2. Yalta And The Aims Of The Big Three

Question 1

What were the western aims of the yalta conference?

Answer 1

• liberated countries across Eastern Europe should have the right to self determination with no spheres of influence
• both sides should cooperate
• Germany should be rebuilt as an independent democratic country
• help to the global economy by creating the World bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• UN formation should avoid another war

Question 2

What were the SU’s aims at the Yalta conference?

Answer 2

• Germany’s industry should pay to rebuild damage caused by ww2
• a sphere of influence around the SU should be created
• both sides should continue to cooperate
• Germany should remain weak so it doesn’t become a threat again
• rejection of the IMF, world bank and ability to make decisions

Question 3

What was the percentage agreement? Give an example

Answer 3

When Stalin and Churchill decided relative SU and western interest in Eastern European countries before the end of WW2. E.g. 90% of Romania belonged to the SU and 10% to the west

Question 4

When was the Yalta conference?

Answer 4

4 February 1945

Question 5

What was Churchill’s position at Yalta?

Answer 5

• Wanted to protect British interests
• wanted to gain a closeness with the USA
• struggled to understand Stalin’s viewpoint
• naturally mistrusted Stalin as a strong anti communist

Question 6

Give some info of Roosevelt at Yalta.

Answer 6

• he was committed to working with the SU and got on well with Stalin
• believed that only a capitalist Europe could prevent future war
• some argue he misunderstood Stalin’s aims assuming they want the same thing

Question 7

Give some info of Stalin at Yalta

Answer 7

• wanted to make sure the SU would never be devastated again
• believed creating the soviet sphere of influence was the best way to achieve security
• recognised the need to cooperate with the west

Question 8

Give 2 of the western aims that were achieved

Answer 8

• the UN was formed to bring about lasting piece between the world’s powerful countries to replace the League of Nations that was around in the 1920s - 1930s that failed to prevent WW2.
• the declaration of liberated Europe was agreed to and freed all areas occupied by the Germans where each country was to have an emergency democratic government.

Question 9

Give one SU aim that was achieved at Yalta

Answer 9

Poland’s borders were moved so the SU gained a large amount of territory as compensation for their help during the war and in return, Poland was promised areas of Eastern Germany

Question 10

Give an aim of the big three achieved at Yalta

Answer 10

Germany was split into four zones each run separately by the country that occupied it; the countries being: France, Britain, America and SU. This was an emergency measure until the allies could come up with a more permanent agreement

Question 11

Why and when was Poland established?

Answer 11

In 1919 due to the treaty of Versailles

Question 12

What did Churchill believe in terms of Poland?

Answer 12

Believed in its freedom but at the same time wants to help Russia and trust Stalin

Question 13

What did Roosevelt believe in terms of Poland?

Answer 13

That Poland should be free but give up some of Poland’s land to Russia

Question 14

How was halts successful to stalin?

Answer 14

He got land from both Germany and Poland and he was closer to achieving Germany’s weakness

Question 15

How did Yalta benefit the west?

Answer 15

They got land from Germany and helped Roosevelt get closer to fixing Europe under American capitalist views

Question 16

Why was yalta unsuccessful overall?

Answer 16

As Stalin ran the su through harsh communist laws dragging all three countries into the Cold War

Question 17

What happened between Poland and Russia on the Russian civil war of 1918 - 1921?

Answer 17

Poland took Russian territory which it then lost in June 1941 to Germany

Question 18

Why was the SU interested in Poland?

Answer 18

To regain polish territory and invasion security

Question 19

Who were the London poles?

Answer 19

A non communist group made up of members of the polish government that fled the country and was set up in Britain where they were hostile to the SU

Question 20

What was the Katyn massacre and why was it significant?

Answer 20

Where the bodies of 4000 polish officers were found in the Katyn forest causing Stalin to break diplomatic relation with the London poles after they called for a Red Cross inquiry.

Question 21

Who were the Lublin poles and what was their significance?

Answer 21

The SU’s future government of Poland set up in July 1944 where the people were loyal to stalin. Significant because it made the western allies unhappy as it proved Stalin couldn’t be trusted and it was able to cause future issues

Question 22

What was the Warsaw rising?

Answer 22

When the German forces that occupied Warsaw organised an attack on the London poles in aug 1944. This could cause future issues

Question 23

How was the Warsaw rising easily crushed? State the significance

Answer 23

300,000 polish fighters were killed or sent to German concentration camps. It was so easy for the German forces as the red army didn’t need to do anything! It’s significant as it made the western allies unhappy due to the realisation of Poland being taken

Question 24

When did the red army take over Poland?

Answer 24

By January 1945 and the SU officially stated the Lublin Poles were officially the government of Poland making it a communist country