A-Level History (AQA) > 2R The Cold War, c1945–1991 > Flashcards

2R The Cold War, c1945–1991 Flashcards

Analyse ideological conflict, international crises and superpower rivalry during the Cold War. (147 cards)

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1
Q

Which three Allied leaders met at Yalta in February 1945?

A
  • Stalin
  • Roosevelt
  • Churchill

Their wartime alliance still existed, but tensions over post-war Europe were already visible.

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2
Q

What was the main ideological divide between the USA and USSR after 1945?

A

The clash between liberal democracy and Soviet communism shaped post-war tension.

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3
Q

Which conference in July to August 1945 revealed serious strains in the Grand Alliance?

A

Potsdam Conference

By Potsdam, Roosevelt had been replaced by Truman and Churchill by Attlee during the meeting.

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4
Q

Fill in the blank:

The wartime alliance between Britain, the USA and the USSR is often called the _____ _____.

A

Grand Alliance

It broke down rapidly after the defeat of Germany.

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5
Q

Which leaders represented the USA, USSR and Britain at Potsdam?

A

Truman, Stalin and Attlee

Churchill attended at first, but Attlee replaced him after Labour’s election victory.

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6
Q

Why did tensions rise at Yalta and Potsdam over Eastern Europe?

A

Soviet influence

Stalin wanted security through control, while the West stressed self-determination and free elections.

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7
Q

What did Stalin want in Eastern Europe after 1945?

A

He aimed to create friendly regimes to protect the USSR from future invasion.

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8
Q

Which US diplomat sent the Long Telegram in 1946?

A

Kennan

George Kennan argued that Soviet expansion should be contained.

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9
Q

What was the main message of Kennan’s Long Telegram?

A

It portrayed the USSR as hostile and expansionist, shaping later US policy.

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10
Q

Which speech by Churchill in 1946 warned that an ‘Iron Curtain’ had descended across Europe?

A

Iron Curtain speech

It publicly highlighted the division of Europe into Soviet and Western spheres.

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11
Q

True or False:

Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech praised Soviet actions in Eastern Europe.

A

False

It warned that Soviet domination threatened freedom and stability in Europe.

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12
Q

What was Cominform?

A

Communist information bureau

It was created in 1947 to coordinate communist parties under Soviet influence.

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13
Q

Which conflict helped prompt the Truman Doctrine in 1947?

A

Greek Civil War

Britain could no longer sustain support for Greece, and the USA stepped in.

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14
Q

What was the Truman Doctrine?

A

Truman pledged American help to states threatened by communist expansion.

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15
Q

What was the Marshall Plan?

A

American aid programme

It offered economic assistance to help European recovery and reduce communist appeal.

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16
Q

Why did the USA launch the Marshall Plan?

A

Recovery was meant to create stability, prosperity and resistance to communism.

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17
Q

How did the USSR react to the Marshall Plan?

A

Rejected and opposed it

Stalin saw it as a tool of American influence in Europe.

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18
Q

What was Bizonia?

A

Merged western zones

The US and British occupation zones in Germany were combined in 1947.

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19
Q

Why was currency reform in Western Germany important in 1948?

A

It helped trigger Soviet anger and the Berlin Blockade.

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20
Q

What was the Berlin Blockade?

A

Soviet closure of routes

Stalin cut land access to West Berlin in an attempt to force the Western powers out.

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21
Q

How did the Western Allies respond to the Berlin Blockade?

A

Berlin Airlift

Supplies were flown into West Berlin until the blockade was lifted.

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22
Q

True or False:

The Berlin Blockade ended with the Western Allies abandoning West Berlin.

A

False

The Airlift succeeded and the Western powers remained in the city.

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23
Q

Which two German states were created in 1949?

A

FRG and GDR

West Germany became the Federal Republic; East Germany became the German Democratic Republic.

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24
Q

What was NATO?

A

Western military alliance

Founded in 1949, it committed members to collective defence against attack.

