Paper 1 – Topic 4
The Origins of the Cold War 1945-1960
Who were the Big 3 at Yalta
in February 1945?
• Winston Churchill – Britain
• Franklin D. Roosevelt – USA
• Joseph Stalin - USSR
Who were the Big 3 at
Potsdam in August 1945?
• Clement Attlee– Britain
• Harry Truman– USA
• Joseph Stalin - USSR
What did they agree should
happen to Germany after WW2?
• Germany should be split into 4 zones
• Berlin should be split into 4 zones
• Free elections for counties in Eastern
Europe invaded by the Nazis
• Stalin agreed to help USA fight Japan
• UN to replace League of Nations
• Nazi leaders tried for war crimes
What did they agree?
• Germany should be split into 4 zones
• Berlin should be split into 4 zones
• Reparations could be taken from each
zone
• Nazi leaders tried for war crimes.
Effects of the atomic bomb?
• Truman kept it secret from Stalin
• Stalin was not allowed to share
in the defeat of Japan despite
promises at Yalta
• Began an Arms Race
What happened in the Arms Race?
• USSR & USA became very competitive to be
the strongest & felt threatened by each
other
• 1949 - USSR had their own atomic bomb
• 1952 – USA developed Hydrogen bomb
• 1955 – USSR developed Hydrogen bomb
What was the Iron Curtain?
• Stalin took over Eastern
European countries
• This divided Europe into
Communist East & Capitalist
West
• Winston Churchill in a famous
speech called it an “Iron
Curtain”
How did USA react to the Iron Curtain?
USA opted for a policy of containment –
stopping Communism spreading further
• Truman Doctrine supported any nation
threatened by Communist invasion with arms
& financial aid
• Marshall Plan promised US aid to
European countries to rebuild after WW2.
West Germany benefitted massively.
Causes of Berlin Blockade?
• USA, Britain and France combined
their 3 occupied zones in Berlin
• Set up a single government &
new currency to help recovery
• Stalin saw this as ganging up on
the USSR who wanted to keep
Germany weak
• Many people in East Berlin left to
West Berlin as a result
What happened?
• Berlin was in East Germany,
controlled by USSR
• Therefore Stalin blockaded the aid
coming into West Berlin from West
Germany.
• USA & Britain responded with Berlin
Airlift. June 1948-May 1949 8000
tons of supplies were flown into
Berlin each day.
• In 1949 Stalin ended the Blockade
Why was Yalta successful?
• The big 3 were allies still fighting together to
defeat a bigger enemy Hitler
• FDR and Churchill accepted that the USSR had
suffered the biggest losses so were willing to
listen to Stalin
• Despite their differences the Big 3 had been
able to agree on what to do with Germany &
Eastern Europe
Why was Potsdam the beginning of
rising tensions between USSR & USA?
• Roosevelt had died and been replaced by
Harry Truman – he hated Communism & did
not trust Stalin
• The USSR broke agreement at Yalta by
taking over Eastern European countries
• Truman told Attlee but not Stalin about the
Atomic Bomb on Japan
How did this increase tensions?
• Nuclear weapons capable of wiping out
entire cities. People thought it could be
the end of humankind if war broke out
• Both sides became cautious in their
approach to the other– e.g. the Truman
Doctrine
How did this increase tensions?
• USA argued that they were helping the
recovery of Western Europe and protecting
countries from the threat of Communist
takeover
• Stalin prevented any Communist countries
in the East from receiving aid. He claimed
that USA were bribing countries to join
them over USSR.
How did this increase tensions?
• Secured the Iron Curtain- West Germany &
East Germany were formed
• USA & the West set up NATO to protect
each other from the threat of Communism.
USSR later responded with the Warsaw
Pact in 1955
• First main crisis of the Cold War - showed
that neither side were willing to risk war,
but deepened hatred of each other
Causes of Korean War?
• Korea divided into North and
South after WW2
• North was communist and South
capitalist
• Communist North went to war
with South to reunite the country
• USA and West intervened on
behalf of UN to stop communism
spreading
What happened?
• UN army led by General MacArthur pushed
North Koreans out of South by September
1950
• Truman allowed MacArthur to invade North
Korea which worried Communist China
• In Oct 1950, China joined North Koreans &
drove UN forces back
• MacArthur was sacked by Truman for
wanting to use Nuclear weapons on China
and North Korea
• Truman agreed a ceasefire in 1953
How did this increase tensions?
