The Origins of the Cold War, 1941-1949 (Edexcel GCSE History)

Flashcards

1/50

0Still learning

Know0

Enjoying Flashcards?
Tell us what you think

Cards in this collection (50)

  • Define the term communism.

    Communism is an ideology where all property is owned by the state to ensure everyone has a fair share.

  • Define the term capitalism.

    Capitalism is an ideology where individuals are free to own property and businesses to make money.

  • Define the term Soviet Union.

    The Soviet Union was a state that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was led by Russia but included 14 other states. It is sometimes called the USSR.

  • Who was the president of the USA in 1941?

    The president of the USA in 1941 was Franklin D. Roosevelt.

  • Who was the leader of the Soviet Union in 1941?

    The leader of the Soviet Union in 1941 was Joseph Stalin.

  • Did the USA believe in communism or capitalism?

    Capitalism.

    However, Roosevelt was tolerant of Stalin and the Soviet Union.

  • Did the Soviet Union believe in communism or capitalism?

    Communism.

    The USA and Britain was very critical of Stalin's policies, which resulted in the deaths of millions of his own people.

  • The ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ or ‘Big Three’- was formed between the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain to defeat the Axis powers of Germany and Japan during the Second World War.

    The Grand Alliance - or ‘Big Three’- was formed between the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain to defeat the Axis powers of Germany and Japan during the Second World War.

  • ‘Old powers’ like Britain and France had been replaced by the new ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ of the USA and the Soviet Union.

    ‘Old powers’ like Britain and France had been replaced by the new ‘superpowers’ of the USA and the Soviet Union.

  • When was the Tehran Conference?

    The Tehran Conference took place in 1943.

  • At the Tehran Conference, the USA and the UK agreed to open a ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎by attacking Nazi-occupied France.

    At the Tehran Conference, the USA and the UK agreed to open a 'second front' ‎by attacking Nazi-occupied France.

  • Did the Tehran Conference have a positive or negative impact on US-Soviet relations?

    Positive.

    Roosevelt had supported Stalin in opening the 'second front.' Stalin agreed to support the USA in its war against Japan.

  • When was the Yalta Conference?

    The Yalta Conference took place in February 1945.

  • At the Yalta Conference, the Soviet Union gained land from Poland as long as free ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ were held to decide on its government.

    At the Yalta Conference, the Soviet Union gained land from Poland as long as free elections were held to decide on its government.

  • Define the United Nations.

    The United Nations (UN) was an organisation, made up of several countries that work for international peace and security. The UN was created at the Yalta Conference.

  • Did the Yalta Conference have a positive or negative impact on US-Soviet relations?

    Positive.

    The Soviet Union wanted to expand their territory into Poland. The USA was pleased that Stalin had agreed to free elections in Eastern Europe.

  • When was the Potsdam Conference?

    The Potsdam Conference was held in July-August 1945.

  • Who replaced Roosevelt as the US president for the Potsdam Conference?

    Harry S. Truman replaced Roosevelt as the US president for the Potsdam Conference.

  • At the Potsdam Conference, Berlin was divided into ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ zones to be controlled by the USA, the UK, France and the Soviet Union.

    At the Potsdam Conference, Berlin was divided into four zones to be controlled by the USA, the UK, France and the Soviet Union.

  • Did the Potsdam Conference have a positive or negative impact on US-Soviet relations?

    Negative.

    Truman was concerned with the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe. The USA's development of the atomic bomb increased tensions between both countries.

  • Define the term Red Army.

    The Red Army was the name for the army of the Soviet Union.

  • When did the USA drop the atomic bombs on Japan?

    The atomic bombs were dropped in August 1945, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

  • What was the unofficial reason why the USA dropped the atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945?

    The unofficial reason why the USA dropped the atomic bombs on Japan was to scare the Soviet Union with their military strength to stop the spread of communism in Eastern Europe.

  • Define the term buffer zone.

    A buffer zone is an area of land that separates two other areas and that is designed to prevent fighting or harm coming to something.

