Cold War: The breakdown of the Grand Alliance Flashcards
What was the 1944 Percentages Agreement?
A secret agreement between Churchill and Stalin about how to divide Eastern European countries into spheres of influence.
What were Stalin’s aims/ideals?
Concerned with security, wanted buffer states to protect the Soviet Union
Insisted that the allies open a second Western Front to take pressure of the Red Army
Wanted the post-war map to reflect the borders of the Nazi-Soviet Agreement
When was Truman president?
1945-1953
What were Truman’s aims/ideals?
Continued Roosevelt’s policies towards the Soviets, but he was more blunt
Wrote US Containment policy and the Truman doctrine
Didnt consider himself a diplomat
Decided to use atomic weapons against Japan
What were the aims/ideals of Franklin D. Roosevelt?
Believed in personal and self determination
Opposed balance of power diplomacy
Suported the UN to ensure postwar peace.
Supported a revived German economy with liberal democratic leadership
Worked to soften the image of Stalin
Realpolitik
When was Roosevelt president?
March 1933 - April 1945
When was the Tehran conference? What was discussed in the Tehran conference?
28 November to 1 December 1943
formation of the UN
opening of a second front to take pressure off the Red army at the eastern front
western borders of the Soviet Union
division of Germany post war
What was the deal negotiated between Churchill and Stalin, to do with borders?
Stalin could have his eastern border BUT he had to guarantee a democratically elected government in Poland.
When was the Yalta Conference? What was discussed at the Yalta Conference?
- reach agreement on the crucial aspects of the UN
determine occupation zones of Germany and Austria
decided on boundaries of Poland and its government
reach agreement on free elections in the countries of Eastern Europe
When was the Potsdam conference? What was discussed in the Potsdam conference?
July 1945
demilitarization of Germany
when and how divided Germany would become a united country again
when the democratization of Germany would take place
No agreement was made regarding the long-term future of Germany. The US and UK wanted it united, Stalin divided.
Why were USSR and US allies, even though they had completely different ideologies?
The presence of a common enemy (Nazis) brought the two ideologies together. But once fascism fell, their ideological divide became greater.
which three events led to the deteriation of US-Soviet relations
Warsaw uprising of 1944, Soviets refused to aid the Polish Home Army.
The government introduced in Poland was pro-Russian.
1946 speech by Stalin : that communism and capitalism could never live peacefully together and that future war was inevitable until the spread of communism was achieved.
1946 the Long telegram: A document sent by George Kennan (worked in the US embassy) warning the US of Soviet’s expansionist intentions/policies.
Kennan recommended a policy of containment, to stop the spread of communism.
When and What did the Truman Doctrine say?
- The USA would counter Soviet expansion. aka containement
What happened in Czechoslovakia in 1948?
it became likely that the communists would lose ground in the next election
communists used intimidation and murder to frighten the opposition
eventually, via an armed coup, they forced all non-communist members of government to resign.
the communists won, but they were also the only ones allowed to run so…
When was NATO formed? why?
April 1949, partially in reaction to berlin blockade
