Question 1

Why did Khrushchev, the chief Soviet leader after Stalin's death, denounce the crimes of the Stalin era in 1956?

Accepted Answer

Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalin's crimes was part of a broader strategy to consolidate his power and initiate reforms. By criticizing Stalin's excesses, he sought to distance himself from the previous regime, signal a new direction for the Soviet Union, and gain support from reform-minded members of the Communist Party. This move was instrumental in launching the period known as the "Khrushchev Thaw," which saw a relative relaxation of authoritarian controls and censorship.

Question 2

In 1956, when demonstrations broke out in Hungary against Soviet dominance, _____.

Accepted Answer

Soviet armed forces were indeed deployed to suppress the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, which was a nationwide revolt against the Soviet-imposed policies and control.

Question 3

Describe the factors that led to the development of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Which country was more responsible for the outbreak of the Cold War?

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Question 4

After the First World War, there was a sharp depression that lasted for years in some European countries. Why was the situation reversed after the Second World War when Europe experienced an economic boom and about a quarter century of prosperity?

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

Compare and contrast the histories of France and Italy during the twenty-five years following the end of the Second World War. Why did France, but not Italy, find political stability by the 1960s?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

How did western Europe confront the challenges of political reconstruction at the end of the war?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

What economic challenges did the Soviets face after 1945? What approaches did Khrushchev and Brezhnev adopt to resolve the economic problems of the U.S.S.R.?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

Describe and analyze the movement toward a united Europe in the decades following the Second World War. Which nations and which statesmen most vigorously pushed the idea of cooperation? Why?

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

How did the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939 shape the patterns of resettlement and deportation in Germany, Poland, the U.S.S.R., and the Baltic republics?

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

To what degree did the Soviet victory and the fall of Hitler result in a reversal of the displacements and resettlements triggered by the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939? What new patterns of movement emerged?

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

What happened to the areas annexed by Germany after Hitler's defeat?

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

Compare the Weimar Republic to the area constituting the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany. How dramatically did the settlements of the Second World War check German territorial power?

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

How did capitalist and communist societies organize themselves differently in the postwar period?

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

How did the policy of containment lead to U.S. involvement in Asia?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

What was the role of Algeria in the fall of France's Fourth Republic?

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

How did the United States attempt to restore the economic stability and prosperity of the pre-1914 period after the Second World War?

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Why did Khrushchev fall from power?

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 22: The Cold War and Reconstruction After the Second World War