• Could easily have become a world war
but showed that USA & USSR were not
willing to risk this
• Extended Cold War outside Europe & into
the Far East
• China emerged as a new Communist
power in the East & ally to USSR
• USSR did not get directly involved but it
did supply weapons to the North
Causes of Hungarian Rising?
• Stalin died in 1953. Khrushchev
the new leader wanted to start a
new period of ‘peaceful
coexistence’ with the West
• Led to de-Stalinisation in Eastern
countries like Hungary
• 1956 - Hungary rose up against
rise up against Rakosi, a brutal
Stalinist leader & elected their
own Prime Minister Nagy.
What happened?
• 1956 – Nagy announced that Hungary
would withdraw from Warsaw Pact &
hold free elections (ending USSR
control)
• Khrushchev sent in Soviet tanks. 20,000
Hungarians killed & Nagy executed
• USA condemned actions but did not help
Hungary for fear of risking Nuclear War
• Hungary remained under the control of
USSR
How did this increase tensions?
• Showed that Khrushchev was not willing
to break up the iron curtain and weaken
the USSR’s power over Eastern Europe
• USA & West used this to create antiUSSR propaganda
• The Arms Race continued through 1950s
& 60s. 1957 USSR fired first Ballistic
Missile & launched Sputnik 1, the world’s
first artificial satellite.
Paper 1 – Topic 4
The Origins of the Cold War 1945-1960
Can I explain:
1. 3 things agreed at Yalta?
2 reasons why Postdam was not as successful as Yalta?
3. 2 effects of USA dropping the atomic bomb?
4. 2 ways the Arms Race increased tensions between the USA and USSR?
5. 3 ways Europe was divided by 1945?
6. what the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan was?
7. 2 reasons why Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan increased tensions?
8. 2 causes for the Berlin Blockade
9. 2 reasons why it increased tensions?
10. why NATO and the Warsaw Pact were set up?
11. 2 causes for the Korean War?
12. 2 reasons why it increased tensions?
13. 2 causes of the Hungarian uprising?
14. 2 reasons why it increased tensions
Paper 1 – Topic 3
Hitler’s Foreign Policy and the Origins of the Second World War
What were Hitler’s Aims?
• Power – to build up the army
and take back what was lost in
the Treaty of Versailles
• Unity – to unite all German
speak countries
• Territory – to invade land in
the East for living space for
Germany (Lebensraum)
How did Hitler prepare to achieve
his aims 1934-36?
• withdrew from disarmament
conference & League of Nations
• 10 Year Non-Aggression Pact with
Poland in 1934 – pleased Britain
• Brought in conscription in 1935
• Anglo-German naval agreement with
Britain – could build a navy up to
35% size of Britain. Annoyed France
Why was the Saar a success in 1935?
• The Saar was an industrial region of Germany
bordering France. It was very rich in coal
• Under the Treaty of Versailles the Saar was
put under the control of the League of Nations
for 15 years in 1920
• In 1935 a plebiscite (vote) was held for the
people to decide whether to return to Germany
• 90% voted in favour showing Hitler’s
popularity. Nazis propaganda portrayed it as a
great success.
Why did Hitler remilitarise
the Rhineland in 1936?
• It was demilitarised by the
TofV as it bordered France.
Hitler wanted to reverse this.
• The League was distracted by
Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia.
• Self-defence: Russia & France
had made a treaty promising
to protect each other against
German attack.
What happened?
• Hitler sent in 22,000 badly equipped
soldiers
• They were ordered to leave if
Britain or France moved in.
• Britain & France did nothing as
nobody wanted to start another war
after the scale of losses in WW1
and during a Great Depression.
• Hitler had broken the Treaty of
Versailles and got away with it.
What were the effects?
• Hitler grew in confidence to break the TofV
further as he now knew Britain and France
were not willing to stand up to him.
• Hitler became even more popular in
Germany making him even more confident
to take more aggressive risks.
• Led to Hitler signing the Rome-Berlin Axis
with Mussolini of Italy.
Why invade Austria in 1938?
• Believed Germany & Austria
belonged together (Anschluss)
• Nazi revolt in Austria failed in
1934 when Mussolini moved
Italian troops to the Austrian
border to stop him.