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25
Why did **NATO** matter in Cold War terms?
Formalised Western alliance ## Footnote It tied the USA permanently to European defence.
26
Which **Asian country** did the **USA rebuild** as a key ally after 1945?
Japan ## Footnote Reconstruction turned Japan into a major anti-communist partner in Asia.
27
Which **Chinese Nationalist leader** received **US support** during the Chinese Civil War?
Jiang Jieshi ## Footnote He is also commonly called **Chiang Kai-shek**.
28
Where did Jiang Jieshi's Nationalists **retreat** after defeat in 1949?
Taiwan ## Footnote The island became the base of the Nationalist government backed by the USA.
29
What was the **defensive perimeter** strategy?
Limited US defense line ## Footnote Early US policy suggested some areas in Asia lay outside its immediate security zone.
30
Which **South Korean leader** strongly **opposed communism** before the Korean War?
Syngman Rhee ## Footnote He led the anti-communist regime in South Korea.
31
Which **North Korean leader** aimed to **unify Korea** under communist rule?
Kim Il Sung ## Footnote He relied on support from the USSR and later China.
32
What was **NSC-68**?
US Cold War strategy paper ## Footnote It called for a major military build-up to resist communist expansion worldwide.
33
# Fill in the blank: NSC-68 urged a major expansion of American _\_\_\_\_ spending.
military ## Footnote It reflected a harder and more global version of containment.
34
What **event** began the **Korean War** in 1950?
North Korean invasion ## Footnote North Korea invaded the South in June 1950.
35
Why did the USA support **South Korea** in 1950?
Containment policy ## Footnote Truman saw the invasion as a test of US resolve against communist expansion.
36
What role did the **UN** play in the Korean War?
Backed military intervention ## Footnote The UN authorised action against North Korea in the USSR's absence from the Security Council.
37
Why was the USSR **absent** from the **UN vote** on Korea?
Boycott over China ## Footnote Moscow was protesting the UN seat being held by Nationalist rather than Communist China.
38
How did **China** affect the Korean War?
Intervened militarily ## Footnote Chinese forces entered when UN troops approached the Yalu River.
39
# True or False: The Korean War ended with a united communist **Korea**.
False ## Footnote The war ended in stalemate, with Korea still divided near the 38th parallel.
40
What was one effect of **McCarthyism** on Cold War tensions?
Intensified anti-communist fear ## Footnote Domestic suspicion in the USA reinforced a harsher Cold War atmosphere.
41
How did the **USA** behave in the UN during the **early Cold War** according to critics?
World policeman ## Footnote Its strength and activism led some to see it as dominating international responses.
42
Why was Communist **China** internationally isolated in the early 1950s?
Limited recognition ## Footnote Many Western states refused to recognise the PRC and backed Taiwan instead.
43
Why did the **FRG** joining NATO matter to the USSR?
Rearmed West Germany ## Footnote It deepened Soviet fear of a hostile Western bloc on its border.
44
What was the **Warsaw Pact**?
Soviet-led military alliance ## Footnote Formed in 1955, it linked the USSR and its Eastern European satellite states.
45
What was **SEATO**?
Anti-communist Asian alliance ## Footnote It was designed to contain communism in Southeast Asia.
46
What was **brinkmanship**?
Pushing crises to the edge ## Footnote Dulles believed the USA should risk war rather than always retreat.
47
# Fill in the blank: John Foster Dulles became associated with the policy of _\_\_\_\_.
brinkmanship ## Footnote The idea was to deter opponents by showing willingness to go to the limit.
48
What was the **domino theory**?
One fall leads to others ## Footnote US leaders feared that if one state became communist, neighbours might follow.
49
How did the USA view the French struggle in **Indo-China** before 1954?
They gave support ## Footnote Washington backed France because it feared communist expansion in Southeast Asia.
50
What was the significance of the **Geneva Conference** of 1954?
It divided Vietnam ## Footnote It ended French rule in Indo-China and left Vietnam temporarily split into North and South.
51
Which Soviet **leader** promoted 'peaceful coexistence' after Stalin's death?
Khrushchev ## Footnote He suggested rivalry with the West need not always mean direct war.
52
What did **peaceful coexistence** mean?
Reduced direct conflict ## Footnote It implied competition without inevitable superpower war.
53
# True or False: Peaceful coexistence meant the complete end of **Cold War rivalry**.
False ## Footnote Competition continued in arms, ideology and regional conflicts.
54
Which two **Eastern European risings** in 1956 tested Soviet control?
Poland and Hungary ## Footnote The USSR tolerated change in Poland but crushed the Hungarian uprising.
55
Why was the Soviet intervention in **Hungary** significant?
Showed limits of reform ## Footnote It revealed that Moscow would use force to keep control of its bloc.
56
What new **weapons** intensified the arms race in the late 1950s?
