Europe Post-WWII Quiz

Cases held by the allies against representatives of the defeated Nazi Germany for plotting and carrying out invasions of other countries and atrocities against their citizens in WWII.

Nuremberg Trials

The successful replenishing of food and other resources to the citizens of West Berlin for 15 months following a Soviet blockade.

Berlin Airlift

U.S. pledge of billions of dollars and resources to help re-build Europe following WWII.

Marshall Plan

An American foreign policy that pledges American support for democracies against authoritarian threats; its chief concern was Eastern Europe and the increasing influence of the Soviet Union in that region.

Truman Doctrine

An intergovernmental military alliance established in 1949 to provide collective security against the Soviet Union

North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republics of Central and Eastern Europe in 1955.

Warsaw Pact

A top-secret U.S. government program to bring top German scientists from WWII into the U.S

Operation Paperclip

Government-sanctioned spying to obtain political, military, and other essential information

Espionage

The security and foreign intelligence agency of the Society Union

The KGB

A husband and wife found guilty of treason against the U.S. and executed

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

A member of the Cambridge Five, he was a top British government official overseeing all espionage against the Soviet Union, while being a Soviet spy himself

Kim Philips

List and describe two specific obstacles for the deliverance of justice at the Nuremberg Trials

Conflicts of interest among judges

• some judges and officials involved had ties to the Nazi Regime, raising concerns about bias, leniency, or undermining the trials’ credibility

• Their previous affiliations made it difficult to ensure an entirely fair and impartial judicial process

Germany’s Goal to Rebuild Quickly

• there was pressure to stabilize Germany economically and politically after the war, leading some to prioritize rebuilding over fully pursuing justice

• Allied leaders feared that harsh punishments could fuel resentment and slow efforts to create a strong democratic Germany.

Describe in detail the contrasting visions of FDR/Churchill vs. Stalin for post-WWII Europe.

FDR/Churchill’s Vision

• wanted to promote democracy, free elections, and self-determination across Europe, especially in countries liberated from Nazi control

• Hoped to rebuild Europe through cooperation and create international organizations like the United Nations to prevent future wars.

Stalin’s Vision

• sought to establish a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, installing pro-Soviet, communist governments to protect Soviet security.

• Distrusted Western intentions and prioritized control and security over democratic ideals, believing strong Soviet dominance was necessary after the huge losses Russia suffered.

Explain the basics of the top-secret project codenamed Operation Paperclip. What did the U.S. claim to justify to justify such a controversial program.

• Basics of Operation Paperclip

  • After WWII, the U.S. secretly brought over German scientists, many with Nazi ties, to work on military, aerospace, and technology projects, including early space rockets

• U.S. Justification

  • Officials argued it was necessary to prevent the Soviet Union from capturing German scientific knowledge and to strengthen U.S. national security during the Cold War.

1 Example of Successful Soviet Espionage

The Rosenbergs’ Espionage

• Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were American citizens who spied for the Soviet Union during and after WWII

• They passed along atomic bomb secrets, helping the Soviets develop their own nuclear weapons much faster than expected.

• Their success marked a major intelligence victory for the USSR and shocked the U.S., heightening Cold War fears.