Chapter 1: Relations in 1945 Flashcards
Ideology, WW2 and wartime conferences
What is ideology?
The beliefs and viewpoints about how society, economics and politics should be organised
What is communism?
- Extreme socialism focusing on community
- Economy run by the government for the people
- One party state
- State provides for citizens for greater equality
What is capitalism?
- Part of conservatism
- Everyone for themselves
- Trade free from restrictions
- Freedom of speech / press / religion
- Democracy
How did different ideologies cause tensions?
- Both thought they gave freedom
- Saw the other as expanding and felt threatened by this
- Completely opposite ideas - cannot coexist
- Saw USSR as a dictatorship- threatens democracy
Explain the USSR’s history up to WW2
- 1917 —> Bolshevik revolution —> France, Britain and US help against Bolsheviks but are defeated
- 1939 —> Nazi-Soviet pact with Hitler made as Stalin didn’t trust the west
Explain events in WW2 that led to the alliance of USSR and US
- 1941 (June) —> Operation Barbarossa invades USSR
- 1941 (Dec) —> Pearl Harbour attack on USA
- Now united against a common enemy
The grand alliance
- What was it?
- When was it made?
- Who was it between?
- Why was it made?
- Military alliance
- 1941
- USSR, USA, Britain
- Created to defeat Nazi Germany and Fascism
- Unlikely alliance due to opposing ideologies
What tensions were there between countries 1939 - 41? (3x)
Explain them
- Hitler given the Sudetenland by the west –> unfair as he is being allowed to be aggressive and leads to the Nazi-
Soviet pact. - Nazi-Soviet pact (1939) –> due to lack of trust of the west - they conspired against Poland (a western ally)
- USSR invade and take control of Eastern Europe
What tensions were there in the grand alliance up to 1944? (x3)
- Stalin asks for a 2nd front in 1942 –> isn’t given one until 1944
- USSR lose 50% more than Europe combined –> killed and captured 20x more –> feel expendable to the west
- Poland –> Katyn graves dug up (1942ish - been killed 1940) by Nazis containing 4000 polish officers who had been killed by the USSR who had always wanted Poland —> Warsaw uprising where Soviets only help the city after the rebellion had been crushed by the Nazis
How was the US after WW2? (x5)
- Lost 300,000 men
- Wealthier and happier than the depression
- War production had boosted the economy and employment
- More ‘luxury’ goods made
- Increased population due to decreased mortality rate and more money.
How was the USSR after WW2? (x4)
- Lost between 25 and 30 million men
- Mass destruction of towns and homes –> 70,000 villages destroyed
- Extreme suffering
- Wanted extreme reparations of industrial resources, money, scientists, buildings etc
What were the aims of the USA in the wartime conferences? (x7)
- UN + World Bank
- Control of Pacific + Atlantic for security
- Break up old colonial empires
- A democratic Germany
- Free trade
- To rebuild Europe (for trade)
- Contain communism
What were the aims of Britain in the wartime conferences? (x4)
- A democratic government in Poland
- To remain a great power
- To be on friendly terms with superpowers and economic help from the US
- Contain communism
What were the aims of the USSR in the wartime conferences? (x5)
- Security against invasion
- To weaken Germany with reparations
- To keep territory gained in the war
- To ensure friendly regimes and control in Eastern Europe
- Expand communism
Yalta
- When? (why is that significant)
- Who was there?
- Where was it held?
- 4-11 Feb 1945 (before war ended - trying to decide what to do but haven’t won yet)
- Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt
- Yalta - Crimean city in USSR land
What was decided at Yalta? (x4)
- To divide Germany into 4 zones (GB, France, US, USSR) and Berlin the same way
- Create the UN
- USSR gain land from Poland and Poland expand north and west
- Declaration of liberated Europe
Potsdam
- When was it? (significance?)
- Who was there? (what does this mean?)
- Where was it?
- 17 July - 1 Aug 1945 (war won so can now make concrete decisions and US have atomic bomb)
- Stalin, Truman (Roosevelt = dead - T= confrontational and uses atomic diplomacy), Atlee (Churchill = voted out)
- Potsdam - outkirts of Berlin
What was agreed at Potsdam? (x3)
- Germany = demilitarised, disarmed, denazified
- Remake the German education system
- Reinstate free speech, press, religion
- USSR can have reparations from their zones and 25% from western zones
How were personal relationships different between the leaders? (post potsdam)
- Truman –> more aggressive to USSR and confrontational - uses atomic diplomacy
- Stalin –> concerned abt security (more now due to US), inc red army in E Europe and pro communism and saw cooperation was over
- Atlee –> anti communist, saw need for US to stay in Europe to be interventionist not isolationist
What was the declaration of liberated Europe and how was it flawed?
- People could choose their government
- USSR/US/GB can help to establish peace, set up an interim govt, hold elections, give relief and help free elections occur
- Was very vague –> was the only way that they would all agree
- Was easily twisted for their own ideologies
