A discussion (pre-war end) to sort out
what's going to happen after the War
ends; Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt
met in Russia.
Agreements/Successes
Photographed together
and met up (cooperation)
Agreed strategy for rest
of War and set up UN
Set up interim
governments with elections
in governmentless
countries; agree elections
should be 'democratic'
USSR should have 'influence' in Europe
Disagreements/Failures
No agreement on
liberated country
borders (e.g. Poland)
No agreement
on who should
pay
reparations
No agreement on how Germany
should be split up
USSR and US/UK
had different
definitions of
'democracy' and
'influence'
Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) (8th May 1945)
Formal acceptance from the allies that Germany had surrendered, marked
Hitler's suicide, his successor Donitz authorised the surrender. End of war
acknowledgement signed in France on May 7th and Germany on May 8th. No
longer a common enemy between USSR and USA.
Potsdam Conference (17th July - 2nd August 1945)
Stalin and the new US and UK
president/prime minister
(Truman and Atlee) met in
Germany, but there was no
longer a common enemy after
WWII had finished.
Agreements/Successes
They met up which
shows cooperation
Both happy
about winning
WWII
Agreements
on how to
disarm
Germany
Agreements on how to
bring Nazi war
governments to trial
Disagreements/Failures
Russia already set up
communist interim
governments before
elections
USSR started taking reparations forcefully from liberated countries
Stalin dismantling the infrastructure of
liberated countries and used it for Russia's
use (didn't help liberated countries)
USA still had the
atomic bomb which
Russia was scared
of
Hiroshima
Bomb Attack
(6th August
1945)
Marked the end of
WWII, showed the US
were not afraid to use
their nuclear weapons.
It highlighted the
importance of nuclear
weapons and how
effective they could be
(immediate surrender).
Stalin was unaware
bomb was going to be
used, despite Potsdam
Conference 4 days
before. Worried USSR
as they didn't know if
US were going to use
them and they had no
defence (no atomic
bomb themselves)
Victory over Japan
Day (VJ Day) (2nd
Sept 1945)
Instant
surrender
shows
powerfulness
of atomic
bomb in
sorting out
situations.
Worried USSR
and it was
essential that
USSR matched
the weapons
of the USA for
their own
defence.
Iron Curtain
Speech (5th
March 1946)
Speech given by Churchill,
ex-PM, explaining his
feelings about how an
iron curtain has
descended across Europe
which separated the
communists from the
capitalists (East/West).
Described capitalists as
'us' and communists as
'them'. Stalin had made
sorrowing countries
communist.
Stalin made
surrounding
counties
communist by
putting communist
politicians in key
positions, forcing
left-wing parties to
merge with
communist parties,
through
accusations of
manipulation,
threats at elections
and ballot box
tampering and 2mil
European soldiers
were communist,
ensuring
communism ran
smoothly.
Greece
Civil War
begins
(10th Sept
1946)
A right-left civil war
due to growing
communist support.
UK wanted to
intervene but
couldn't afford it,
USA funded help to
maintain capitalism.
Kennan's Long Telegram
(Feb 1947)
Keenan was an important and
well-respected diplomat in the
American Embassy in Russia. He
sent a telegram to Washington
warning to the US of Russia's
intervention and the threat of
communism. Warns that the USSR
is violently expansionist and says
communism cannot be trusted and
Russia sees no way of peace.
Truman Doctrine begins (March 1947)
The foundation of the US' Cold
War foreign policy set out by
Truman. Following the Greece
civil war, it moved the US foreign
policy from laissez faire
(anti-interference) to
containment (stopping/reducing
USSR expansion). It did this by
providing financial support and
aid to anti-communist
movements (for example in
Greece).
Marshall Plan established (June 1947)
WHY?
Thought up by George C Marshall, the plan
aimed to give European countries aid and get
them to side with democracy/capitalism. The
USA spent $17bn ($170bn today) to rebuild
western economies.
WHAT IT INVOLVED
The US gave aid in the form of food,
resources, equipment, machinery,
fertilisers, mules (for farming) and
money,
HOW IT CAUSED TENSION
Stalin denied communist countries to apply for
aid (e.g. Czechoslovakia) so it meant countries
had to choose between communism/capitalism.
Yugoslavia emerged from the iron Curtain as a
result.
Communist coup in
Czechoslovakia (Feb
1948)
Czechoslovakia was the only country left in Eastern Europe and elections were due. Communists staged a coup
d'etat (violent/illegal takeover) and the country received no Marshall aid which was blamed on the communists.
Despite the fact communists were expected to do badly, they took over illegally and the only non-communist
leader left in the country, Jan Masaryk, fell from a window and there is debate over if it was suicide or murder.
Berlin Blockade
launched (June
1948)
Berlin split into 4 sections and West Berlin was capitalist, in a sea of communism. Stalin
blockaded this section and blocked canals, roads and rail networks. The West launched the
Berlin Airlift and lifted 9,000 tonnes of supplies a day. Soviets did not interfere with this and the
blockade was lifted in Spring 1949, but the Airlift continued until September due to fear of
reinstatement of blockade. The blockade made the USSR look cruel and capitalists look willing
to help and a kinder system of rule.
NATO established
(April 1949)
A mutual defence plan between Western Europe, US and Canada. Agreements against
communism signed which put pressure on USSR. It marked cooperation and unity against
communism, and was followed by the Warsaw Pact in 1955 which was essentially the same
pact between countries on the east of the Iron Curtain.
Berlin Blockade
lifted (May 1949)
Lifting the Berlin Blockade occurred but Airlift continued until
September through fear the blockade would be reinstated. Made
USSR look harsh and capitalists look kinder.
Soviet Atomic Test (August
1st 1949)
The Soviet tested an atomic
bomb which marked the start
of the arms race, the USA
were no longer as militarily
advanced as they were
before.
Communist takeover in China (Sept 1949)
Supports the domino theory
and communism was
spreading. China was a
massive country with masses
of communism support.
Heightened tensions.
Sino-Soviet Alliance (1950)
Sino-Soviet Treaty of
Friendship, Alliance and
Mutual Assistance was
signed. Further put
pressure on USA as two big
nations working together
against capitalism.
Korean
War
begins
(25th
June
1950)
Soviet funded communism help
and Stalin encouraged Mao to get
involved. War still not finished
today and Korea is split. Showed
more evidence in support of
domino theory and further
increases tensions as USA were
unable to stop communism spread
to North Korea.
Death of
Stalin (5th
March
1953)
Stalin died which
caused the
post-Stalin thaw.
Relaxation of
tensions but did
not mean there
was no tension.
Still
fundamental
ideological
differences.
Ceasefire
agreed
in
Korea
(27th
July
1953)
No treaty
signed, still
at war today
and
established
communist
power which
still stands
today.