Churchill And International Diplomacy 1939-1951 Flashcards
(13 cards)
Timeline of International Diplomacy ?
1940
- ‘Destroyers for Bases’
1941
- ‘Lend-Lease Act’
- German invasion of Russia
- Atlantic Charter
- Japan bomb Pearl Harbour
1942
- Mediterranean Strategy
- Churchill meets Stalin in Moscow
1943
- Tehran Conference
1944
- D-Day
- ‘Percentages Agreement’
1945
- Yalta Conference
- Roosevelt dies
- Potsdam Conference
1946
- ‘Iron Curtain’ Speech
- Churchill speech on Europe at Zürich
1951
- Churchill returns to office
Evidence Churchill and FDR had a good relationship ?
- Churchill gave great tribute to FDR in the Commons after his death.
- They exchanged destroyers for bases and were willing to help each other. They also helped out with the Lend Lease Act.
- In September 1942, Churchill sent FDR this message:
‘You know how I treasure the friendship with which you have honoured me and how profoundly I feel we might together do something really fine and lasting for our countries.’ - The Atlantic Charter created plans for a post war world together with free trade and democratic governments.
- Operation Torch in Africa followed Churchill’s command and ended in victory against Germany.
Evidence Churchill and FDR have a negative relationship ?
- The USA gave no financial assistance for Britain post war (Quebec 1944).
- Churchill was unable to convince Roosevelt that Stalin and the USSR were planning post war expansion. He wouldn’t accompany Churchill in a race to Berlin to ensure they secure the capital.
- FDR did not trust that Churchill would give free elections to the British Empire even though he signed up to them in Yalta. The Empire was an issue they frequently disagreed on.
- Roosevelt never visited Churchill in Britain, it was always Churchill going to the US.
- Churchill did not attend FDR’s funeral.
- Churchill was angry that the US did not take the threat of the USSR seriously and said the US had ‘denied the world the long and lasting peace they deserved’ by not taking a firmer line with the USSR.
- The USA only entered the war when they were affected directly, not when Britain needed help.
- The USA took British gold reserves in Africa in return for outdated American destroyers.
- Opening a second front in Europe was an area of great disagreement on how and when it should go ahead.
Evidence Churchill and Stalin had a good relationship ?
- Resistance of Russia in 1941-42 against Germany was a turning point, meaning Stalin became a great power and Britain could work with him
- Churchill negotiated the Percentages Agreement in 1944 with Stalin
- Stalin respected the Percentages Agreement as in the Greek Civil War Britain supported the royalists and Stalin didnt help the communists
- They often shared a drink together and Churchill respected Stalin’s support
Evidence Churchill and Stalin had a negative relationship ?
- Churchill hated communism and wrote many articles opposing Stalin
- Churchill was a critic of the Russian Revolution of 1917
- “If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons” - Churchill
- Churchill believed that communism had weakened the USSR too much to fight against Hitler
- Stalin criticised Britain’s failure to invade Europe at their first meeting in 1942
- Churchill offered no sympathy for USSR troops’ death in Leningrad and Stalingrad
Evidence Churchill and De Gaulle had a positive relationship ?
Evidence Churchill and De Gaulle had a negative relationship ?
What was the Cold War ?
A war of threats between the communist USSR and the capitalist West whereby the threat of communist expansion caused tensions but no actual warfare
What was the Iron Curtain Speech ?
- The divide between the USSR and the West became larger after WW2
- The Fifth Column of Communist sympathisers like Greece and Turkey meant that their expansion seemed inevitable
- Churchill creates a speech where he first addresses the tensions and names the ‘Iron Curtain’
- He claims people should prepare for conflict and resist communism
What was the reaction to the IC Speech from Soviets ?
- Stalin compared Churchill to Hitler
- Stalin saw the speech as ‘racist’ and ‘a call to war’
- Soviets withdrew from IMF
What was the reaction to the IC Speech from USA ?
- Criticised in newspapers
- Truman was already unsympathetic to communism
- 68% heard the speech but 40% disapproved of military alliance
- Concern that alliance would promote jealousy and distrust
- Thought Britain already relied on the USA too much
- UN should work things out not an alliance
What was the impact of the IC Speech from in Europe ?
- In 1937 the Truman Doctrine offered aid to countries threatened by communism
- USA gave support particularly to Greece and Turkey
- In 1938 Marshall Plan was introduced and $13b in aid was allocated to Europe
Was the Iron Curtain Speech significant ?
+ Stalin became angered and withdrew from IMF as well as calling the speech ‘racist’ and comparing Churchill to Hitler
+ The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall plan was introduced in 1937/38
+ Emphasised barrier between the West and the USSR
+ Reinforced Stalin’s belief that he was targeted by the West
+ Made clear that negotiations were pointless
- Did not actually start the Cold War
- Truman already hated communism and had plans for the Marshall plan