ICBMs ## Footnote Intercontinental ballistic missiles increased the speed and danger of nuclear conflict.
57
What was **Sputnik**?
Soviet satellite ## Footnote Its launch in 1957 shocked the USA and intensified the space race.
58
Why was **Sputnik** important in Cold War rivalry?
Showed Soviet technological success ## Footnote It raised fears that the USSR might also be ahead in missile technology.
59
What was the **U2 affair**?
Spy plane incident ## Footnote In 1960 the USSR shot down an American spy plane, wrecking summit diplomacy.
60
What happened at the **Paris Summit** of 1960?
It collapsed ## Footnote The U2 incident destroyed hopes for improved East-West relations.
61
What was the **Berlin Crisis** of 1958–1961 about?
Status of Berlin ## Footnote Khrushchev pressured the West over the divided city and the flow of refugees from East Germany.
62
Why was the **Berlin Wall** built in 1961?
Stop East German emigration ## Footnote It physically sealed off East Berlin from West Berlin.
63
# Fill in the blanks: The barrier erected in 1961 to divide East and West Berlin was the _\_\_\_\_ _\_\_\_\_.
Berlin Wall ## Footnote It became one of the clearest symbols of the Cold War division of Europe.
64
What was the significance of the **Berlin Wall**?
Symbol of Cold War division ## Footnote It showed both the weakness of the East German regime and the permanence of division.
65
Who led **North Vietnam** in the later 1950s and early 1960s?
Ho Chi Minh ## Footnote He headed the communist regime in the North.
66
Who led **South Vietnam** with US backing before 1963?
Diem ## Footnote Ngo Dinh Diem ruled in an increasingly unpopular and authoritarian way.
67
What was the **NLF**?
Communist-led insurgency ## Footnote The National Liberation Front fought against Diem's regime in South Vietnam.
68
How did **Kennedy** respond to the **conflict** in Indo-China?
Increased US involvement ## Footnote He sent more advisers and support to try to prevent communist victory.
69
# True or False: Kennedy solved the Vietnam problem by **removing** all American involvement.
False ## Footnote He deepened involvement, though not yet with full-scale combat troops.
70
What happened to **Diem** in 1963?
His **overthrow and death** highlighted the instability of South Vietnam.
71
Why did the USA become **hostile** to Castro's **Cuba**?
Cuba's revolution created a **Soviet-friendly state** close to the American mainland.
72
What event in **Cuba** led directly towards the missile crisis?
Soviet missiles placed there ## Footnote Khrushchev secretly deployed nuclear missiles to the island in 1962.
73
What are the '**13 days**' during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The period of intense **political** and **military tension** between the **USA and USSR** from October 16 to October 28, 1962. ## Footnote This confrontation was sparked by the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba.
74
How did **Kennedy** respond publicly to the **missiles** in Cuba?
Naval quarantine ## Footnote He blocked further deliveries and demanded the removal of the missiles.
75
What was the outcome of the **Cuban Missile Crisis**?
Soviet withdrawal of missiles ## Footnote In return, the USA gave assurances over Cuba and later removed missiles from Turkey.
76
# True or False: The Cuban Missile Crisis ended in **nuclear war** between the superpowers.
False ## Footnote It ended in compromise, though it brought the world close to nuclear conflict.
77
What was the significance of the **Cuban Missile Crisis**?
It exposed the **dangers of brinkmanship** and encouraged later attempts at better crisis management. ## Footnote .
78
What event in **August 1964** gave Johnson broad authority to expand US action in **Vietnam**?
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ## Footnote Congress gave the President wide powers after reported attacks on US ships.
79
What was **Johnson's** basic policy aim in **Vietnam**?
Prevent communist victory ## Footnote He believed a communist takeover would damage US credibility and containment.
80
# Fill in the blank: Johnson's authority to escalate in Vietnam came from the Gulf of _\_\_\_\_ Resolution.
Tonkin ## Footnote It became the legal and political basis for widening US involvement.
81
What is meant by **escalation** in the **Vietnam War**?
Expansion of US involvement. ## Footnote It meant sending more troops, bombing more heavily and widening the war effort.
82
What was **one major strength** of the **USA** in Vietnam?
The USA had **superior air power**, weapons and resources compared with its opponents.
83
What was one major strength of the **communist side** in Vietnam?
Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces used **mobility**, **concealment** and **local knowledge**.
84
What was **one major weakness** of the **USA** in Vietnam?
Superior technology did not easily defeat **guerrilla tactics** and **political resistance**.
85
What was one major advantage of **North Vietnam** and the **Viet Cong**?
Political commitment ## Footnote They were prepared for a long war and fought for national and ideological goals.
86
