Cold War

Created by

chaithra

Cards (50)

One effect of long term rivalry and ideology - The Grand alliance became strained 
The US/UK delayed the opening of the Second Front until 1944: Stalin thought this was to allow the Nazis to fight and weaken the Soviet Union
The US/UK feared that Stalin wanted to spread communism across eastern Europe and to end democracy in the West
They feared a repeat of 1917’s Russian Revolution (torture/brutality) as it was anti-capitalist
One effect of long term rivalry and ideology - The Eastern European countries were vulnerable to communism 
Following war damage and weariness, citizens were poor and wanted change and a better life
Churchill and Roosevelt thought that Stalin would force communism upon them
Stalin feared the West- he wanted a buffer zone to protect himself against attack
One effect of Tehran (November 1943) - Stalin was allowed a “sphere of influence” in Eastern Europe 
The Soviets were allowed to keep the land it had taken from Poland to create a buffer zone against the West, stopping any attacks (a big allowance as the West feared communism)
In return, Poland would gain land from Germany (moving West)
Stalin had control of many Eastern European countries with puppet communist governments
One effect of Tehran (November 1943) - The US/UK agreed to open up a Second Front in 1944 
Stalin feared the US/UK were allowing the Nazis to weaken the Soviets (and so defeated easily)
Churchill and Roosevelt agreed to open this front on Germany from the West, ending the war
Stalin agreed in turn to declare war on Japan after Germany was defeated, helping the US
One effect of Yalta (February 1945) - There was a Declaration on Liberated Europe- Satellite States 
Stalin agreed to democratic elections in Eastern Europe (he was communist so anti-democratic) - held rigged and forced elections
Stalin could maintain his “sphere of influence” still but the US/UK were still scared of this
Stalin only paid lip service to the idea: the Lublin Poles (communists) and the London Poles (pre-war) governed Poland together, but soon the London Poles began to disappear
One effect of Yalta (February 1945) - They agreed to split up Germany 
Germany was split into 4 zones of occupation: UK, US, France, Soviet
This was meant to be temporary but became permanent as tensions increased (leading eventually to East Germany and West Germany being created)
The formation of the UN meant the future war could be avoided
One effect of Potsdam (July/August 1945) - There was a compromise on reparations 
Germany was split into 4 zones of occupation and Berlin (in the Soviet zone) was also split up
They didn’t want Germany to remain strong enough to recover again (like after Versailles) but the US/UK didn’t want Germany so weak that it would be susceptible to communism
They agreed for each side to take reparations from their zones (the Soviets took lots)
One effect of Potsdam (July/August 1945) - There was disagreement over eastern Europe 
Truman wasn’t as satisfied as Roosevelt and distrusted Stalin (he feared communism spreading)
Stalin wanted a buffer zone, especially as Truman revealed he had atomic bombs
This led to further disagreement and Churchill’s iron curtain speech in 1946 (Europe was split with communism in the East and capitalism in the West)
One effect of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe - It broke the Declaration on Liberated Europe 
Stalin had agreed at Yalta to allow eastern European countries to have democratic elections
Stalin only paid lip service to the idea: the Lublin Poles (communists) and the London Poles (pre-war) governed Poland together, but soon the London Poles began to disappear
The US/UK feared Stalin spreading communism and having greater influence in Europe
One effect of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe - Tensions increased
Truman was especially fearful that Stalin would spread communism into western Europe
This led to disagreements with Stalin and Truman revealed that he had atomic bombs
Relations between the two sides worsened (leading to disagreements on reparations in Germany)
The attitudes of Truman and Stalin
In 1946, Truman received the Long telegram: it said that communism fed off weak countries like parasites on diseased flesh (it spread quickly)
He was very anti-communist and feared Stalin’s growing influence; he tried to make Stalin fear him by mentioning the atomic bombs (and bombed Hiroshima in August)
Stalin was influenced by the Novikov telegram of 1946: it said that the US wanted to spread democracy across the world (and that went against communism)
One effect of Iron curtain speech - It promoted the idea of the Soviet sphere of influence
In his March 1946 speech, Churchill talked about the Declaration on Liberated Europe and Stalin not promoting democracy/free elections in eastern Europe
He claimed these satellite states had control from Moscow and were under Stalin’s influence
He talked about the former Polish Government disappearing: Stalin couldn’t be trusted
One effect of Iron curtain speech - Churchill showed a difference between communist/capitalist Europe 
It was clear both sides saw each other as opponents: capitalism vs. communism
This led to stark differences in post-war Europe: Marshall Aid meant western Europe recovering much quicker and performing better than eastern Europe
