Origins of the Cold War

• What are the key features of the USSR's ideology?

  Government - One party state (Communist).

  Human Rights - Strict limits on human and civil rights.

  Social - Lower living standards than the West and wealth is evenly distributed.

  Economic - The state owns the means of production.

  Cultural - Media is owned, run and censored by the government.
• What are the key features of the USA's ideology?

  Government - Democratic state, with free and fair elections.

  Human Rights - Fewer limits than East and some freedoms guaranteed by law.

  Social - Higher living standards and wealth is unevenly distributed.

  Economic - Companies privately owned and run to make a profit.

  Cultural - Media uncensored and owned by private companies.
• When was the Yalta Conference and who was there?

  February 1945

  UK - Churchill

  USA - Roosevelt

  USSR - Stalin
• What was decided at the Yalta Conference?

  > Germany and Berlin to be split into 4 zones.

  > Germany to pay reparations.

  > Government of 'national unity' to be set up in Poland - consists of both Communists and non-Communists.

  > Free elections in Eastern European countries - Declaration of Liberated Europe.

  > Russia would help against Japan once Germany was defeated.
• Why did the USA not want the USSR to help with Japan?

  They did not want the USSR to have more influence in other parts of the world.
• When was the Potsdam Conference and who was there?

  July 1945

  UK - Attlee

  USA - Truman

  USSR - Stalin
• What happened at the Potsdam Conference?

  > Arguments about the borders of the Germany zones - led to later problems.

  > Disagreements about reparations - Russia stripped resources from their zone, making it very poor.

  > Stalin arrested non-Communist leaders in Poland, forcing a Communist government.

  > Red Army remained in Eastern Europe, beginning the formation of Stalin's Buffer Zone.

  > Truman dropped the Atomic Bombs on Japan, forcing surrender, before Russian troops could get there.
• What was the impact of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

  Thousands of immediate deaths on impact.

  Radiation caused more deaths through cancers and birth defects for many decades.

  Thousands of buildings destroyed.
• What was the impact of the Atomic Bomb on WW2?

  Japan surrendered and the war in the Far East was over without America losing any more soldiers.
• What was the impact of the Atomic Bomb on The Superpowers?

  The USA were able to show their superiority to the USSR.

  Stalin was angry that Truman had not allowed the USSR to help defeat Japan as decided at Yalta.

  Led to the start of the Arms Race between the two superpowers.
• What was the Iron Curtain?

  A metaphor first used by Churchill in 1946 to explain the line dividing Western and Eastern Europe behind which Stalin had taken control.
• What was Churchill accusing Stalin and the USSR of doing in his Iron Curtain speech?

  Spreading totalitarian Communist control in Eastern and Central Europe.

  Possible preparation for further war.
• How did Stalin defend his actions in his response to Churchill's Iron Curtain speech?

  He wanted protection because the countries in his Buffer Zone were used by Germany to invade Russia.

  He wanted them to be friendly as he felt threatened by another invasion and wanted the Soviet Union to be safe in future.
• Why did Yugoslavia not remain loyal to Stalin?

  Marshall Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia, was Communist but did not want to be controlled by the USSR.

  He fell out with Stalin and was expelled from Cominform in 1948.
• What was the Truman Doctrine?

  An American policy that stated that the US would provide assistance to any country under the threat of Communist expansion.
• What was the aim of the Truman Doctrine?

  To contain or stop the spread of Communism.
• What was the Marshall Plan?

  The USA lent $ 17 billion to European countries to help them rebuild after the war as they thought Communism succeeded in poorer areas.

  It was also an opportunity for the US to create markets for their own goods.
• What were the aims of the Marshall Plan?

  > Stop spread of Communism

  > Help economies of Europe recover

  > Provide a market for American goods

  > $ 17 billion to rebuild European prosperity
• What were the effects of the Marshall Plan?


  > Stalin banned the Communist satellite states from receiving any.

  > Czechoslovakia became Communist in 1948 after the foreign minister was killed.

  > President Tito of Yugoslavia was expelled from Cominform in 1948 and accepted Marshall Aid.

  > It was rejected by Stalin as dollar imperialism.
• What is meant by dollar imperialism?

  Stalin said the USA was trying to create their own sphere of influence in Europe by bribing countries.
• How did Stalin respond to the Truman Doctrine?

  > He saw the Truman Doctrine as a direct threat to Communism.

  > He created Cominform in 1947 to ensure loyalty in Eastern Europe.

  > All members would regularly meet in Moscow to ensure they were following the same policies.

  > Communist parties in France and Italy also joined.
• How did Stalin respond to the Marshall Plan?

  > He claimed it was an example of dollar imperialism.

  > He did not allow Eastern European countries to accept it.

  > Comecon was set up in 1949 to coordinate economies of Eastern European countries.

  > It benefitted the USSR as it guaranteed a cheap supply of materials.
• What was the Berlin Blockade?

  The Soviet Union cut off West Berlin from West Germany, limiting power and gas to the area, and stopping access by road, rail and canalways.
• What was the Berlin Airlift?

  The Western response to the blockade. For 11 months, Western nations delivered all necessary resources to West Berlin by air.
• What two actions by the West in 1948 angered Stalin and led to him blockading West Berlin?

  > The joining of the other 3 zones in Berlin and Germany into a trizone.

  > The creation of the Deutschmark as a stable currency in Western Germany and Berlin.
• What was Stalin's aim in blockading West Berlin?

  He was trying to force the Western Allies to pull out of West Berlin by starving them into surrender as well as make them abandon their plans for development in their German zones.
• What options did Truman have to respond to the blockade?

  > Drive through the blockade - Stalin could see this as an attack and start another war.

  > Withdraw from Berlin - this is what Stalin wanted and he would take complete control of Berlin and make it weak.

  > Supply Berlin by air - air travel was not blocked and lots of supplies could get to Berlin in very little time.
• How many flights were there as a part of the Berlin Airlift?

  There was a total of around 275000 flights carrying around 4000 tons of supplies a day
• Why did Stalin call off the blockade?

  He had failed to starve the Allies out of West Berlin.

  He felt defeated and humiliated.
• What were the consequences of the Berlin crisis?

  > Stalin called off the blockade on 12th May 1949.

  > It greatly increased superpower rivalry between the USA and USSR.

  > It divided Germany even further.

  > It led to the creation of NATO in April 1949.