# True or False: The Vietnam War was easy for the USA because it could rely only on **conventional battlefield superiority**.
False ## Footnote Guerrilla war, jungle conditions and political factors made victory difficult.
87
What was the **Tet Offensive**?
In 1968 communist forces launched widespread attacks across South Vietnam.
88
Why was the **Tet Offensive** important?
Although militarily costly for the communists, it undermined claims that victory was near.
89
What **policy** did Nixon adopt to **reduce direct US combat** in Vietnam?
Vietnamisation ## Footnote South Vietnamese forces were meant to take over more of the fighting.
90
Why did Nixon extend the war into **Cambodia** and **Laos**?
Attack communist supply routes ## Footnote He hoped to weaken enemy bases and improve the US position in negotiations.
91
How did Nixon's policy towards **China** affect the **Cold War**?
Improved relations ## Footnote Rapprochement with China increased pressure on the USSR and reshaped diplomacy.
92
What was one reason Nixon sought **better relations** with **China**?
Strategic advantage ## Footnote Better ties with Beijing strengthened the US position against the Soviet Union.
93
What did the **Paris peace talks** concern?
Ending the Vietnam War ## Footnote Negotiations aimed to produce a settlement between the USA, South Vietnam and communist forces.
94
What was one sign of **cooperation** between **Kennedy and Khrushchev** after 1962?
Crisis management measures ## Footnote Both leaders wanted to reduce the risk of another nuclear confrontation.
95
What was the **Hot-line**?
Direct superpower link ## Footnote It provided rapid communication between Washington and Moscow after the missile crisis.
96
Why was the **Hot-line** important?
Reduced misunderstanding ## Footnote Faster contact lowered the danger of accidental escalation in a crisis.
97
# Fill in the blank: The 1963 agreement limiting certain nuclear tests was the _\_\_\_\_Test Ban Treaty.
Moscow ## Footnote It was an early sign that the superpowers could cooperate on nuclear danger.
98
What was the main purpose of the **Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty**?
It aimed to **prevent** more states from **acquiring nuclear** arms.
99
What does cutting back materials for **nuclear weapons** refer to?
Limiting fissile production ## Footnote It reflected efforts to slow the arms race and reduce nuclear risk.
100
Which **1968 crisis** in Eastern Europe exposed Soviet limits to reform?
Czechoslovakia ## Footnote Dubcek's reforms led to Soviet intervention and tighter control.
101
What was the **Brezhnev Doctrine**?
The USSR claimed it could act if **socialism in a bloc state** was threatened.
102
# True or False: The Brezhnev Doctrine allowed Eastern European states complete freedom to leave Soviet influence.
False ## Footnote It justified Soviet intervention to preserve communist control.
103
How did relations between the **USSR** and **China** develop in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
Ideological **rivalry** and **border tensions** weakened the communist bloc.
104
What did the **Paris peace talks** eventually lead to in 1973?
US withdrawal agreement ## Footnote The accords allowed American withdrawal while fighting in Vietnam continued.
105
What happened in **Vietnam** after US withdrawal?
Northern victory ## Footnote In 1975 North Vietnam defeated the South and unified the country under communist rule.
106
Why did **Cambodia** remain a problem after the Vietnam settlement?
**War**, **extremism** and **regional conflict** made peace in Cambodia very fragile.
107
What was one major cost of the **Vietnam War** for the USA?
Loss of confidence ## Footnote The war damaged trust in government, prestige abroad and belief in US power.
108
What were the **SALT talks**?
They were **negotiations** between the USA and USSR to **control parts of the arms race**.
109
What was **Ostpolitik**?
West German eastern policy ## Footnote It aimed to improve relations between West Germany and Eastern Europe.
110
Why were the **Helsinki Accords** important?
Eased tensions ## Footnote They recognised post-war borders while also raising human rights issues.
111
# True or False: **Détente** meant the arms race ended completely in the 1970s.
False ## Footnote Tensions eased in some areas, but rivalry and weapons competition continued.
112
How did US relations with **China** affect détente?
Better **US-China ties** gave Washington **leverage** in dealing with Moscow.
113
What event in **1979** helped trigger the **Second Cold War**?
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan ## Footnote It intensified fears of Soviet expansion and damaged détente.
114
Which **US president** became strongly associated with a **harder line against the USSR** in the **1980s**?
Reagan ## Footnote He increased military pressure and used anti-Soviet rhetoric forcefully.
115
Which **British Prime Minister** was a key **anti-Soviet figure** alongside Reagan?
Thatcher ## Footnote She strongly supported a firm Western stance during the later Cold War.
116
Which **Polish pope** encouraged **resistance** to communist control in Eastern Europe?
John Paul II ## Footnote His influence was especially important in Poland.
117
What was **Solidarity**?