There was a clear difference in quality of life across the curtain and led to people moving across
One effect of the Truman Doctrine - America committed itself to help fight communism
On 12th March 1947, Truman announced an economic aid package of $400 million to Greece
This allowed the Greek Government to fight communist rebels, keeping democracy in Greece
Truman pledged to help any country under communist threat by providing money & equipment (and led to America getting involved in Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam)
One effect of the Truman Doctrine - America implemented a policy of containment
From the Long telegram, Truman feared that Stalin was trying to spread communism in Europe
Truman thought the best policy would be to stop it spreading to other countries (i.e. contain it)
This led to the Marshall Plan, giving $13 billion to rebuild Europe and stop communism
One effect of the Marshall Plan - Europe was rebuilt
$13 billion was made available to countries in June 1947: France, Germany, Britain (17 in total)
This money brought food, jobs, housing, and healthcare (so less susceptible to communism)
US free trade agreements were made, boosting the economy to pre-war levels by 1952 (but this just confirmed Stalin’s fears of the US trying to spread capitalism)
One effect of the Marshall Plan -It created a rift in Europe
Stalin accused the US of “dollar imperialism”, making Europe dependent on America
Satellite states weren’t allowed to take the money and this led to a rift along the iron curtain (western Europe rebuilt faster and had a better quality of life)
Stalin set up Comecon in 1949 to try to stimulate eastern Europe – but this failed
One effect of Cominform - It strengthened Stalin’s control over eastern Europe
From September 1947, Cominform represented European communist parties
It allowed Stalin to ensure loyalty in eastern European governments (the satellite states)
They could spread propaganda across Europe and it increased Stalin’s influence
One effect of Cominform - Countries raised anger against the Marshall Plan 
Stalin said that Marshall Aid was “dollar imperialism” and meant Europe was reliant on the US
The countries rejected Marshall Aid so eastern Europe recovered slower
They organised strikes in western Europe against the Plan because having better economies weakened the attraction of communism: 2 million workers went on strike in France
One effect of Comecon - Eastern Europe developed slower than western Europe
In January 1949, Comecon was set up to oppose Marshall Aid and improve the satellite states
However, the Soviets had little spare cash to improve their jobs/food/health so it failed
Stalin hated the “dollar imperialism” and wanted to minimise economic reliance on the US but this led to a split in the quality of life across the iron curtain
One effect of Comecon - Stalin affirmed his sphere of influence
Comecon discouraged all trade with the US: they wanted to be self-reliant
But the Soviet Union used the money to rebuild itself first rather than the satellite states
The US did not gain economic power in eastern Europe and so Stalin maintained his influence
Causes and events of the Berlin Crisis
In 1947, the US/UK zones of occupation in Germany joined to become Bizonia to be a strong bulwark against communism but Stalin thought that they were trying to make the old enemy strong again
Bizonia adopted a new currency so it was more successful than the Soviet zone. So Stalin shut off land routes to Berlin in June 1948 to try and get the US/UK to give up control of Berlin: a direct challenge to Truman
Instead, they flew 1000 tonnes of supplies to the citizens and Stalin ended the blockade in May 1949 (a defeat)
One effect of the Berlin Crisis - East/West Germany were created
The US/UK/French zones became the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949
Stalin retaliated by making the Soviet zone the German Democratic Republic in October 1949
Germany was now split down the middle and it showed a divide between capitalism and communism (the former allies were no longer collaborating)
One effect of the Berlin Crisis - NATO was formed 
The threat to Berlin made the US/UK worried about Stalin so they made an alliance
In April 1949, they decided that if one member was attacked, they would all come to assist
This gave the US greater involvement in protecting Europe and West Germany eventually joined in 1955, leading to the Soviets creating the Warsaw Pact in retaliation
One effect of the Korean War - It showed that the US was committed to containing communism
By fighting the Soviets, when they invaded South Korea in 1950, America committed itself to the Truman Doctrine of containing communism
They went to war for 4 years and millions died (America really wanted to stop communism)
When China joined the war, it proved to Truman that communist countries were gaining force
One effect of the Korean War - It led to rearmament and further military alliances 
The US increased defence spending by 400% and Marshall Aid was used for defence spending
The US were worried by China emerging and the Soviet Union’s involvement
In May 1955, the USSR organised the Warsaw Pact in retaliation to NATO and this showed increased tensions between the two sides
One effect of the Warsaw Pact - Increased difference in Europe
