AQA GCSE History - Cold War

When was the Yalta Conference?

Feb 1945

Where is Yalta

Ukraine

Who was at Yalta

Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill

Agreements at Yalta

Stalin would enter war against Japan after Germany defeated, divide Germany/Berlin into four zones, hunt down/punish Nazi war criminals, countries liberated from German occupation would be allowed free elections, United Nations, Eastern Europe a 'soviet sphere of influence'

Yalta disagreements

Stalin wanted to move USSR border west into Poland, Poland border west into Germany. Neither of the others agreed but Red Army meant they couldn't do much; churchill agreed so long as USSR didn't interfere in Greece

When was Potsdam

July/August 1945

Who was at Potsdam

Stalin, Truman, Atlee (but Churchill at first)

Agreements at Potsdam

none

Disagreements at Potsdam

Stalin wanted to cripple Germany/ wanted 10b in reparations, Truman didn't want to repeat ToV.
Stalin wanted pro Soviet govts in Eastern European countries yo protect from future attacks. Truman saw it as evidence Stalin wanted a Soviet empire in Europe.

Changes between yalta and potsdam

Stalin's armies were occupying most of Eastern Europe, had set up a Communist govt in Poland despite protest, Roosevelt died and was replaced by Truman, a strong anti-communist, USA had successfully developed and tested an atomic bomb, which Stalin knew about via spies.

why was germany a source of tension

usa, France, britain joined their sections of germany together, stalin feared a rebuilding germany

why did the ussr blockade berlin

to make berlin dependent on the ussr, force out the allies

what did the ussr do (berlin blockade)

cut all berlin supply lines leading to the west

what did the usa do (berlin blockade)

airlift supplies for 10 months,

why did truman care so much about the berlin blockade

he wanted berlin to be a symbol of freedom

why were people concerned about war in the berlin blockade

believed that if the usa tanks tried to ram roadblocks it would be an act of war

why did the berlin blockade end

stalin realised that the blockade would not make the western allies give up berlin

consequences of Berlin blockade

showed the usa and ussr would not go to war, firmly divided germany as the federal republic of Germany (west) and german democratic republic (east)

when did the usa drop the first atomic bomb

6th August 1945

when did the truman doctrine start

march 1947

what was the truman doctrine

the usa was prepared to send money, equipment and advice to any country threatened by a communist takeover

what was containment

truman wanted to stop communism spreading any further than europe

What happened in West Germany in 1949

New currency

How was West Germany doing in 1949

There were signs of recovery

Where was Tito from

Yugoslavia

What was Tito upset about

Being controlled by cominform

What happened to Tito in 1942

Expelled

When was Cominform set up?

1947

What was Cominform for?

Coordinating the communist govts of Eastern Europe

What did Cominform do?

Ran meetings and sent instructions

When was Comecon set up

1949

What was a possible reason for Comecon

The Marshall plan

What was Comecon for

Coordinate the industry and trade of Eastern European countries

What did Comecon do?

Encouraged trade between USSR and Eastern European countries (not the West)

What benefit did Cominform have for the USSR

Told communist govts what to do

What benefit did Comecon have for the USSR

gave USSR a market for their goods and they could buy materials cheaply

What price did Poland have to sell their coal for

1/10 of the usual price

What were the two sides of the conflict in Greece

Monarchists wanted king,
communists wanted soviet republic

Who sent troops to Greece in 1945

Churchill

What did the British intend on doing in Greece

Restore order/supervise free electrons

What did the British actually do in Greece

Returned the king to power

What happened in 1946 in Greece

A civil war

What did the British do on 24th February 1947?

