1.1, 1.2 - Origins and Development of the Cold War

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the origins and development of the Cold War, including major conferences, telegrams, and military alliances.

USA (Ideological Stance)

Capitalist democracy

USSR (Ideological Stance)

Communist dictatorship

Tehran Conference ($November \, 1943$)

• USA (Roosevelt) and UK (Churchill) agreed to open the second-front in eastern europe

• stalin declare war on japan only after war in europe was over

• issues should be solved by discussion, setting the ground for the UN

Impact of Tehran on international relations

• stalin arrived, left pleased, as second front was opened

• churchil unpleased, he wanted to open a second front in balkans

• tension between usa and britian - roosevelt viewed British colonolism as more of a threat to world peace than USSR

Yalta Conference ($February \, 1945$)

• Meeting where it was agreed Germany would be split into $4$ zones

• the USSR would help the US with the war in Japan

• the UN would be established

• poland’s borders return to its position in 1921, and there would be free elections

• Stalin worried as he expected it to bring pro - communist government, whereas Britian supported non - communist poles

Potsdam Conference ($July-August \, 1945$)

• Berlin was divided into $4$ zones, however economy run as a whole

• new leaders Truman (US) and Attlee (UK) took over

• USA tested the new atomic bomb day after conference

Impact of Potsdam on international relations

• Soviets wanted Germany to pay war reperations, Truman worred it’d destroy Germany’s economy

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The two Japanese cities where the US dropped atomic bombs on $6$ August $1945$ and $9$ August $1945$, respectively.

USSR's First Atomic Bomb

The first successful test of a Soviet atomic bomb which occurred on $29$ August $1949$, following the start of the arms race.

Long Telegram

Telegram sent by George Kennan in $February \, 1946$ stating the USSR was aggressive and expansionist and that communism had to be contained. stalin wanted to see destruction of capatalism, and he saw world outside of USSR as hostile

Novikov Telegram

Sent by Nikolai Novikov in $September \, 1946$ to Stalin, claiming that the US wanted world domination, and Americans no longer wanted to cooperate with the Soviets after Roosevelt’s death

The Baltic States

Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, which were taken over by the USSR in $1940$.

Iron Curtain speech

A speech delivered by Winston Churchill in $March \, 1946$ regarding Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe.

Truman Doctrine ($1947$)

The official US policy stating that the USA would contain communism, USA will send troops and money to anyone fighting it

Marshall Aid

A program where USA provided $\$13$ billion to Countries in Western Europe, which Stalin referred to as dollar imperialism.

Dollar Imperialism

Truman saw marshall aid as defensive measure to contain communism, while Stalin beleived Truman was expanding their infleunce in Europe

Cominform ($22 \, September \, 1947$)

• An organization to allow Stalin to direct and control Satellite States

• all contact with non - communist members were discouraged

• accused marshal plan of spreading propaganda

Comecon ($25 \, January \, 1949$)

An organization set up by Stalin in response to the Marshall Plan.

NATO ($4 \, April \, 1949$)

• A military alliance consisting of the USA and its Western Allies

• resulted in permanent American occupance in Europe

• If one member was attacked, all members would help

Warsaw Pact ($14 \, May \, 1955$)

A military alliance between the USSR and Eastern Europe, in response to NATO

Berlin Blockade

Stalin's action on $24 \, June \, 1948$ to block all land routes from East Berlin to West Berlin

• aimed to show divided Germany would not work

• huge propaganda success at the expense of the West

Operation Vittles

Also known as the Berlin Airlift, this involved $277000$ allied flights carrying $2.3$ million tonnes of supplies starting on $26 \, June \, 1948$

$$12 \, May \, 1949$$

The date Stalin ended the Berlin Blockade after realizing the West would not give in easily, following an airlift that lasted $318$ days.