• Confident that Britain & France
wouldn’t intervene
What happened?
• Hitler and Mussolini now allies
• Hitler encouraged Austrian Nazis to riot
• Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg tried to give
Austrians a plebiscite on whether they should
remain independent.
• Hitler threatened to invade if Schuschnigg
didn’t resign. Schuschnigg resigned.
• Hitler peacefully entered to “restore order.”
Held plebiscite. 99.75% vote for Anschluss.
What was the Munich
Agreement 1938?
• Hitler wanted the Sudetenland
• British PM Chamberlain went to
Munich to negotiate
• The agreement said that Hitler
could have Sudetenland if he
didn’t invade the rest of
Czechoslovakia (appeasement)
Against – Hitler could not be trusted, made
Britain look weak, allowed Hitler to become
more powerful, no say given to Czechoslovakia
What was the Nazi-Soviet
Pact 1939?
• Germany and USSR agreed not
to go to war for the next 10
years
• Germany took West Poland,
USSR took East
• Trade in war resources
Why was the Pact important?
• Hitler now had the green light to
invade Poland without the risk of
war with Russia
• Britain & France had promised to
defend Poland
• Britain and France had lost another
ally – the USSR
Was appeasement a mistake?
For – WW1 was still in living memory, Great
Depression, No USA, a strong Germany was a
barrier against Communism in USSR. Gave
Britain time to start rearming.
What were the effects?
• Hitler now had control of the Austrian
army & economic resources, like iron &
steel
• TofV had again been broken without
opposition from Britain & France. Hitler’s
confidence continued to grow.
• Germany were now well positioned to take
back the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia
What were the effects?
• Hitler took over the rest of
Czechoslovakia 6 months later in March
1939
• Showed Britain that Hitler could not be
trusted ending policy of appeasement
• Britain & France did nothing to help
Czechs but agreed to support Poland if
invaded
What were the effects?
• Hitler invaded Poland in Sept 1939.
Britain declared war on Germany
• WW2 had begun.
Paper 1 – Topic 3
Hitler’s Foreign Policy and the Origins of the Second World
War
Can I explain:
1. what Hitler’s 3 aims were?
2. 4 ways he prepared to achieve his aims 1934-35?
3. why did the Saar legally return to Germany after 15 years?
4. 3 reasons why Hitler wanted to remilitarise the Rhineland in 1936?
5. 3 reasons why he got away with it?
6. 3 effects of Hitler remilitarising the Rhineland?
7. 3 reasons why Hitler invaded Austria in 1938?
8. 3 key events of how Hitler invaded Austria?
9. 3 effects of Hitler taking Austria?
10. 3 arguments for Britain signing the Munich Agreement? (appeasement)
11. 3 reasons against the Agreement?
12. 3 effects of the Agreement?
13. 3 things agreed in the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939?
14. 3 reasons why the Pact was important in causing war?
Key terms:
Treaty of Versailles
10 Year Non-Aggression Pact
Rearmament
Mussolini
Failed Anschluss 1934
Austrian plebiscite
PM Neville Chamberlain
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Disarmament Conference
Anglo-Naval Agreement
Saar plebiscite
Abyssinia
Chancellor Schuschnigg
Munich Agreement
Appeasement
Stalin & the USSR
League of Nations
Conscription
Remilitarised Rhineland
Rome-Berlin Axis
Austrian Nazis
Sudetenland
Czechoslovakia
Agreement with Poland
Paper 1 – Topic 2
Peacemaking 1918-19 & League of Nations
Who were the Big 3 at the
Paris Peace Conference?
• Georges Clemenceau – France
• David Lloyd George – Britain
• Woodrow Wilson - USA
What were their aims?
• to punish Germany to keep France
safe.
• to punish Germany but not too
much (trade, future war,
Communism)
• 14 points for all nations to stop
war happening again
Who was satisfied with what?
• happy – disarmed Germany, war guilt,
reparations Unhappy - Germany not being
broken down into smaller states
• happy - 6 battleships, colonies given to Br
and Fr. Unhappy – Germany will want
revenge and unable to trade with Br
• happy - League of Nations, Germany
disarming, self determination in East Europe.
Unhappy War Guilt Clause, no other countries
disarming, colonies given to Br & Fr
What was agreed at the
Treaty of Versailles?