Polish independent trade union ## Footnote It became a major challenge to communist rule in Poland.
118
What happened to **Solidarity** in the early 1980s?
It was crushed temporarily ## Footnote The communist authorities imposed martial law and suppressed the movement.
119
What was **KAL 007**?
Shot-down airliner ## Footnote The Soviet destruction of the South Korean passenger jet in 1983 worsened tensions sharply.
120
Why did Cuban intervention in **Angola** and **Ethiopia** matter in Cold War terms?
Extended rivalry into Africa ## Footnote These conflicts showed how superpower competition spread beyond Europe and Asia.
121
How did the USA intervene in **Latin America** and the **Caribbean** during the later Cold War?
**Washington** backed or **used force against governments** and movements it saw as **left wing**.
122
Which **South American country** is linked to US-backed **anti-left** intervention in the 1970s?
Chile ## Footnote US policy in Chile reflected wider Cold War fears about socialism in Latin America.
123
Which **Caribbean island** was invaded by the USA in 1983?
Grenada ## Footnote The invasion was presented as protecting US interests and resisting radical influence.
124
Why was **Nicaragua** important in the later Cold War?
It became a major focus of US **opposition to left-wing government** in Central America.
125
Why did **Gorbachev** come to power under strong **pressure** in 1985?
Soviet crisis ## Footnote Economic weakness, political stagnation and the costs of rivalry pushed reform.
126
# Fill in the blank: Soviet leader from 1985 most associated with ending the Cold War was _\_\_\_\_ _\_\_\_\_.
Mikhail Gorbachev ## Footnote He introduced major changes in both policy and style.
127
What was one key reason Gorbachev pursued '**new thinking**'?
The USSR could no longer easily **sustain Cold War burdens** and internal inefficiency.
128
What does '**new thinking**' mean in the Gorbachev era?
Less confrontational policy ## Footnote It involved reducing tensions abroad and rethinking Soviet priorities.
129
Which **summit** in 1985 began the **new phase of US-Soviet dialogue**?
Geneva Summit ## Footnote Reagan and Gorbachev began building a working relationship there.
130
Which **1986 summit** came close to major nuclear arms reductions but **failed to agree** fully?
Reykjavik Summit ## Footnote Disagreement over missile defence prevented a full breakthrough.
131
Which **US policy project** worried the USSR because it implied **missile defence** in space?
Star Wars ## Footnote The Strategic Defense Initiative alarmed Soviet leaders about the strategic balance.
132
Which **summit** in 1987 produced the **INF Treaty**?
Washington Summit ## Footnote It marked a major arms control success between Reagan and Gorbachev.
133
Which later **summit** in **1988** confirmed improving **US-Soviet** relations?
Moscow Summit ## Footnote It reflected the deepening thaw in Cold War tensions.
134
# True or False: Reagan opposed all negotiation with the USSR throughout the 1980s.
False ## Footnote He combined pressure with summit diplomacy and arms negotiations.
135
Which **US president** followed Reagan at the end of the Cold War?
Bush ## Footnote George H W Bush managed relations with Gorbachev during the final phase.
136
What happened to **communist rule** in Eastern Europe in 1989?
**Satellite states** threw off Soviet-backed communist governments.
137
Why was the end of the **Brezhnev Doctrine** so important?
USSR stopped enforcing control ## Footnote Eastern European states were no longer kept communist by Soviet intervention.
138
What was the significance of **1989** in Cold War history?
Collapse of Soviet bloc ## Footnote It transformed Europe and made the end of the Cold War unavoidable.
139
# Fill in the blank: The revolutionary year that saw communist regimes fall across Eastern Europe was _\_\_\_\_.
1989 ## Footnote Events that year destroyed the old Soviet satellite system.
140
How did the Cold War wind down in **Afghanistan**?
Soviet withdrawal ## Footnote Moscow ended its costly military involvement as part of wider retrenchment.
141
How did Cold War tensions ease in **Central America**?
Reduced proxy conflict ## Footnote Superpower rivalry lessened in places such as Nicaragua and El Salvador.
142
How did Cold War tensions ease in **Africa**?
Settlements in regional wars ## Footnote Conflict in places such as Angola and Ethiopia became less tied to superpower struggle.
143
What was the **Malta Summit**?
Bush-Gorbachev meeting ## Footnote It symbolised that the Cold War confrontation was effectively ending.
144
Why was **German reunification** important in Cold War terms?
Symbol of division removed ## Footnote It marked the end of one of the central issues of post-war Europe.
145
What happened to the **USSR** in **1991**?
It collapsed ## Footnote The Soviet Union broke apart into separate republics.
146
What happened to **Gorbachev** in **1991**?
His **resignation** marked the **end of Soviet leadership** and the USSR itself.
147
What was one fundamental reason the **Cold War** ended?
Soviet weakness ## Footnote Economic failure and loss of control made continued confrontation unsustainable.
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