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NATO was formed in 1948 in an attempt to deter Soviet aggression.

Cold War: 1945-1953 - Origins And Early Crises

Test your knowledge of the early Cold War. This GCSE History quiz explores origins, rival superpowers and the first crises between 1945 and 1953.

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Fascinating Fact:

In 1946 Churchill spoke of an “Iron Curtain” dividing Europe. He meant the growing separation between communist East and capitalist West.

In GCSE History, this topic looks at how tension grew between the USA and the USSR after 1945. You will meet key crises, ideas and decisions that shaped the early Cold War.

Key Terms

Cold War: A period of tension and rivalry between the USA and the USSR after 1945, without direct large scale fighting between the two superpowers.
Containment: A United States policy that aimed to stop the spread of communism, for example through the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan.
Sphere of influence: An area where one powerful country has strong political, military or economic control, even though it does not formally rule it.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What were the main causes of the Cold War after 1945?

The main causes included ideological differences between communism and capitalism, distrust built up in the Second World War, disputes over Eastern Europe and disagreements about how Germany should be controlled and rebuilt.

What were the key early Cold War crises between 1945 and 1953?

Key crises included arguments over Poland and Eastern Europe, the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, and the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950.

How can I answer a GCSE exam question on early Cold War origins?

Start by explaining what the Cold War was, then use specific examples such as disagreements over Germany and Eastern Europe. Link each example to rising tension and finish with a clear judgement.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Which international conference after the end of World War II was held in Germany to define the settlement between the defeated power and the victorious allies?

Potsdam

Casablanca

Tehran

Yalta

The Allies met regularly as the war progressed to decide on aims and priorities. But in 1945 they had to re-order much of Europe

2 .

In 1950 the United Nations Security Council resolved to assist a UN member faced with an attack by a Communist state on its northern border. Which state was the victim?

South Vietnam

Thailland

South Korea

Malaya

The majority of the UN Security Council felt that threats of aggression must be nipped in the bud. They remembered the aggression committed by Hitler and Mussolini in the 1930s, and the failure of the League of Nations to resist this

3 .

In which East European city did serious riots occur in 1953, following the news of Stalin's death? There was clearly an expectation that Stalin's passing would be followed by liberalisation of the tight dictatorships that prevailed in Communist states.

Berlin

Prague

Budapest

Warsaw

NATO members hoped for a "thaw" in relations with the USSR and its "satellites". Many citizens in Communist states hoped for a relaxation of the harsh regimes under which they lived

4 .

Which post war American president gave his name in the 1940s to the doctrine that stated that the USA would come to the aid of "free peoples" menaced by Communist aggression?

Roosevelt

Truman

Eisenhower

Kennedy

After Britain had made clear that it could no longer alone resist the advance of Communism in states like Greece and Turkey, the USA replied with a proactive doctrine committing the United States to defend "free peoples" wherever they might be challenged

5 .

Which Central European country experienced a coup in 1948, in which the Communists seized power and became part of the Soviet sphere of interest?

Hungary

Austria

Czechoslovakia

Poland

Most Central and Eastern European states had become Communist by 1948, but - from the Russian point of view - there remained a significant gap in what came to be called the "Iron Curtain"

6 .

Which of the following states was not a founder member of NATO?

Canada

France

Denmark

Sweden

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation aimed to deter Soviet threats after 1948. It consisted of the main states around the North Sea and the North Atlantic, and some Mediterranean ones

7 .

In 1949 the situation changed again in favour of Communism when China emerged as a Communist power, following the defeat of the Kuomintang in the Civil War. Who now became China's leader?

Chiang Kai-Shek

Sun Yat Sen

Mao Zedong

Chou En Lai

A civil war had raged in China between Communists and Nationalists since the 1920s. The two sides coalesced to some extent, from 1931 onwards, to confront the Japanese invader, but war resumed in earnest after the defeat of the Japanese in 1945

8 .

How did the Western Allies defeat the Soviet blockade of West Berlin between 1947 and 1948?

By threatening nuclear strikes

By airlifting supplies into West Berlin from the three Western zones of Germany

By forcing a way, using military means, to West Berlin on surface routes like railways and motorways

By imposing economic sanctions on the USSR and its allies

The Western allies felt that they had to respond to this blatant Soviet challenge. However, they were anxious to do nothing that could provoke a third world war

9 .

Which American presidential candidate promised in 1952 to travel to Korea to break the deadlock in the war there?

Taft

Truman

Eisenhower

Nixon

The Korean War had reached a kind of stalemate by the time of the 1952 US presidential election. The main problem was the intervention of Communist China following General Douglas MacArthur's proposal to advance into Chinese territory

10 .

The Allies determined that German war criminals would be put on trial. Where did these trials take place in 1946?

Aachen

Berlin

Munich

Nuremberg

The allies felt strongly that Germany had waged an aggressive war, and that serious crimes against humanity (like the Holocaust) had been committed, which should be tried formally by the four main allies

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - The Cold War and Vietnam

Author: Edward Towne