After West Germany joined NATO in May 1955, the Soviets set up the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of satellite states
This created a split in military alliance in Europe and across the world, increasing tensions
There was now a divide in military alliance along the iron curtain
One effect of the Warsaw Pact - It cemented Soviet control over eastern Europe
Soviets feared that West Germany was growing in power, right next to the satellite states and could attack
There was increased competition between the Warsaw Pact/NATO (e.g. nuclear weapons)
The Soviet Union could control the other governments in terms of defence
One effect of Peaceful Co-existence - Decreased tensions between the superpowers
President Eisenhower and Khrushchev wanted tensions to decrease after the Korean War
Neither side wanted another world war and agreed to accept each other without fighting (i.e. accept that communism was here to stay and not try to eliminate it)
Eisenhower wanted to improve relations after the increased danger of nuclear weapons
One effect of Peaceful Co-existence - Less money was spent on defence
With the Korean War and Warsaw Pact, there was increased military spending (e.g. on nuclear)
Some countries had used Marshall Aid for defence and this wasn’t helping their economies
Both sides held meetings and there seemed growing co-operation and less hostility
Reasons for the invasion of Hungary
The unpopular Stalinist, communist leader of Hungary Rakosi had sent 300 000+ people to prison in 1949-56
Hungarians protested about their leader and so Khrushchev eventually replaced Rakosi with Imre Nagy in October 1956
Nagy wanted less hard-line communism and even democracy – he also wanted to leave the Warsaw Pact
Krushchev feared that other countries might follow him and so sent tanks into Budapest on 4th November 1956
One effect of the Hungarian Uprising - Khrushchev strengthened his control on eastern Europe
Despite protests, Red Army tanks entered Budapest, killing 20 000 Hungarians
Khrushchev asserted his control and showed he didn’t accept anti-communist uprisings
Khrushchev showed that he would only accept loyalty from the satellite states: no protests
One effect of the Hungarian Uprising - The US seemed weak
Despite encouraging rebellions and Nagy’s plans, the US refused to take military action and they seemed weak/pathetic
However, they showed respect for the Soviet “sphere of influence” and had no intention to fight
But Khrushchev’s intolerance of anti-communist ideas made peaceful co-existence seem unlikely
One effect of the Nuclear Arms race - The US and the Soviet Union were in direct competition
The Soviets were trying to catch up with the Americans’ nuclear abilities
The US were looking for new technology (e.g. in 1957 they tested ICBMs)
The Soviets were always just behind the US: they developed the atomic bomb in 1949 and ICBMs in the same year as the US – both sides needed to develop in order not to be attacked
One effect of the Nuclear Arms race - Both sides were less likely to go to war
With the ability to destroy the world, they were less likely to perform nuclear war
Nuclear weapons acted as deterrents as they held great risks (they could kill millions)
This led to Mutually Assured Destruction in the 1960s (nuclear attack would lead to complete destruction of both sides so neither would want to attack) so relations improved
One effect of the U2 incident - American-Soviet relations broke down
Having shot down a U2 spy plane on 1st May 1960, the Soviets could prove the US were spying
This showed distrust between them as the US had initially claimed it was a weather plane (a lie)
At the Paris Summit Conference that month, Khrushchev walked out after Eisenhower refused to apologise
One effect of the U2 incident - It was a propaganda victory for the Soviets 
The Soviets had evidence that the US were deceitful and had betrayed their wartime ally
It was an embarrassment for the US as they thought that the Soviets couldn’t shoot a U2 down
The Soviets put the pilot Gary Powers on trial and toured the wreckage of the plane – it was a propaganda exercise for them
Reasons for the Berlin Wall
There was an exodus of young, unskilled workers from East Germany to West Germany via Berlin (3 million had left by 1958, a sixth of the population of East Germany) and in August 1961 alone, 40 000 East Germans crossed the border
Communism was facing a propaganda disaster (teachers/engineers etc. wanted more money)
Khrushchev gave an ultimatum to Kennedy: withdraw troops from Berlin or be cut off
Kennedy was a new President (from January 1961) so wanted to appear strong but was very inexperienced and refused to make any concessions
One effect of the Berlin Wall - Propaganda victory for US
By building the wall, Khrushchev ended the refugee crisis (3 million had left by 1958)
Kennedy claimed that the Soviets had to wall people in to stop them escaping communism
The US accused the East German guards of cruelty as they shot 130+ people who tried to cross
One effect of the Berlin Wall - Tensions calmed between the US and the Soviets
Khrushchev’s previous plans to unite Berlin under Soviet rule was now dropped – the wall seemed permanent
It showed the US that communism was unlikely to leave and Germany was unlikely to be united
Khrushchev avoided war over West Berlin and had to accept US/UK control – he could no longer coerce Kennedy