The wartime conferences and the fraying of the Grand Alliance, 1943-45

Historical Interpretations: Outbreak & Development of the Cold War, 1943-53

Casablanca Conference

Context?

• The Red Army was locked in a brutal, decisive Battle of Stalingrad.

• Since 1941, Stalin had been desperately begging Franklin D. Roosevelt + Winston Churchill to open a “Second Front” in Western Europe (invasion of France) to force Germany away from the Eastern Front.

• Stalin was invited but declined because of the Stalingrad situation.

Casablanca Conference

When + What?

When: 14-24 January 1943

Franklin D. Roosevelt + Winston Churchill:

• Decided to invade Sicily + Italy next, pushing against the cross-Channel invasion of France.

• Agreed to the policy of unconditional surrender for Germany, Italy, Japan (to ensure they could never again wage war).

Casablanca Conference

Impact + Significane?

• Stalin’s absence + the delay of the Second Front looked like Western powers dictating terms of war without him, despite the USSR doing he heaviest lifting.

• Soviets suspected that the West wanted to extending the fighting so Nazi Germany + the Soviet Union would exhaust + destroy each other.

→ Although Allies would later launch D-Day (invasion of France), the deep seated suspicion created a permanent scar of mistrust that influenced post-war policies.

Teheran Conference

Context?

• USSR had secured victory at Kursk + was pushing westward.

• Western Allies were preparing for an invasion of Western Europe.

Teheran Conference

When + What?

When: 28 November - 1 December 1943

• Operation Overlord (cross-channel invasion of Normandy) was committed for May 1944.

• Poland’s eastern frontier was accepted along the Cuzon Line.

• Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan within 3 months of Germany’s defeat.

Teheran Conference

Significance?

• Was a major achievement in wartime Grand Alliance cooperation (Roosevelt successfully courted Stalin)

• Set the territorial outline of post-war Europe

• Committed Britain + the US to a major Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe

• Reassured Stalin of Western military commitment via the 2nd Front.

Yalta Conference

Context?

• Nazi Germany was on the verge of final collapse, with Soviet troops stationed just 65 kilometres from Berlin and Western forces advancing from the Rhine.

• Because the Red Army occupied Eastern Europe, Stalin had immense negotiating power.

Yalta Conference

When + What?

When: 4-11 February 1945

1. Poland: The Soviet-backed Lublin government ("Polish Committee of National Liberation") was to be "reorganised on a broader democratic basis" by including members of the London Polish government, followed by free elections.

2. Declaration on Liberated Europe: Committed the Allies to establishing interim democratic governments representing all democratic elements.

3. United Nations: Agreement to later establish the UN at a conference in San Francisco in April 1945.

4. Reparations: The Soviet demand of $20 billion (with half going to the USSR) was accepted "as a basis for discussion" only, deferring the final figure.

5. Pacific War: Stalin committed to entering the war against Japan 2–3 months after Germany's defeat, in exchange for the Kurile Islands, southern Sakhalin, and special privileges in Manchuria.

Yalta Conference

Significance?

• Critics in the West accused Roosevelt and Churchill of "selling out" Eastern Europe to Soviet domination.

• Defenders argued they simply formalised the reality of Soviet military occupation on the ground.

• Vague wording created a fake compromise between Western ideals + Soviet security → would lead to later ideological conflicts.

Potsdam Conference

Context?

• Germany had surrendered unconditionally in May 1945.

• Roosevelt died + replaced by Harry Truman, who took a much tougher stance against the Soviet Union.

• Churchill was replaced mid-conference by Clement Attlee following the British general election.

Potsdam Conference

When + What?

When: 17 July - 2 August 1945

• Germany was formally divided into four occupation zones (US, UK, USSR, France).

• Berlin was similarly split.

• The Allies agreed on Soviet reparations

• Issued Potsdam Declaration (26 July) demanding the unconditional surrender of Japan.

Potsdam Conference

Impact + Significance?

• Exposed a dramatic collapse in trust + cooperation within the Grand Alliance.

• Truman’s casual mention of "a new weapon of unusual destructive force" reinforced Stalin’s paranoia.

• Marked the transition from wartime coalition to Cold War rivalry.