Announced withdrawal from the civil war in Greece

Why did the British withdraw from Greece

They did not have enough resources to control the situation

What were Truman's feelings about Greece

Feared another European country was falling to communism

Why was Stalin trying to gain influence in Turkey

To gain access to the Mediterranean for Soviet ships to go through the Black Sea

Why was Truman concerned about Turkey

Thought that if Turkey became an ally of the USSR Communist influence would spread to the Middle East

Why did Truman care so much about the Middle East

US oil rigs

When was the Greece and Turkey Aid Bill

March 1947

What was the Greece and Turkey Aid Bill for

$400m aid for Greece and Turkey

Effects of Greece and Turkey aid bill

Secured Turkey as a US ally, propped up monarchist govt in Greece

Stalin/Truman relations in relation to Greece and Turkey Aid Bill

Worse because Stalin kept his promise not to interfere in Greece (Truman talked up the threat to Congress)

Why did Truman send Marshall to Europe

Believed that Communism succeeded in poverty/hardship so sent General Marshall to Europe to assess their economic state

What did Marshall find in Europe

Ruined economy, shortages of all foods, most countries rationing bread

How much money did Eastern Europe owe to the USA collectively

11.5b dollars

What happened in Dec 1947

Truman put his plan to Congress, which was to give $17b to Europe in aid, they refused

What were Americans concerned about (Truman)

The cost of Truman's foreign policy

Stalin reaction to the Marshall Plan

Forbade all Eastern European countries from applying for Marshall Aid, set up comecon

Stalin's thoughts on the Marshall Plan

Suspicious, thought the USA was trying to dominate as many states as possible by making them dependent on dollars

when did Germany split into East and West Germany

October 1949

west Germany name

Federal Republic of Germany

east germany name

German Democratic Republic

what event may have cause US congress to accept the marshall plan

Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia's coalition govt

what was the only country to resist Stalin's ban of Eastern European countries requesting Marshall aid?

Jugoslavia

what was happening in China in the 1920s?

a civil war

when was the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance agreed?

February 1950

what happened in China in october 1949

Mao took complete control of China

When was the People's Republic of China formed?

October 1949

where did nationalists flee to after the PRC was formed

Taiwan

how did the formation of the PRC affect the USA

increased tension and fear, showed containment had failed in Asia

why did the formation of the PRC increase tension

China most populus nation so it changed the balance of power

who had control over korea since 1910

japan

what happened in korea after ww2

Japanese forces had surrendered to the USSR in the North and the USA in the South

what was the temporary dividing line of korea

the 38th parallel

what had happened in korea by 1948

two separate countries had been created, both claimed power over the whole

North Korea ruling

Communist dictatorship

South Korea ruling

anti-Communist, but not very democratic

How did the Korean War start?

North Korea (supported by the USSR) invaded South Korea

why did the USSR boycott the UN

the UN kept siding with the nationalists

consequence of the USSR boycotting the UN

USA could easily pass a bill for help in South Korea

what happened in september 1950

many countries fighting as UN troops (majority American) fought against North Korea

what was the first proxy war of the cold war

Korean War

NATO agreement

member states to work together, no attacking anyone, an attack against one of them would be considered an attack against all of them

when was the NATO agreement

1949

how did Britain feel about NATO

happy as US forces in Western Europe guaranteed their protection from a Soviet attack

when was the Warsaw Pact

1955

1955 West Germany

allowed to have armed forces again, part of NATO

who was ruler of the USSR in 1955

Khrushchev

when did Stalin die

1953

why did Khrushchev create the Warsaw Pact

felt threatened by West Germany + it was essential to maintain the security of Communist Eastern Europe/create a buffer against an attack from the West

Atzamas-16

example of a town created for the sole purpose of housing scientists and engineers because Stalin made atomic research priority

When did the USSR develop its own atomic bomb?

1949

when did the USA think the USSR would get its own atomic bomb

1953

what event marked the beginning of the arms race

the USSR getting an atomic bomb

what did the USA spend 40% of its defence budget throughout the cold war on

the air force (particularly the strategic air force)

what did the USSR develop that could bomb USA cities

Bison jet bomber and TU-95 bomber

'bomber gap'

panic in USA that the USSR had more weapons/was superior militarily

what did Eisenhower do due to the 'bomber gap'

ordered new B-52 bombers to be made

problem with the 'bomber gap'

in reality the USA always had more bombers

military-industrial complex

idea that US industries and US military officials were in league as big businesses benefitted from the huge government contracts for the military