20 flashcards · Shared on 19 August 2026 by AtomAI Library
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What was the central ideological divide between the United States and the Soviet Union after 1945?
Liberal capitalism versus Soviet communism
What was the central ideological divide between the United States and the Soviet Union after 1945?
Liberal capitalism versus Soviet communism
Which agreement was reached by the Allied leaders at the Yalta Conference in February 1945?
Germany would be divided into occupation zones
Why did tensions increase at the Potsdam Conference in July and August 1945?
The Western Allies and Soviet Union disagreed over Germany and Eastern Europe
Why did Stalin seek Soviet-friendly governments in Eastern Europe after the Second World War?
To create a buffer against another invasion from the west
What did Winston Churchill mean by the term “Iron Curtain” in his 1946 speech?
The political and ideological division between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the West
What argument did George Kennan make in the Long Telegram of 1946?
Soviet expansion should be contained through firm, long-term opposition
In early Cold War policy, what did “containment” mean?
Preventing the spread of communism into additional countries
What was the main purpose of the Truman Doctrine, announced in 1947?
To provide support to countries threatened by communist expansion
Why did the United States introduce the Marshall Plan in 1947?
To rebuild European economies and reduce the appeal of communism
How did the Soviet Union respond to the Marshall Plan?
It rejected the plan and pressured Eastern European governments to do the same
What was Cominform, established in 1947?
A Soviet-led body used to coordinate European communist parties
What immediate development helped provoke the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948?
The introduction of a new currency in the western occupation zones
How did the Western Allies respond to the Berlin Blockade?
They supplied West Berlin by air
What was a major consequence of the Berlin Blockade of 1948–49?
The division between East and West became more firmly established
What was NATO when it was created in 1949?
A collective defence alliance linking the United States, Canada and Western European states
What was the Warsaw Pact, founded in 1955?
A Soviet-led military alliance in Eastern Europe
How did the communist victory in China in 1949 affect the Cold War?
It strengthened the communist side and increased Western fears about communism spreading in Asia
What event began the Korean War in June 1950?
North Korean forces invaded South Korea
Why was the United Nations Security Council able to authorize military assistance to South Korea in 1950 without a Soviet veto?
The Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Council over the representation of China
How did the Korean War end in 1953?
An armistice ended the fighting without a permanent peace treaty