  • Stalin wanted to create a buffer zone between Germany and the Soviet Union to protect from any potential ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ from the West.

    Stalin wanted to create a buffer zone between Germany and the Soviet Union to protect from any potential invasions from the West.

  • When did the Soviet Union successfully test their first nuclear weapon?

    The Soviet Union successfully test their first nuclear weapon on 29th August 1949.

  • Did the atomic bomb increase or decrease tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union?

    Increase.

    Truman hoped that the atomic bomb would reduce tensions. However, it fuelled Stalin's belief that the West wanted to destroy communism.

  • Apart from atomic weapons, name a world event that increased tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union in 1945?

    The world event that increased tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union in 1945 was the end of the Second World War. The USA and the Soviet Union no longer had a common enemy.

  • Define a telegram.

    A telegram is a message that is sent using wires that carry electrical signals and then printed out. Telegrams were replaced by faxes and email.

  • Who was George Kennan?

    George Kennan was the USA’s ambassador in Moscow.

  • What was the name of Kennan's telegram that he sent to the USA?

    Kennan's telegram that he sent to the USA was called the 'Long Telegram'.

  • When did Kennan send the Long Telegram?

    In February 1946, Kennan sent the Long Telegram from Moscow back to President Truman.

  • The Long Telegram advised that the USA should attempt to ' ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ' the spread of communism.

    The Long Telegram advised that the USA should attempt to 'contain' the spread of communism.

  • Who was Nikolai Novikov?

    Nikolai Novikov was the Soviet ambassador in Washington.

  • When did Novikov send his telegram?

    In September 1946, Novikov sent a telegram from Washington back to Stalin.

  • The Novikov Telegram stated that the USA wanted to build up its military strength to achieve ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ .

    The Novikov Telegram stated that the USA wanted to build up its military strength to achieve world domination.

  • Did the telegrams between the USA and the Soviet Union in 1946 increase or decrease Cold War tensions?

    Increase.

    Both sides believed the other to be untrustworthy and planning their destruction.

  • Who wrote and delivered the 'Iron Curtain' speech in March 1946?

    Winston Churchill wrote and delivered the 'Iron Curtain' speech in March 1946.

  • Define the term 'Iron Curtain'.

    The ‘Iron Curtain’ refers to the impenetrable divide between capitalism in the West and communism in the East. It was not a physical divide. The 'Iron Curtain' represents a divide in ideas about how countries should be run.

  • Define a satellite state.

    A satellite state is an officially independent country that is strongly influenced or controlled by another country.

  • When were the Baltic States taken over by the Soviet Union?

    The Baltic States were taken over by the Soviet Union in 1940.

  • Did Stalin allow Poland to have free elections in 1947, as he had agreed to at the Yalta Conference?

    No.

    The Soviet Union led a campaign of violence and intimidation to ensure a fully communist government was created in Poland in 1947.

  • Romania and Bulgaria both lost their ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ , which were replaced by communist governments by 1946.

    Romania and Bulgaria both lost their monarchies, which were replaced by communist governments by 1946.

  • Define the term secret police.

    A secret police is a police force that secretly collects information about people who oppose the government and tries to make such opposition weaker, often using illegal and violent methods.

  • How did Rakosi use a secret police in Hungary between 1945 and 1947?

    Rakosi took control of the secret police un Hungary and imprisoned political opponents. This allowed the Communists to win the 1947 election.

  • Define the term coup.

    A coup is a sudden, illegal and often violent taking of government power usually by a section of the country’s armed forces.

  • Who led the coup in 1948 to create a communist in Czechoslovakia?

    Klement Gottwald led the coup in 1948 to create a communist in Czechoslovakia.

  • How were Yugoslavia and Albania different to the other satellite states of the Soviet Union?

    They were never occupied by the Red Army. They were given more independence than other satellite states.

  • What term is used to refer to the communist states in Eastern Europe?

    The communist states in Eastern Europe is often called the Eastern Bloc.

  • Truman saw the creation of satellite states as a deliberate attempt to spread ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ .

    Truman saw the creation of satellite states as a deliberate attempt to spread communism.