Cold War Test

Year 10
Mr Bass
Friday 9th October 2009

Please answer all questions in FULL sentences.

You have the entire lesson to answer all questions.

*Remember to look at the numbers in the brackets, this tells you how many points you
have to make*

Section One

1. The Cold War was fought between which two countries? (2)
The Cold war was fought between the USA (United States of America) and the USSR
(Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).

2. Briefly explain the main differences between these two countries (4)
In terms of political ideology, the USSR and USA were very different.
The USA advocated capitalism and was a democratic country. This was a nation that
believed in personal freedom, the free market, and a free media.
On the other hand the USSR was a communist country. This ideology was committed
to the equal distribution of wealth, state ownership of companies and the media, and
government involvement in virtually every aspect of people’s lives. These ideologies
were completely opposed to one another.

3. Which three allied leaders met at Yalta in February 1945? Which countries did
each of these leaders represent? (3)
The three allied leaders who met at Yalta in February in 1945 were Winston
Churchill, Josef Stalin and Theodore Roosevelt. Churchill represented Britain, Stalin
represented the USSR and Roosevelt represented the USA.

4. Name two major decisions, regarding Germany and Eastern Europe, that were
made at Yalta. (2)
One major decision made at Yalta was that Germany would be divided into four
different sectors. Each of these sectors would be run by one of the allies: Britain,
France, USA and the USSR. Berlin, in the Soviet sector, would also be sub-divided
between the allies.
Another major decision made at Yalta was that there should be free and democratic
elections held throughout Eastern Europe. The western allies in particular were
concerned that Stalin would takeover much of Eastern Europe, and sought
reassurance from the Soviet leader that he would allow each independent country to
decide its own future.

5. Who succeeded President Roosevelt as President of the United States? How did
this alter relations with the Soviet Union? (2)
Harry Truman succeeded Roosevelt as President of the United States.
This altered relations as Truman had a very different attitude towards Stalin and the
USSR. While Roosevelt had trusted Stalin and hoped to reach agreement with him
over the future of Europe, Truman had an intense dislike of Stalin and the political
system that he represented. The fact that Truman was also rather inexperienced with
diplomacy and negotiating skills also contributed to ‘frosty’ relations with the USSR.
6. Who succeeded Winston Churchill as British Prime Minister during the
Potsdam Conference of August 1945? (1)
Clement Attlee succeeded Winston Churchill as British Prime Minister during the
Potsdam Conference of August 1945

7. What methods did Stalin use to increase his influence across Eastern Europe?
(3)
Stalin used a variety of methods to increase his influence across Eastern Europe.
Between 1945-1948 he resorted to tactics such as election rigging, extreme
intimidation of existing governments, and threatening or destroying opposition parties
who dared to stand against him. He filled the government of Poland with Lublin Poles
(who were sympathetic to communism), the King of Romania was forced to appoint a
Prime Minister chosen by Stalin, and elections in Bulgaria were rigged to place the
communists in power.

8. To what did Winston Churchill refer to during a famous speech he made in

1946? (1)
Churchill referred to an ‘Iron Curtain’ during a famous speech he made in 1946.

9. In which two ways did America attempt to stop the spread of communism in
1947? (4)
Two ways in which America attempted to stop the spread of communism in 1947
were the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.
The Truman Doctrine was a commitment given by President Truman that any country
under communist threat would receive military support from the USA. The USA was
a wealthy country and wanted to stop or contain the spread of communism.
The Marshall Plan was the economic wing of the Truman Doctrine. It promised
economic support to countries in Europe that had been seriously damaged by six
years of war. By offering economic assistance to countries the USA hoped to not only
help rebuild Europe but fight the spread of communism, which they believed thrived
on poverty. If people had good jobs and were well paid then it was believed they
would be far less likely to turn to communism.

10. What were the consequences of the Berlin Airlift? (3)

There were many consequences as a result of the Berlin Airlift in 1948/49.
One of these was that divisions between East and West Berlin intensified. Stalin had
tried to blockade West Berlin into submission, and the response of the USA had
demonstrated the importance that was attached to the capitalist West. The ill-feeling
between the countries clearly increased as a consequence of the Airlift.
Another consequence of the Berlin Airlift was to split Eastern and Western Europe
into two opposing alliances. In 1949 NATO (led by the USA) was formed. This was a
military alliance between 12 countries directed against the communist threat. As a
response to this the Warsaw Pact was created by the USSR in 1955, this was an
Eastern Bloc alliance.
In addition to this, the two countries of East Germany (German Democratic Republic)
and West Germany (German Federal Republic) came into being as a result of the
divisions caused by the Blockade.