conflict and tension between East and West 1945-1972

when was the Yalta conference held?

February 1945

where was the Yalta conference?

Yalta, Ukraine

who was at the Yalta conference?

the big three: Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill

what was decided about Japan at the Yalta conference?

Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan once Germany surrendered

what was decided about the division of Germany at the Yalta conference?

Germany would be divided into 4 zones: American, French, British, and Soviet. Berlin would also be divided into 4 zones

what was agreed about war criminals at the Yalta conference?

agreed to hunt down and punish war criminals who were responsible for the genocide

what was decided about liberation of German forces at the Yalta conference?

as counties are liberated from occupation by the German army, they would be allowed to hold free elections to choose the government they wanted

what was decided about the Big Three at the Yalta conference?

they would join the new United Nations Organisation, which would aim to keep peace after the war

what was decided about the USSR at the Yalta conference?

Eastern Europe should be seen as a ‘soviet sphere of influence’ due to the devastating losses the USSR faced in the second world war

how many soviet people died in WW2?

20 million

What was the disagreements at the Yalta conference?

only real difference was about Poland

What did Stalin want to happen to Poland at the Yalta conference?

wanted to move the border of the USSR to move westwards into Poland and Poland could move its border westward into German territory

how did Churchill persuade Roosevelt to accept Stalin’s proposition of Poland at the Yalta conference?

the USSR could do it as long as it agreed to not interfere in Greece where the British were attempting to prevent a Communist takeover

what happened in May 1945?

3 months after the Yalta conference, Allied troops reached Berlin, Hitler committed suicide, Germany surrendered. war in Europe was won

what had happened in the 5 months since Yalta that would greatly affect relationships between the leaders?

• Stalin’s armies were occupying most of Eastern Europe

• America had a new president

• the USA had developed an atomic bomb

when did Roosevelt die and who was he replaced with?

12 April 1945- replaced by his Vice-President Harry Truman

how was Truman different to Roosevelt?

much more anti-Communist and was very suspicious of Stalin. Truman and his advisors saw Soviet actions in eE as preparations for a Soviet takeover of the rest of Europe

in what ways were Stalin’s armies occupying most of eE by July 1945?

soviet troops had liberated country after country in eE, but instead of withdrawing his troops Stalin had left them there. By July, Stalin’s troops effectively controlled the Baltic states, Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, and refugees were fleeing their countries fearing a Commie takeover.

when was the Potsdam conference?

17 July- 2 August 1945

what happened halfway through the Potsdam conference with Britain?

in July, there was an election in Britain and Churchill was replaced by Atlee. In the absence, of Churchill, the conference was dominated by the rivalry and suspicion between Stalin and Truman

what 3 things did Stalin and Truman disagree on during the Potsdam conference?

• what to do about Germany

• reparations

• Soviet policy inn eE

in what way did Truman and Stalin disagree about Germany in the Potsdam conference?

agreed about dividing Germany into 4 zones, but Stalin wanted to cripple them completely to protect the USSR against further threats. Truman didn’t want to repeat the mistake of the Treaty of Versailles

in what way did Truman and Stalin disagree about reparations in the Potsdam conference?

Soviet Union had been devastated from war and so Stalin demanded $10 billion compensation from Germany. Truman resisted the demand as he was determined to repeat the mistake of the Treaty of Versailles and create a bitter, unstable Germany

in what way did Stalin and Truman disagree about Soviet policy in eE in the Potsdam conference?

at Yalta, Stalin had won agreement that he could set up pro-Soviet govs in eE. He said ‘if the Slav people are united, no one will dare move a finger against them’ Stalin saw this as a way to protect USSR from future attack but Truman as evidence Stalin wanted to build the Soviet empire in Europe. He adopted a ‘get tough’ attitude towards Stalin

where was the Potsdam conference held?

Potsdam, Germany: Suburb of Berlin

what was decided at the Potsdam conference?

division of Germany confirmed, deindustrialisation of Germany, denazification of Germany and demilitarization of Germany

when did the first successful test of the atomic bomb happen?

16 July 1945, the day before the Potsdam conference

what does the story of the atomic bomb show?

the mistrust which was developing between the two sides: it was developed in complete secrecy

what did Truman do as soon as he knew the atomic bomb worked?

took Stalin to one side and told him about it

how did Stalin already know about the atomic bomb?

his spies had been keeping him informed since 1942

why did Truman authorise the use of the atomic bomb in 1945?

Japan refused to consider a surrender to the USA, a warning for Stalin

when and where did the USA drop the first atomic bomb?

6 August 1945, the Japanese city of Hiroshima

when and where did the USA drop the second atomic bomb?

