second front by invading France against Nazi Germany meaning that German troops would have to spread out, taking stress off of USSR

• USSR would declare war on Japan and give troops to the USA after Germany was defeated.

• UN would be set up to settle international disputes between countries.

What had to happen before USSR would declare war on Japan?

Germany had to be defeated.

What was disagreed at Tehran?

Churchill wanted to invade the Balkans instead of opening a second front against Germany which Stalin was against. Roosevelt sided with Stalin.

Who saw the Tehran Conference as a success? Why?

• Stalin saw it as a success.

• Roosevelt tended to side with him over Churchill.

• UK/USA had opened a second front which took pressure off of his army.

Who did Roosevelt tend to side with at Tehran?

Stalin.

Explain if Tehran improved or worsened US-Soviet relations.

• Improved US-Soviet relations

  • Stalin had been concerned about the Soviet Union fighting Germany alone in the East and was pleased that a second front had been agreed.

  • Roosevelt had supported Stalin in attacking Germany from the West and not from the Balkans as Churchill had wanted.

  • Stalin had agreed to support the USA in its war against Japan.

What were the consequences of Tehran?

• Improved US-Soviet relations:

  • Stalin had been concerned about the Soviet Union fighting Germany alone in the East and was pleased that a second front had been agreed.

  • Roosevelt had supported Stalin in attacking Germany from the West and not from the Balkans as Churchill had wanted.

  • Stalin had agreed to support the USA in its war against Japan.

• Worsened US-UK:

  • Churchill was disappointed that Roosevelt had sided with Stalin in opening a ‘second front’ rather than from the Balkans.

Who attended the Yalta conference?

Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt

What was agreed at Yalta?

• Germany would be reduced in size, demilitarized and forced to pay reparations.

• Nazi party banned + war criminals would be persecuted.

• Germany (and Berlin) would be divided into 4 zones.

• United Nations set up.

• Poland in Soviet sphere of influence but free elections here to decide democratic government.

• USSR promised to join the war against Japan when Germany was defeated.

How much reparations in did Stalin believe Germany should have to pay after the Yalta conference?

$20 billion.

Which member of the grand alliance wanted to rebuild a defeated Germany after WW2?

Churchill.

Which member of the grand alliance wanted to weaken Germany through reparations after WW2?

Statin.

How many zones would Germany and Berlin be split into at the three conferences? Owned by who?

4 zones - USA, Soviet, France, Britain.

Where would the Soviet Union gain land from at the Yalta conference?

Poland.

At what conference did the countries agree to make Germany pay reparations?

Yalta.

At what conference was a UN set up?

Yalta

At what conference did Stalin agree to give Eastern European countries free elections?

Yalta

What was disagreed at Yalta?

• UK and USA did not want Poland to become communist and Churchill wanted the London Poles to be in charge.

• Stalin desperately wanted Poland as a buffer between the USSR and the West.

Why did Stalin want Poland at Yalta?

He was afraid of another invasion from Germany and wanted a buffer zone to protect the USSR from the West.

What were tensions in the grand alliance like at Yalta?

Tensions worsened slightly because there were small disagreements/trust issues.

What were the consequences of Yalta?

• Improved US-USSR relations:

  • The Soviet Union declared war against Japan in August 1945, making Roosevelt happy.

  • Roosevelt was pleased free elections had been agreed to take place in Eastern Europe.

• Worsened USSR-UK:

  • Stalin wanted a pro-communist government to be elected in Poland whereas Churchill supported the non-communist London Poles.

• Creation of the United Nations to settle disputes and keep the peace.

What happened after Yalta but before Potsdam?

• Germany defeated.

• USA secretly tested an atomic bomb.

• USA dropped bomb on Hiroshima/Nagasaki in Japan.

• A communist government had been set up in Poland by Stalin however he had agreed at Yalta that he would allow Eastern European countries to be free.

When did the Americans successfully test the atomic bomb?

Days before the Potsdam conference.

What did Truman do that angered Stalin in 1945?

Truman drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

How did the USSR go against the Yalta agreement?

At Yalta and Potsdam, the countries agreed to free elections however, a pro communist government had been set up in Poland by Stalin.

What was the 3rd wartime conference?

Potsdam conference.

Who attended the Potsdam conference?

Stalin, Churchill (replaced by Attlee) and Truman.

Which UK president replaced Churchill in 1945?

Atlee.

Which US president replaced Roosevelt in 1945?

Truman.

What impact did President Roosevelt's death have on US-Soviet relations?

Truman became the President of the USA after Roosevelt’s death and he was less sympathetic towards the communism and disliked communism, leading to more mistrust and the breakdown of the grand alliance,

What was agreed at Potsdam?

• Ban the Nazi Party and prosecute surviving Nazis as war criminals.

• Divide Germany and Berlin into 4 zones of occupation (US, UK, USSR, France).

• Council of foreign ministers set up to accelerate the recovery of Europe.

What was disagreed at Potsdam?

• USSR wanted Germany to pay huge reparations but USA disagreed and did not want to punish Germany too harshly, instead re build economy.

• Stalin went back on his word about free elections in Poland by rigging the elections and setting up a communist government.

At which conference did the countries disagree on reparations that Germany had to pay?

Potsdam.

Did US-Soviet relations worsen or improve at Potsdam? Why?

