Breakdown of US-Soviet Alliance

Question 1

What was the “Grand Alliance”?

Answer 1

The Grand Alliance was formed in 1941 when USA & USSR worked together in World War II to defeat the Nazis.
Alliance could be seen as a “marriage of convenience” as never truly a meeting of the minds between the “Big Three”: ideological and military differences between them all.

Question 2

Issues during WW2 =

Answer 2

Stalin had wanted the “Second Front” (the invasion by the Allies to reclaim France and push Germany back) to happen sooner than it did. Felt US & GB had ignored the Russian plight.
GB & US did successfully open Second Front in 1944; they thought too early = disaster. In 1944 German forces moved West away from Russia and Germany was defeated by 1945.

Question 3

Idealogical differences between Capitalism and Communism =

Answer 3

Capitalism - private ownership and the right to make money.
America = A democracy with free elections, led by an elected president. Freedom of speech and belief.

Communism - state ownership of the means of production, and the belief that wealth should be shared.
USSR = A one-party state led by a dictator. There were elections, but you could only vote for the Communist Party.
State control: censorship, secret police, terror and purges.

Question 4

Agreements of Yalta:

Answer 4

Treatment of Germany:
- Unconditional surrender
- Eastern borders moved West
- Germany and Berlin divided
(4 zones)
- £20 billion reparations
(payment in kind, 50%->USSR)
United Nations:
- Established
(but only anti German states)
- 5 permanent members on a
Security Council (veto)
- Arrangements for meeting in
June 1945
USSR and Japan:
- USSR agreed to fight Japan
- Given Outer Mongolia and
Manchuria (Sphere of
Influence)
Poland:
- Free and multi-party
elections
- Provisional govt.

Question 5

YALTA - who attended? when?

Answer 5

Roosevelt (USA), Churchill (Britain), Stalin (USSR)

February 1945 (Before German defeat)

Question 6

Disagreements of Yalta:

Answer 6

• Divisions about treatment of Germany: Churchill & Roosevelt = not too harsh VS Stalin = huge reparations
• Disagreed about Poland - Stalin wanted a further west Polish/German border and a “friendly” polish govt.
  (Western powers feared it would be Soviet-Controlled)

Question 7

POTSDAM - who attended? when?

Answer 7

Churchill/Attlee (Britain)
Stalin (USSR)
Truman (US)* anticommunist

July - August 1945 (after Germany lost)

Question 8

Agreements of Potsdam:

Answer 8

• Confirmed division of Germany & Berlin
• Germany run by Allied Control Council
• Collective agreements about Germany
• Each occupying power to receive reparations from its German quarter. USSR can take equipment from industrialised western German zones.
• Free elections in Germany
• Size of German territory to reduce by a quarter
• Polish/German border at Oder-Neisse Line
• Germany denazified and war crimes trials held

Question 9

Disagreements of Potsdam:

Answer 9

• Future govt. of Poland (USSR controlled govt. at Lublin continued to control)
• Stalin unhappy with his poorer quarter of Germany + Wanted to dismantle Germany + Wanted a foothold in Japan (rejected by Truman) + Wanted access to Ruhr (rejected)
• Truman tried to force free elections (Stalin already broken promises about freedom and democracy in Poland)

Question 10

Events between Yalta and Postdam =

Answer 10

E. European countries liberated by USSR but Soviet troops remained (eg Latvia, Czechoslovakia)
Stalin had set up Communist gvt in Poland, ignoring wishes of Polish people
Red Army: largest army, Stalin refused to reduce size
Roosevelt dies in April 1945. Truman takes over as US President (concerned USSR wanted to take over Europe)
16 July 1945: US successfully test atomic bomb and Truman tells Stalin at start of Potsdam.
Halfway through Potsdam, Atlee defeats Churchill in British general election. Atlee is therefore now British prime minister.