9 August 1945, the Japanese city of Nagasaki

how many people died due to Hiroshima?

at least 75,000 killed instantly, thousands more died from radiation poisoning in the years that followed

by 1946 which countries all had Communist governments which owed their loyalty to Stalin?

Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania

what did Churchill describe the border between Soviet controlled countries and the west as? when?

the Iron Curtain, in a speech in the USA on the 5 March 1946

Soviet expansion in eE: East Germany

the Allies had given the USSR control of the eastern sector of Germany. It was run by the USSR effectively under Red Army control until the creation of the German Democratic Republic in 1949

Soviet expansion of eE: Poland

after the war the Communists joined a coalition government, then became the outright leaders in 1947, when they forced the non-Communist leader into exile

Soviet expansion of eE: Hungary

Communists became the largest single party in the 1947 elections. They imprisoned opposition politicians, and attacked Church leaders

Soviet expansion of eE: Romania

in 1945 a Communist was elected Prime Minister within a left-wing coalition. Inn 1947 the Communists also abolished the monarchy

Soviet expansion of eE: Bulgaria

a left-wing coalition won elections in 1945. the communist members of the coalition then executed the leaders of the other parties

Soviet expansion of eE: Greece

Britain and the USA supported the royalist side in a civil wat which defeated the Communist opposition

Soviet expansioon of eE: albania

Communists gained power immediately after the war. there was little opposition

Soviet expansion of eE: Yugoslavia

Marshal Tito had led wartime resistance to the Nazis. He was elected President in 1945. However, he was determined to apply Communism in his own way and was expelled from Cominform in 1948

Soviet expansion of eE: Italy and France

both had strong Communist parties which belonged to Cominform

Soviet expansion of eE: Czechoslovakia

a left-wing coalition won elections in 1945. In 1946 Communists became the largest single party, but still in coalition. In 1948, when their position was threatened, they banned other parties and make Czechoslovakia a Communist, one-party state

how did Stalin use the secret police to tighten his control in eE?

secret police imprisoned anyone who opposed Communist rule, or might oppose it at a later date

when did Stalin set up Cominform?

October 1947

what did Cominform do?

regularly brought the leaders of each Communist party to Moscow to be briefed by Stalin and his minsters, which allowed Stalin to keep a close eye on them. he spotted independent-minded leaders and replaced them with people completely loyal to him

example of how Stalin replaced independent-minded leaders in eE?

Tito in Yugoslavia resented being controlled by Cominform and was expelled for his hostility in 1948

what was the West’s reaction of Stalin tightening his control in eE?

western powers alarmed by Stalin’s actions although they’d agreed eE would be a soviet sphere of influence they hadn’t expected such complete Communist domination. they felt it should’ve been possible to have both democratic+ friendly to the USSR governments there

how did Stalin and Truman have differing opinions on Stalin tightening his control in eE?

Stalin saw his policy as making himself secure but Truman as the spread of Communism

by 1948, what countries were the only eE countries not controlled by Communists?

Greece and Czechoslovakia

which countries did America think were vulnerable of Communist takeover?

Greece, Czechoslovakia, Italy, and France

what was the situation in Greece?

when the Nazis were driven out of Greece in 1944, 2 rival groups wanted to rule the country: Communists and Monarchists.

British involvement in Greece

Churchill sent troops to Greece in 1945 supposedly to help restore order and supervise free elections. The British were supported by the Monarchists and the King was returned to power. In 1946, a civil war broke out but the British didn’t have enough resources to control the situation and announced their withdrawal on 24 February 1947

what was the situation in Turkey?

Stalin was trying to gain influence in Turkey as he wanted to get access to the Mediterranean for Soviet ships through the Black sea Straits.

why was Truman especially worried about Turkey becoming an ally of the USSR?

Stalin might use Turkey as a stepping stone to spread Communism influence into the Middle east and this area was important to the USA because of its oil reserves

who did Truman have to convince about preventing Communist takeover in Greece and Turkey and why?

the American public and the US congress: they didn’t entirely accept his belief that the USA had to take a role in world affairs and were concerned about what this role might cost

how did Truman convince the US congress to prevent Communist takeover in Greece and Turkey and what did they do?

Truman talked up the threat in Greece and Turkey to a greater level than reality. Congress agreed to pass the Greece and Turkey aid bill in March 1947: a package of $400 million in aid which secured Turkey as a US ally and propped up the monarchist gov in Greece

what did talking up the treat of a takeover in Greece and Turkey do to cold war relations?

Truman made relations between Stalin worse (Stalin actually kept his promise to Churchill in 1945 and didn’t help the Communists in Greece

what marked the start of the Truman doctrine?

American intervention in Greece and Turkey in March 1947

under the Truman doctrine, what was the USA prepared to do?

send money, equipment, and advice to any country which was, in their view, threatened by a Communist takeover

was was the policy of Containment?