• Worsened US-Soviet relations:

  • Truman had mentioned to Stalin that the USA had successfully tested the atomic bomb, which increased tensions as Stalin felt threatened and at a disadvantage + it kickstarted the arms race.

  • Stalin wanted harsher reparations against Germany, while Truman wanted to rebuild the German economy.

  • Truman was concerned with the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe and the spread of communism.

  • Stalin went against his agreement for free elections in Poland at Yalta as he had rigged the elections in Poland so a pro communist government would be installed, angering Western powers.

What were the consequences of Potsdam?

• Germany and Berlin divided into four zones, leading to Trizonia and therefore the Berlin Blockade

• Truman replacing Roosevelt increased tension between the USA and the Soviet Union; Stalin’s distrust increased in response to Truman’s more hard-line approach and his anti communism.

• Worsened US-Soviet relations:

  • Truman had mentioned to Stalin that the USA had successfully tested the atomic bomb, which increased tensions as Stalin felt threatened and at a disadvantage + it kickstarted the arms race.

  • Stalin wanted harsher reparations against Germany, while Truman wanted to rebuild the German economy.

  • Truman was concerned with the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe and the spread of communism.

  • Stalin went against his agreement for free elections in Poland at Yalta as he had rigged the elections in Poland so a pro communist government would be installed.

Why did Churchill align more with Truman after WW2?

• Churchill disagreed in Stalin about her that allies should treat Germany after the war, believing that they should rebuild Germany rather than giving them harsh reparations.

• He also suspected that Soviet troops would not leave Eastern European countries after they had been liberated.

What is an arms race?

When countries compete to have the strongest and most effective armed forces.

When did the US drop the atomic bomb on Japan?

August 1945.

When did the USSR create their own atomic bomb to match the USA?

1949.

How did the arms race prevent war?

Both countries had enough nuclear weapons to destroy themselves and the world many times over so both countries continued to develop more and more weapons rather than going to war as they knew it would result in the death of million. This is known as Mutually Assured Destruction.

How much stronger was the hydrogen bomb than the atomic bomb?

1000x.

When did the USA develop the hydrogen bomb?

1952.

When did the USSR develop the hydrogen bomb?

1953.

What was the long telegram?

A secret report from US ambassador Kennan in Moscow to President Truman.

When was the long telegram?

February 1946.

What did Kennan say in the Long telegram?

• Stalin was spreading communism + wanted to destroy capitalism.

• USSR were military weak but were slowly gaining power e.g. built their first bomb in 1949.

• Advised Truman to act aggressively as Stalin will back down.

What were the consequences of the long telegram?

It lead to the Truman doctrine as Truman was committed to preventing Stalin from spreading communism.

What was the Novikov telegram?

A report from soviet ambassador Novikov in Washington to Stalin.

When was the Novikov telegram?

September 1946.

What did Novikov say in the Novikov Telegram?

• After Roosevelt’s death, the American government was no longer interested in co-operation with the USSR and USA was prepared for war with the USSR.

• USA wanted to use military power to attack the Soviet Union and the public was being prepared for war.

• Claims that the USSR was the only country left after war that could stand up to the USA (Superpowers)

What were the consequences of the Novikov telegrams?

Stalin began taking over Eastern Europe to provide a buffer zone between the USSR and the West for protection.

Who delivered a famous speech in 1946?

Winston Churchill.

Who used the term iron curtain in his speech?

Winston Churchill.

When and what did Winston Churchill say in his famous speech?

1946 - said an iron curtain was separating Europe into the East (Communism) and West (Capitalism).

What did the USSR do between 1945 and 1949?

Take control of most of Eastern Europe; naming them Satellite States.

Give an example of a satellite state.

Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Romania.

What was Truman concenered about after the creation of the satellite states?

That communism would spread into Western Europe.

Why was Truman concerned that Western European countries would turn to communism?

• Europe was devastated after war - people were left poor hopeless and jobless.

• Communism was attractive to people because it made sure everyone got enough/wealth was shared.

• Countries were too poor to combat communism.

How did Stalin fix elections in satellite states?

He used salami tactics to shut down opposition and ensure communist parties won and if they didn't he imprisoned or killed winning candidates.

What was the name of the Soviet technique of fixing elections and shutting down opposition?

Salami tactics.

What did Truman do in retaliation to the creation of the satellite states/Long Telegram to contain communism?

Truman Doctrine + Marshall Plan.

When was the Truman Doctrine?

March 1947.

What provoked the Truman Doctrine + Marshall Plan?

• Due to the long telegram and Stalin’s occupation Eastern European countries, Truman felt he needed to stop communism from spreading further.

• After WWII, Western Europe was broke and they could be enticed by the idea of communism as it spreads everything out equally. Stalin did not want communism to spread any further.

What was the Truman doctrine?

• USA pledged to support any nation threatened by communist takeover in a military, financial or

• Trumans way of containing communism and making sure it didn’t spread

• He claimed communism was evil and capitalism was good - choosing between them would be like choosing between evil and good.

What was the aim of the Marshall plan?

The money meant that poor countries could rebuild their economies after war so wouldn’t be enticed by communism in order to contain communism and stop it from spreading to the west.

How much money did the US give to Europe as part of the Marshall Plan?

$13 billion.