Early Cold War questions they have not asked yet

• Consequences of Yalta Feb 1945

  1. Germany would be split up into 4 zones, each zone controlled by a separate country

  2. Free elections agreed in Eastern Europe which Stalin agreed to then he didn't honour this as he wanted a buffer zone of countries protecting Russia from German attack towards the end of WW2
• Consequences of Potsdam July 1945

  1. Differences over Germany. Stalin wanted compensation. However, Truman refused as he saw a revived Germany as possible barrier to future soviet expansion

  2. Poland had become communist. The start of Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe
• Consequences of the development of the atomic bomb

  1. Beginning of the arms race. Both superpowers wanted to ensure that they had an atomic bomb to protect their country

  2. Made negotiations at Potsdam much more difficult as Stalin was infuriated that he wasn't informed about the US testing the atomic bomb 2 days before Potsdam
• Consequences of the long/Novikov telegrams 1946

  1. Kennans long telegram (8000 words long) argued that the USSR was a global parasite in its attempt to spread communism. This led to tensions worsening and even some may argue it led to the start of the Cold War

  2. Grand alliance was killed between these two telegrams as USA wanted to solely focus on the USSR as their mutual enemy of Nazi Germany had been defeated
• Consequences of the Truman Doctrine 1947

  P1- Led to US support for Greek government which was now able to defeat communism. USA became committed to a policy of containment as they wanted to prevent communism spreading.

  P2-Led to Stalin setting up Cominform in 1949 to control states in Eastern Europe. Stalin saw Marshall Aid as attempt to “buy” countries.
• Consequences of Marshall Aid 1948

  P1-Further confirmed divisions between the East and West as Stalin prevented Eastern European countries such as Czechoslovakia and Poland from applying for the aid.

  P2-Led to worsening relations as the West had the upper hand as their economies were beginning to recover from the war.
• Consequences of Cominform/Comecon 1948

  1. Increasing tension as both superpowers had control of their own sides

  2. Showed how Stalin wouldn't step down and retaliate against Truman Doctrine
• Consequences of the setting up of NATO 1949

  1. Showed how the US were committed to defend Western Europe and intensified the arms race

  2. Within 6 years, USSR had set up the Warsaw pact (1955) to counteract the Westerns formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-this strengthened the military position of the Soviet Union
• Consequences of the Berlin Crisis (Berlin Blockade)1948

  1. The West forming NATO showed USA commitment and determination to stand up to communism

  2. West Germany was now formally united as USA, France and UK combine all their zones of control and from Trizonia, leaving the West to be capitalist and the East to be communist
• Consequences of the Arms race

  1. Increased rivalry between the two superpowers as both began spending more on the building of atomic and nuclear weaponry

  2. Led to the development of the Hydrogen bomb from the US which were 2500 more times powerful than the atomic bomb. However, both countries didn't want to use the weapons as it would lead to MAD (mutually assured destruction)
• Consequences of the Hungarian Uprising 1956

  1. Soviet Union reasserted control over Hungary. Kadar becomes Hungary's new leader

  2. Soviet Union looked strong as they sent in 6000 troops and sent in 200,000 USSR troops to squash the rebellion in Hungary. This led to other Warsaw pact countries were discouraged from carrying out a similar uprising