1945-1947: The early Cold War Flashcards

1
Q

What did Churchill say had descended over Europe? And in what year?

A

An ‘iron curtain’ (1946) - he meant an ideological divide between capitalism in the west and communism in the east

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2
Q

Where did Churchill make his 1946 speech?

A

Missouri - the home state - with Truman also on stage. This showed Truman supported Churchill’s ideas.

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3
Q

How did Stalin respond to Churchill’s ‘iron curtain’ speech?

A

By comparing ‘Mr Churchill and his friends’ to Hitler

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4
Q

What was clear by the end of 1946?

A

That the Grand Alliance over

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5
Q

What points did George Kennan (US ambassador in Moscow) make in the ‘Long Telegram’?

A
  • Stalin had given a speech calling for the destruction of capitalism
  • there could be no peace with the USSR while it was opposed to capitalism
  • the USSR was building up its military power
  • the USA should seek to contain communism
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6
Q

What points Nikolai Novikov, the Soviet ambassador to America, make in his telegram to Stalin in 1946?

A
  • America desired to dominate the world
  • following the death of FDR, the US govt. no longer wanted co-operation with the USSR
  • the American public was being prepared for war with the USSR
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7
Q

When did Harry Truman set out his ‘Truman Doctrine’?

A

March 1947

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8
Q

What was the ‘Truman Doctrine’?

A

A policy that the USA would intervene around the world to contain communism. This could be either economically or militarily.

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9
Q

What was the significance of the Truman Doctrine?

A

Arguably it marked the beginning of the Cold War. It showed the USA wanted to spread capitalism and contain communism. The two superpowers were now in direct opposition.

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10
Q

How was the Truman Doctrine different from previous US foreign policy?

A

The USA had previously followed the policy of isolationism. This marked a BIG change. The USA was now committed to getting involved around the world. (This shows how big a threat the USA thought the USSR presented.)

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11
Q

What was the Marshall Plan?

A

The Marshall Plan was a plan to provide economic aid to countries in Europe to prevent them falling to communism.

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12
Q

How much money was given to European countries as part of the Marshall Plan?

A

$13 billion ($17 billion by 1953)

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13
Q

What did countries have to do in order to receive Marshall aid?

A

Countries had to agree to trade freely with America

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14
Q

How did Truman describe the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine?

A

As ‘two halves of the same walnut’

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15
Q

What did the Marshall Plan do to international relations?

A
  • The Marshall Plan made relations WORSE
  • Stalin thought the USA was trying to buy influence in Europe
  • Stalin also believed it was the first step towards a military alliance against the USA
  • The world was now clearly divided into two camps (v. different from wartime co-operation of Grand Alliance)
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16
Q

Who created the Marshall Plan?

A

George Marshall, US Secretary of State (equivalent to Foreign Secretary in USA)

17
Q

What was the significance of the Truman Doctrine in Greece?

A

US financial support allowed the Greek government to defeat communist rebels in Greece in a civil war.

18
Q

Overall, how did relations change between 1945-47?

A
  • Relations got much worse
  • At the beginning of this period, the USA, USSR and GB were still in the Grand Alliance
  • By the end of this period, the world was clearly divided in two between communism and capitalism.
  • With the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, the USA were actively trying to contain the spread of communism