The Berlin Blockade and Airlift

1. What is Source 37 (p. 75) saying about Josip Tito, leader of Yugoslavia?     
                Yugoslavia is a communist country and so, Source 37 is saying that Josip Tito,the leader of Yugoslavia, is betraying communism by taking money from the United States, because the money that Tito is accepting is money that is suppose to make countries stronger, and so make the countries strong enough to get rid of communism. 


2. Why do you think Stalin was so hostile to Tito?        
               Stalin was so hostile to Tito because, Yugoslavia, the country that Tito ruled, was the only eastern, communist, European country that did not follow Stalin's orders. And so, Tito began accepting money from the United States, something that Stalin had forbade the eastern, communist, European countries to do, which further angered Stalin.     


3. Look back at the map in Source 27 on page 71. How does the geographical position of Yugoslavia help to explain why Stalin did not take any direct action (such as sending in troops) against Tito?     
                  The geographical position of Yugoslavia helps explain why Stalin didn't take direct action   against Yugoslavia in that, Yugoslavia was one of the farthest away countries from the Soviet Union, therefore it would have taken much more time, food, supplies, and fuel to take any direct action against Yugoslavia. 


4. Read Source 40 (p. 77). What reasons did the Soviet Union give for cutting off West Berlin?       
                  The Soviet Union gave the reasons that there were technical difficulties, and so all traffic  had    to be stopped, and using a similar reason the Soviets stopped all barge traffic, finally the Soviets said that that there was a shortage of coal, and so, the Soviets had to disrupt electrical power from Soviet power plants to Western sectors. 


5. Why do you think the USA did not believe these were genuine reasons?           
                  The United States did not believe that these reasons were genuine because all of the reasons happened convenientally at the same time, relations with the Soviet Union had been shaky in recent times, and so the United States would have been more suspicious at any actions that the Soviet Union took, and  because all of these reasons were obviously the perfect cover for the Soviet Union to seperate West Germany from East Germany. 


6. How do Sources 41–43 differ in their interpretation of the blockade?            
                  The Sources differ in that Source 41, which was written by an American Historian, says that it was the Soviets fault that the blockade continued for many years, and Source 43, which was written by a Soviet Historian, says that the blockade continued for many years because the Americans "refused to yield".   


7.  Which do you think is the most useful source for a historian studying the Berlin Blockade?       
                  I think that Source 43 is the most useful source for a historian studying the Berlin blockade, because Source 43 shows the historian what it was like living in West Berlin during the blockade. However, the historian would have to be careful about trusting the source too much because the Source was written by a Soviet historian during the Cold War and so the author may have exaggerate how bad it was lving in West Berlin during the blockade. 



8.  Which source do you think gives the most reliable view of the blockade?    
                    I don't think that either source is more reliable than the other, because both sources were written when the Cold War was still going, and both sources were written by historians from the          opposing sides; Source 41 was written by an American historian , and Source 43 was written by a Soviet historian.

Iron Curtain Separates Europe

1. What is your overall impression of Source 26 (p. 70) and use extracts from the source to support your view. (No fence sitting; you must choose one but not both)      
          Source 26 represents a reasonable assessment of Stalin's aims based on facts. Source 26 states that, "  physical control of Europe and Asia and eventual control of the whole World is what Stalin is aiming at". Stalin was slowly taking over as much as he could. At first eastern European countries were simply in "the Soviet sphere of influence". Then Stalin began to take over the countries' governments, for example in Poland, Stalin only allowed Communists to run for the leaders.  Stalin then turned on his portion of Germany, walling it off from the outside world. Stalin probably would have continued claiming countries but the United States stopped him, using containment. 
  
2. Source 26 is a British source. Does it seem likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government?    
It is very likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government, because the United States also feared that the Soviet Union would take over the world, and wanted its people to fear and oppose Stalin taking over the world. Also, the United States was in the begging of the Cold War with Stalin and so, the United Sates would want to make Stalin appear to be "the bad guy". 




3. Study Source 27 (p. 71) and make a list of three different actions that Communists took to achieve power in eastern Europe. AND Explain how each factor helped.   
      Three different actions that the Communists took to achieve power in eastern Europe was to execute leaders from other parties, ban other all parties other than Communism, and by severely punishing those who opposed the Communist party. By executing the leaders from other parties, the Communists created fear for opposing Communism, and ensured that the people who were the most vocal about their anti-communist views ( the leaders from other parties ) were killed. By banning all other parties except for Communism, Communists ensured that a Communist leader would be voted in. Finally, by severely punishing those who opposed communism, the Communists made many people be too afraid to oppose communism.

The Potsdam Conference

1. Read Source 17 (p 68). At Yalta, Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed with Stalin that eastern Europe would be a Soviet ‘sphere of influence’. Do you think Source 17 is what they had in mind?   
                     Churchill and Roosevelt didn't have the message in Source 17 in mind when they agreed with Stalin that eastern Europe would be a Soviet 'sphere of influence'.  In Source 17 Stalin says that," Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army has power to do so". This statement is different from what Roosevelt and Churchill had agreed to. Roosevelt and Churchill had agreed to countries being influenced by the Soviet Union, Stalin was not only talking about influencing the countries but also 'imposing his own system' on the countries that he occupied.




2. Would they agree with Stalin’s views expressed in Sources 17 and 18? Explain your answer.       
                    Churchill and Roosevelt wouldn't agree with Stalin views expressed in Sources 17 and 18, that Stalin had to occupy the eastern European countries in order to protect itself from further invasions.. They wouldn't agreed because Churchill and Roosevelt would have recognized that Stalin wasn't simply using the countries to protect itself, the Soviet Union was also taking over the countries governments and spreading communism; and the spread of communism was something that neither Roosevelt or Churchill wanted.





