Cold War

• When was the Yalta conference?

  February 1945
• What was agreed in the Yalta conference

  split Germany, and Berlin, into 4 zones (America, French, British and soviet)

  hunt down and punish those involved in the holocaust

  join UN to keep the peace after war
• What were disagreements in the Yalta conference

  Stalin wanted soviet border to move westwards into Poland and so on into Germany but Churchill and Roosevelt didn’t like the idea
• Why did Churchill and Roosevelt end up agreeing with stalin

  He had is red army in control in Poland and east Germany. As long as Stalin wouldn’t interfere with Greece
• Who were the big 3

  America, britain and USSR
• Who were the leaders of the big 3

  Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin
• when was the potsdam conference

  july-august 1945
• what did they talk about at the Potsdam Conference

  What to do about Europe after WW2
• what were changes between the Yalta conference and the Potsdam conference

  Stalin's army was in control of most of europe

  America had a new President, Truman

  USA had developed a new bomb
• what were the disagreements at Potsdam

  German zones

  Stalin wanted $10B reparations for the War but Truman didn't want a repeat of end of WW1

  Soviet policy in Eastern Europe
• What happened between USA and Japan

  Following Pearl Harbour, and the develpment of the new atomic bombs, Japan refused to surrender still to the US, so USA decided to bomb Hiroshima (6th August 1945), killing 80,000 people and Nagasaki 3 days later, killing 40,000 people
• What was the effect on the USSR after the atomic bombs

  felt intimidated and worried that USA still had more bombs and would drop them on USSR

  started to develop their own atomic bombs
• what was communism in the cold war, and how did this affect the people

  idea that everyone was equal and the government believed that the rights of individuals were less important than the good of society as a whole.

  people had little freedom

  unemployment and extreme poverty was rare, however, standard of living was lower than average american

  citizens opposed to capitalism
• what was capitalism in the cold war, and how did this affect the people

  society based on 2 ideas : democracy & capitalism

  was extremes of wealth and poverty

  citizens had rights and freedom

  majority felt communism threatened their life
• when was the soviet expansion

  1945 - 1949
• why did Stalin expand soviet influence so much

  he took over 8 countries and claimed that he was creating a " soviet sphere of influence " and a " buffer zone " to protect himself from the West
• how did Churchill describe soviet expansion and how did this increase tensions

  described it as an " Iron Curtain ". increased tensions as it solidified the split between the East and the West
• What were the consequences of soviet expansion

  The West were more worried about the speed of Stalin's expansion and influence as some countries were taken by force

  USA issued the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan to try stop communism spreading

  Relations between USSR and USA worsened
• what policy did Stalin create in result of soviet expansion

  Cominform - October 1947

  Stalin would regularly set up meetings with leaders of the communist countries to keep a close eye on them and to see if any were independant-minded

  If any leaders were independant-minded, he would replace them with someone who was completely loyal to him
• what was USA's plan to control soviet expansion (truman doctrine)

  created The Truman Doctrine- March 1947 as they were scared that USSR would influence Greece and Turkey (USA and Britain's allies) so they promised to send money, aid and resources to any countries that were 'threatened' by communism. Truman aimed to stop communism from spreading, and his policy became known as ' Containment'
• what was USA's plan to control soviet expansion (marshall plan)

  created the Marshall Plan- December 1947 as the economic state or Europe was ruined and there was extreme shortages of goods. USA promised $17B to West European countries
• what did Stalin create in result of the Marshall Plan

  Comecon - 1949 which supported trade and businesses in communist countries. it meant that comecon members could only trade with other comecon members instead of with the West
• what did the soviet expansion suggest to Truman and how did this increase tensions

  Truman saw this as evidence that Stalin wanted to create a soviet empire in Europe which increased tensions and it showed that there was no trust between the two countries that were supposed to work together
• when did China become communist

  October 1949
• what did China sign with the USSR and when

  Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance in 1950
• what were the consequences of China becoming communist

  • changed the balance of power between the East and the West
  • USA's policy of containment failed in Asia
  • USA become more fearful of communism
• when was the Korean War

  1950 - 1953
• what happened in the Korean War

  • North Korea invade South Korea
  • South Korea appeal to the UN for help and they get given British and American soldiers
  • USSR wasn't present at UN so they made decision without them
  • War ended with a stalemate and they signed a peace treaty in 1953
• when was the vietnam war

  1955 - 1975
• what happened during the vietnam war

  the north (communist) was fighting against the south (capitalist)
• what were the consequences of the vietnam war

  • USA have to decide which wars to get involved with as the public didn't like to be involved
  • USSR confident that they can ensure a communist takeover in Asia
• what was NATO

  • north atlantic treaty organisation
  • formed in April 1949
  • western powers agreed to work together to prevent war from breaking out
  • countries included: Britain, France, USA, Iceland, Belgium, Denmark and Norway
• what was the warsaw pact

  • formed in May 1955
  • eastern european countries allying together
  • countries included: Poland, USSR, East Germany and Czechoslovakia
• what were the consequences of NATO and the Warsaw Pact

  • countries felt confident if they were attacked as they had support form other countries
  • solidified the split between the east and the west
• Why did the arms race begin

  Stalin realised that he was behind after USA dropped their atomic bomb in Japan in 1945
• what happens in Aug 1949 (USSR)


  The USSR detonates it’s first atomic bomb
• What happens in 1952 (USA)


  USA detonates the first hydrogen bomb
• What happens in 1955 (USSR)


  USA issue “duck and cover” campaigns and publish advice on how to build a nuclear bomb shelter at home
• What happens in 1957 (USSR)


  The ussr test out the world‘s first ICBM
• What happens in 1957- space race (USSR)


  Russia launches the first space satellite (Sputnik-1)