History - Tehran, Yalta, Potsdam

EDEXCEL IGCSE HISTORY

Why was Stalin initially angry during Tehran.

He felt allies were delaying the opening of a "second front" which would've relieved pressure on Soviet forces in Europe. This did not happen until D-Day on June 6th 1944.

What were two agreements at Tehran.

Stalin agreed to declare war on Japan, supplying troops to help USA. However would only happen once War was over in Europe.

An international body to be set up — UN.

What was the disagreement over Germany at Tehran.

Germany after the war; Stalin believed Germany should be punished by giving up territory and reparations.
Churchill and Roosevelt believed Germany should be rebuilt. As peace in Europe required a prosperous Germany,

Why was there tension between FDR and Churchill?

FDR believed British Empire was a threat to world peace more than USSR.

What was the purpose of the Yalta Conference.

To determine what would happen in post war Europe, in particular Germany. Also to discuss how to defeat Japan in the east.
High point of the ‘grand alliance’

What were the agreements at Yalta?

• Stalin Agreed to declare war on Japan, once Germany had surrendered.

• Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to establishment of a communist government in Poland and a soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe.

• Stalin would allow free elections in Eastern Europe

• UK, US, USSR would establish and join the United Nations.

• Germany would be divided into four zones, USA, USSR, UK, and France

• Berlin, which was in the soviet zone, would also be divided into 4 zones.

What was the disagreement over democracy due to?

Over what democracy was.
Stalin : democratic government had to be communist because only they could represent working people.

FDR: democracy had several political parties, competing for support in free elections.

What was the main disagreement at Yalta?

Stalin wanted to shift the western border into Germany, allowing the USSR to shift into Poland.

Why was Churchill opposed to this?

He wanted to prevent communism from spreading into western Europe.

Which events between Yalta and Potsdam had a great effect on relations.

• The agreements had been down mostly from the relationship between FDR and Stalin. The death of FDR in April 1945 meant he was replaced by Harry Truman, an anti-communist. Who wanted to stop communism and “get tough with the Russians’”

• In May, Germany surrendered and the war in Europe came to an end. The USSR and USA’s common enemy was gone.

• In July the USA successfully detonated the first Atomic bomb, Truman no longer needed the USSR to help defeat Japan.

What was agreed at Potsdam?

• Germany would be separated into four zones, and treated as a single economic unit.

• Germany would be: demilitarised, democratised and de-nazified.(Nazi party would be dissolved and war criminals would be punished).

• Germany would pay reparations, though there disagreements of how much and to whom.

Where were the disagreements at Potsdam?

It was clear Stalin had no intention to allow free elections in Eastern Europe.
Stalin demanded $90 Billion in reparations from Germany, which was rejected by Truman and Attlee.
Soviets were angry that Truman did not tell them about development of A-Bomb - paved way to Arms Race.