HISTORY FINAL EXAM PREP: The Cold War
1) What was the most important factor that led to the rise of the cold war?
 Wanted to invade France but the US wasn’t ready ( Battle of Stalingrad 1942) Soviets asked again in 1943 and US didn’t, Stalin started doubting the US
 Second Front Controversy: Manhattan project- creation of the atomic bomb (Sec ret project), didn’t ask Soviet Union to have their scientists help, or input, US and Great Britain excluded Soviets because they did not trust them. Stalin sent spies to the US and found out about the Manhattan Projects
 Race between the US and Soviet Union to be the most powerful in the world- Titanic struggle for world domination
 Fear of the spread of communism to the US, and the Soviets were worried about the spread of Capitalism
 Military, political, economic, and cultural struggle
2) Which individuals and events played the largest role transforming the nature of the Cold War from 1945-1991?
 Joseph Stalin
 Truman: President Democrat. Truman administration initiated foreign and military policies that established framework for US cold war strategy next 40+ years. Communism was the moral enemy of the US and had to be contained.
 Increased US global intervention. US intervene politically economically and militarily around the world. Established hundreds of military bases around the world to contain communism and project American power abroad
 Hoh Chih Minh
 Czech Coup- as an event late that February in which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia, marking the onset of four decades of Communist dictatorship in the country. The coup’s significance extended well beyond the country’s boundaries, however, as it was a clear marker along the already well-advanced road to full-fledged Cold War. The shock with which the West greeted the event—which bore distinct echoes of Munich—helped spur quick adoption of the Marshall Plan, the creation of a state in West Germany, vigorous measures to keep Communists out of power in France and especially Italy, and steps toward mutual security that would, in little over a year, result in the establishment of NATO and the definitive drawing of the Iron Curtain until the fall of Communism in 1989.
3) What impact did the Cold War have on American foreign and military policy?
 Marshall Plan 1948: European Economic recovery plan- rebuilds the economy, millions of dollars in aid. This was a very effective program, Booms the US economy
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization: (NATO) 1949 military peace organization (alliance) prevents Soviet Union from attacking all of Europe. Country signed alliance- Norway, Great Britain, British zone, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Portugal. This raised tensions on both sides.
 Warsaw Pact 1955- Soviets, Poland, Czech and Yug. Warsaw pact nation is an attack on all.
 Soviet atomic bomb 1949- US loses their monopoly of atomic bomb- major change, advisors wanted to meet with Soviets to expel use of atomic bomb, other advisors wanted the hydrogen bomb.
 H Bomb US 1952- USSR 1953- 1,000 x’s, more powerful than bomb on Hiroshima. 20 million tons of TNT
 Nuclear Arms Race- key component of the cold war. Wipeout of the enemy army without your own casualties, the fact that you had a nuclear weapon was a threat. Drop on cities to make them disappear (Major cities like NYC, and Moscow) Radiation fallout was a major issue.
 Vietnam War: Stemmed from the cold war because of the symptoms, components and consequences. Communism was threated to expand all over Southeast Asia.
4) What impact did the Cold War have on the domestic front? (presidential power, fear of communism, Civil Rights Movement, Rock’n’Roll)
 Presidential Power: rise of presidential power. Atomic energy act of 1946 two major provisions convinced US to have nuclear power plants to provide electricity
 Authorizes that the