US, British and USSR relations in 1945

conflicting ideologies; tensions at Yalta; relations between Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill; the breakdown of the Grand Alliance at Potsdam; relations between Stalin, Truman and Attlee

When was the Yalta Conference?

4 - 11 Feb 1945

What was the Grand Alliance?

marriage of convenience between Britain, USA and the USSR against Nazi Germany

* began to show cracks by the beginning of 1945, esp over Poland and the Lublin govt

West’s objectives at the Yalta Conference Feb 1945

* collective security founded in UN
* long term cooperation w the USSR
* right to national self determination
* **no spheres of influence**
* **Germany’s reconstruction and reeducation as democratic nation**

USSR objectives at the Yalta Conference Feb 1945

* **USSR’s security guaranteed through spheres of influence in Europe**
* **Germany to remain weak** for indefinite future
* cooperation with USA and Britain

What was agreed at Yalta Conference Feb 1945?

* **Germany to be divided into 4** zones controlled by USA, UK, USSR and France
* UN would be ratified
* **Deceleration on a Liberated Europe**
* countries liberated from Nazis should be allowed free elections
* **USSR would join war against Japan** after Germany’s surrender
* **USSR to gain land from Poland**, Poland to expand West into Germany (**Oder-Neisse Line**)

Percentages Agreement Oct 1944

Churchill and Stalin established percentages of influence in Eastern Europe

* Romania USSR would have 90%, Greece Britain had 90%

= shows Churchill’s determination to control Soviet expansion through spheres of influence to protect Britain’s interests of democracy

When was the Potsdam Agreement?

17 July - 1 Aug 1945

Context of the Potsdam Conference July 1945

* war in Europe ended in May 1945
* Roosevelt died and replaced by Truman, who distrusted Stalin much more
* Attlee replaces Churchill after GE
* **USA developed atomic bomb in July, no longer needed USSR in war against Japan**

What was agreed by Potsdam Conference July 1945?

* Germany to be demilitarised and reunited in the future
* free elections, press and speech in Germany
* **USSR to receive reparations from its own zone and 25% from the Western zones**

\
**= ultimately did nothing to lay foundation of non-confrontational relationship between East and West**

Disagreements at Potsdam July 1945

* Stalin was angry that USA didn’t tell him about the atomic bomb
* West was annoyed at Stalin’s actions in E Europe
* Soviet influence was expanding in Poland and there seemed little chance of free elections despite the Deceleration on a Liberated Europe

When did USA develop their atomic bomb?

July 1945

What was wrong with Potsdam?

* it did not say anything about Germany in the long term
* did not address the fears of the other side