3.  Explain how each of the three developments described in the text might affect relationships at Potsdam.
                  The Soviets occupying most of Eastern Europe, America having a new president and, the U.S.A developing a atomic bomb all affected relationships at Potsdam. Due to the Soviets occupying most of Eastern Europe, Trueman and Churchill were fearful of the Soviet Union's growing power and didn't want to allow the Soviet Union to claim anymore territory. America had a new president, Trueman, and Trueman was less willing to compromise with Stalin than F.D.R had been. Finally because America had the atomic bomb,  Trueman was even less willing to compromise for Stalin because Trueman knew that had power over Stalin.

Origins of the Cold War: Yalta Conference

1. What month and year did the Yalta Conference place?      
 The month the Yalta Conference took place in was February. The year the the Yalta Conference took place in was 1945.




2. While the conference was taking place who were the Allies (Big Three) still fighting? Be specific. (Consider as well, what hadn't taken place yet that you've already studied.)        
  The Allies ( Big Three )  that were still fighting while the Yalta Conference was taking place were Great Britain , The United States and the Soviet Union.

 

3. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?  
         Roosevelt was anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of the postwar Germany for two reasons. First of all, Roosevelt was hoping that the Stalin would join the war against the Japanese; fulfilling his commitment.  Second of all Roosevelt wanted Stalin's support for the new world peace keeping organization, the United Nations.  


 

4. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?      
At the Yalta Conference Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin decided that Germany would be temporarily divided into four separate zones. The Americans would control one, the British would control one, the French would control one, and the Soviets would control one zone . Also, Stalin promised " free and unfettered elections" for all of the soviet occupied countries, such as Poland. Stalin promised to join the fight against the Japanese as well. Finally, Stalin promised to participate in the international conference, where the United Nations would become a reality.

Nuclear Arms Race Since 1945 - part 2

1. Summarize the basic argument for and the basic argument against nuclear weapons.     
The basic argument for nuclear weapons is that deference keeps the world safer. Because of nuclear weapons countries are less willing to risk attacking another country for fear of being wiped out of existence. The basic argument against nuclear weapons is that humans are imperfect and so deference is not a fool-proof system; The system of deference could be shattered through accidents, false alarms, unauthorized use, and the danger of political instability. 
      

2. What is the difference between a strategic and a tactical nuclear weapon?       
Strategic nuclear weapons have longer ranges, and tactical nuclear weapons have shorter ranges. Also, tactical weapons tend to be smaller. 
        

3. What is nuclear proliferation?       
Nuclear proliferation is the the spread of nuclear weapons.
       

4. What role has the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty played in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons?           
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty played a part in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons by binding nearly every country to the terms that, no country may give a nuclear weapon to a country that doesn't already have nuclear weapons, and the non-nuclear countries are not allowed to produce nuclear weapons. 


5. Explain Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal. (See her quote on page 16 of your reading.)       
Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal was due to the fact that Russia's recent economic problems had resulted in a loosened grip on Moscow's nuclear weapons program. And so, The Secretary of State was highly concerned that someone could steal raw materials from the Russian nuclear arsenal and make a bomb and, this bomb could have the potential of killing thousands of people.
    

6. How as the threat of terrorism changed thinking about nuclear weapons?          
The threat of terrorism changed the thinking about nuclear weapons in that if a terrorist group obtains a nuclear bomb, deference will no longer be an option. And so, protecting nuclear weapons has become a higher international concern. 
       

Nuclear Arms Race Since 1945

1. Explain how Dragonfire's report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons.                 
Dragonfire's report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons by demonstrating the possible damage that a nuclear weapon could cause and. The bomb could have ( if it had existed ) killed a half a million instantly, completely flatten buildings within a 1/3 mile radius causing hundreds of thousands more people to die, and initially cause radiation within a 1 1/2 mile radius.

2. Why is proliferation such a strong concern for the United States?              
Proliferation is such a strong concern for the United States because nuclear weapons are so powerful and so destructive. The more countries that have nuclear weapons, the more likely a nuclear war would be fought. Such a war has the potential to destroy humanity.

3. What is deterrence?                   
Deterrence is if one side were to attack the other side with nuclear weapons, the other side would retaliate by using nuclear weapons on the original attacker. And so, neither side would never attack in the first place because they both know that attacking the other side with nuclear weapons would mean certain destruction.


4. Explain the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis.                   
The Cuban Missile Crisis was important because the crisis show the dangers of making nuclear threats and, shows the dangers of how much tension was building between the United States and the U.S.S.R. Both countries recognized how close they had come to beginning a nuclear war, and both countries embarked on a new path to prevent nuclear war.


5. President John F. Kennedy worried that twenty-five nations would have nuclear weapons by the 1970s. Why do you think his worry did not come to pass?                           
President John F. Kennedy's worry did not come to pass because The United States relations with the Soviet Union improved and so the threat of a nuclear war diminished. And so, countries no longer needed to depende upon deterrence to prevent and defend against nuclear war.


6. What was the Cold War? How long did it last?   
The Cold War was a war fought by the United States and the Soviet Union in which neither side never physically attacked. The Cold War lasted from 1945 to 1991.                     

Works Cited

Wadeley, Alison, Ann Birch and Tony Malim. Perspectives in Psychology.New York: Palgrave Macmillan,1997

Crystal,David.The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press,2003

Mitsch,William J. and James G. Gosselink. Wetlands. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.,2000

Duetsch, Babette. Poetry Handbook A Dictionary of Terms. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1969

Millar,David,Ian Miller, John Miller, Margaret Miller.The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press, 2002