Truman accepting that eE was now Communist so his aim was to stop Communism spreading any further

when did Truman believe Communism succeeded?

when people faced poverty and hardship

who did Truman send to assess the economic state of Europe?

the American General George Marshall

how much money did the countries of Europe owe to the USA?

$11.5 billion

shortages in post-war Europe

extreme shortages of all goods, most countries were still rationing bread, such a coal shortage in the winter of 1947 that in Britain all electricity was turned off for a period each day

what did Churchill describe post-war Europe as?

“a rubble heap, a breeding ground of hate”

what were the problems in post war Europe?

refugees and homeless people, damaged homes, damage to infrastructure, shortages, debts from cost of war effort

how much aid did Marshall suggest was needed to rebuild Europe’s prosperity?

$17 billion

what did Marshall say about the Truman doctrine and Marshall plan?

“our policy is directed against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos”

when did Truman put his Marshall plan to congress? what was their initial reaction?

December 1947, for a short time they refused to grant this money

when did American attitudes to accepting the Marshall plan change?

when the Communists took over the government of Czechoslovakia in 1948

when did the Communists come down hard on Czechoslovakia? what did they do?

March 1948, anti-Soviet leaders were purged, one pro-American Minister Jan Masaryk was found dead below his open window. the Communists said he had jumped although the Americans suspected he’d been pushed

what was Stalin’s response to the Marshall plan?

forbade any eE states to apply for aid, tightened his grip on these states by setting up 2 organisations: Comecon and Cominform

what was Stalin’s view on the Marshall plan?

the anti-Communist aims would weaken his hold on eE and that the USA was trying to dominate as many states as possible by making them dependent on dollars

what does Cominform stand for?

Communist information Bureau

where was the Cominform office?

originally based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia but moved to Bucharest, Romania in 1948 after Yugoslavia was expelled by Stalin

what does Comecon stand for?

Council of Mutual economic Assistance

when was Comecon set up?

1949

what did Comecon do?

co-ordinated the industries and trade of eE countries so members traded mostly with one another, rather than trading with the West

how was Comecon biased?

favoured the USSR far more than any of its other members- provided USSR with a market to sell its goods. for example, Poland was forced to sell its coal to the USSR for 1/10 of the price it could’ve got selling it on the open market

what else did Comecon do?

set up a bank for socialist countries in 1964

what did Britain, France, and the USA do to Germany in 1948?

they combined their zones to form one joint zone (which became known as West Germany in 1949)

what was the effect of Britain, France, and the USA joining their zones in Germany on the German’s industry?

in 1948 they reformed the currency and within months there were signs that Germany was recovering

how was Berlin linked to West Germany?

by vital roads, railways and canals

when did Stalin block all supply lines from West Germany to West Berlin?

June 1948

what did Stalin do in June 1948?

Stalin block all supply line from West Germany to Berlin, cutting of the 2 million strong population of West Berlin from Western help

why did Stalin cut off supplies in June 1948?

he believed that this blockade would force the Allies out of Berlin and make Berlin entirely dependent on the USSR

Why was the Berlin Blockade a clever plan?

if US tanks did try to ram the roadblocks or railway blocks, Stalin would see it as an act of war

what did the Americans see Stalin’s blockade of West Berlin as?

a test case- if they gave in to Stalin on this issue the Western zones of Germany might be next. Truman wanted to show that he was serious about the policy of Containment and wanted Berlin to be a symbol of freedom behind the Iron Curtain.

how did the Allies respond to the Berlin Blockade?

In June 1948, they decided to airlift supplies

what did Allies fear as the first plane took off into West Berlin in 1948?

The soviets would shoot them down(this didn’t happen as it would’ve been an act of war)

how often did planes fly to West Berlin from West Germany during the blockade?

for 10 months, planes landed every 3 minutes through the night and day

what did planes flying into West Berlin give the citizens?

food, clothing, oil, building materials, although there were many shortages and many Berliners decided to leave the city altogether

What happened in May 1949 in relation to Germany?

it was clear that the blockade would not make the Western Allies give up Berlin, so Stalin reopened communications

what did a US gov report in June 1948 say about the blockade?

“On 23 June the Soviet authorities all traffic into Berlin because of alleged technical difficulties… shortly before midnight, the Soviet authorities issued orders to… disrupt electric power from Soviet power plants to the Western sector is. Shortage of coal was given as a reason for this measure.”

who said that the Soviet’s biggest fear was that eE would fall into the west’s hands and so would East Germany?

Russian scholar Vladimir O Pechatnov

What were Britain, France and the USA’s zones called in Germany?

the trizonia