• Land taken away from
Germany’s empire
• Army reduced to 100,000men
• Money (6.6 billion)
• Blame for starting the war
How were Germany affected?
• Military – 100,000men, no tanks,
aircrafts or submarines. Only 6
battleships, demilitarised Rhineland
• Territorial – Alsace & Lorraine
back to France, Polish corridor to
Poland, Saar to the League for 15
years, colonies to Br and Fr
• Economical – 6.6 billion
reparations
• Blame – war guilt clause
Why were Germany so angry?
• Couldn’t afford reparations as were already
in economic crisis.
• Lost industrial areas like Alsace & Lorraine
so could not rebuild industry
• Lost pride without armed forces and other
countries didn’t have to disarm
• War Guilt Clause was unfair as Germany
not solely responsible
• Many Germans now lived under foreign rule
in new countries in Eastern Europe e.g.
Sudetenland, Poland
Structure of the League?
• The Assembly met once a
year. Each country had a
vote. Advised council
• The Council met 3x a year or
in emergency.
• Br, Fr, Italy, Japan- permanent
members had a veto
Weaknesses of the League?
• USA didn’t join
• No army – only economic
sanctions, moral condemnation
• All had to agree in the assembly
and council before anything could
happen
• Br & Fr not strong enough after
WW1 to lead the League
Impact on the League?
• USA could trade with countries hit by
economic sanctions. Most countries too busy
rebuilding to apply sanctions
• Members didn’t want to commit troops to
fight for League. No authority so some
countries like Italy ignored decisions
• Took too long to act – Lord Lytton report
in Manchuria took over a year!
Causes of Manchurian Crisis?
• The Great Depression wrecked
Japanese industry. They could
no longer trade silk for rice.
• Military leaders called for
military expansion to strengthen
country
Causes of Abyssinian Crisis?
• Italy was defeated by Abyssinia
in 1896 & wanted revenge
• Mussolini had seen Japan get
away with invading Manchuria
• He dreamed of making Italy
great again. Italy were
suffering from Great Depression
What happened?
• 1931- Japan used the excuse of Chinese
aggression on railway to invade
Manchuria
• China appealed to the League
• League did nothing except send Lord
Lytton to write a report. Took over a
year & said Japan were in the wrong.
How did it weaken the League?
• Japan refused to accept Lord Lytton report
& withdrew from the League in 1933
• Japan went further & invaded Chinese
province on border of Manchuria in 1933
• Hitler & Mussolini saw how weak the
League was to act
What happened?
• 1935 Mussolini sent in troops, artillery
and tanks to invade
• Abyssinia appealed to League for help
• League imposed economic sanctions
but not on oil. Br & Fr wanted to
keep Mussolini on side & didn’t want
to lose trade to USA
• Br & Fr offered secret Hoare-Laval
Pact
How did it weaken the League?
• League’s reputation was in tatters when
Hoare-Laval Pact became public. Showed Br
& Fr were not interested in protecting
smaller countries
• Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1936 and became
more confident to invade other countries
• Mussolini and Hitler signed Rome-Berlin Axis
in 1936 to help support each other’s aims
Paper 1 – Topic 2
Peacemaking 1918-19 & League of Nations
Can I explain:
1. who the Big 3 were and what they each wanted?
2. who would have been more satisfied with the Treaty of Versailles?
3. at least 3 military restrictions placed on Germany?
4. at least 3 territorial restrictions?
5. at least 3 economic restrictions
6. at least 3 reasons why Germany were so angry?
7. the role of the assembly, council and permanent members?
8. at least 3 reasons weaknesses in the League’s structure?
9. why the Manchurian and Abyssinian crisis’ happened?
10. what happened in each event?
11. 2 ways the Manchurian crisis weakened the League
12. 2 ways the Abyssinian crisis weakened the League
Key terms:
Paris Peace Conference
6.6 billion reparations
100,000 men
Permanent Members
Manchurian Crisis
Great Depression
Hoare-Laval Pact
Treaty of Versailles
Alsace & Lorraine
Loss of colonies
Economic sanctions
Lord Lytton report
Abyssinian Crisis
Oil
War Guilt Clause
Polish Corridor
Assembly
Moral Condemnation
Japan
Mussolini
Rome-Berlin Axis
14 Points
Saar
Council
US Isolation
China
Italy
Hitler