pg 12-22: Potsdam Conference, Satellite States, Truman Doctrine And Marshall Plan Flashcards
The Potsdam Conference: Dates and Purpose
Dates: July 17 - August 2, 1945
Purpose: To discuss the post-war settlement in Europe after the end of World War II. It was a continuation of the Yalta Conference.
Key Issues Discussed at Potsdam
Germany
Reparations
Eastern Europe
Japan
Agreements at Potsdam: Germany’s Occupation
- Finalized the four zones of occupation: administered by the USSR, USA, Britain, and France.
- Each power to collect reparations from their zone.
- USSR to receive additional reparations from the other zones due to their zone being mainly rural.
Agreement at Potsdam: Return of Germans
Germans living in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Hungary were to return to Germany.
New Leaders at the Potsdam Conference
USA: Harry S Truman (replaced Franklin D. Roosevelt)
Britain: Clement Attlee (replaced Winston Churchill)
Agreement at Potsdam: Poland’s Western Border
Poland’s western border was to be along the Oder and Neisse rivers.
Disagreement at Potsdam: Germany’s Future
Stalin: Wanted to cripple Germany to protect the USSR.
Truman: Did not want a repeat of the Treaty of Versailles.
Disagreement at Potsdam: Reparations
Stalin: Hoped to be compensated for the death of 20 million Russians.
Truman: Did not want to repeat the mistakes made after World War One.
Disagreement at Potsdam: Eastern Europe
While Yalta agreed to pro-Soviet governments, Truman was opposed to this policy at Potsdam and adopted a tougher stance.
Historians’ View on Potsdam Disagreements
Stalin’s refusal to consider German reunification and give up wartime gains in Eastern Europe are seen as major factors in creating the Cold War.
Misunderstanding between the West and the Soviet perspective was a two-way process.
Agreements at Potsdam (Organized List)
- Ban and destroy the Nazi party, government, and laws. Take back control of the German educational system.
- Move the Polish border with Germany further west.
- Allow Russia to take reparations from the Soviet Zone of Germany, and also 10% of its industrial equipment from the western zones.
- Allow Germans living in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia to return to Germany.
Disagreements at Potsdam (Organized List)
- What to do with Germany - Stalin wanted to cripple Germany to protect the USSR. Truman did not want to repeat the mistake of the Treaty of Versailles.
- Reparations - Stalin wanted compensation from Germany for the deaths they caused. Truman did not want to repeat mistakes of the Treaty of Versailles.
- Soviet Policy in Eastern Europe - At Yalta, Stalin had won agreement to set up pro-Soviet governments in Eastern Europe. Truman became unhappy with Russian intentions and adopted a ‘get tough’ attitude towards Stalin.
Soviet Union’s Territorial Gains in Eastern Europe (Post-WWII)
- Significant territorial advances were made.
- Communist governments controlled by Moscow were established in: Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, and East Germany.
- These countries became known as Soviet satellite states, dependent economically and politically on the USSR.
Reasons for the Soviet Union’s Takeover of Eastern Europe
- Buffer Zone: To protect the USSR from potential future invasion from the West (especially Germany).
- Fear of the West: Intensified by the USA’s possession of the atomic bomb.
- Economic Needs: Eastern Europe as a source of cheap goods, raw materials, and a market for Soviet trade.
- Some historians believe it was a pattern of conquest, while others suggest Western hostility forced Stalin’s hand.
Methods Used by Communists to Achieve Power in Eastern Europe
- Executing other political leaders (Bulgaria)
- Abolishing the monarchy (Romania)
- Forcing non-communist leaders into exile (Poland)
- Imprisoning opposition leaders and attacking church leaders (Hungary)
- Banning other parties (Czechoslovakia)
- Persecution and elimination of non-communists.
- Taking control of key posts in governments.
- Rigging elections.
- Overthrowing existing leaders.
Churchill’s Reaction to Soviet Control: The Iron Curtain
- In May 1945, Churchill expressed concern about Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe.
- His famous “Iron Curtain” speech in 1946 declared that a division had descended across Europe, separating the democratic West from the communist East controlled by the Soviet Union.
- He called for a Western alliance to combat communism.
Stalin’s Reaction to Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech
- Stalin was angered by the speech.
- He accused Churchill of being a warmonger trying to incite war against the Soviet Union.
- The speech widened the gap between the USSR and the West.
The USA’s Policy of Containment
- Adopted to combat the spread of communism.
- Prompted by events in Greece, Turkey, and Iran, where the US feared communist control of the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Truman Doctrine (Definition and Initial Application)
- Definition: US policy announced in March 1947 to support nations threatened by communist takeover.
- Initial Application: Providing $400 million in aid to the Royalists in Greece and Turkey to help them resist communist influence.
Consequences of the Truman Doctrine
- Communists were defeated in Greece and Turkey, and Soviet troops withdrew from Iran.
- Hostility between the USA and the USSR increased.
- The USA committed itself to the policy of containment.
- Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) was established by the Soviets in 1947.
Cominform (Communist Information Bureau)
- Set up by the Soviet Union in September 1947.
- Aimed to link communist parties around the world for common action under Soviet leadership.
- Intended to counter what was seen as American-led imperialism.
The Marshall Plan (Purpose and Details)
- Announced by US Secretary of State George Marshall in June 1947.
- Offered significant economic aid to European countries to help them rebuild after the war.
- Provided $17 billion in aid to 16 European countries between 1948 and 1952.
- Goal was to reduce poverty and make people less likely to support communism.
- Recipient countries had to remove trade barriers and cooperate economically.
Consequences of the Marshall Plan
- Sixteen European countries received aid and formed the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC).
- Significant economic recovery in Western Europe: malnutrition disappeared, industrial output increased.
- Communist parties in Western Europe weakened.
- Tensions between East and West increased, intensifying the Cold War.
Soviet Reaction to the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
- Stalin bitterly criticized both as American plans for world domination and forbade Eastern European countries from accepting Marshall Aid.
- The Soviets denounced them as “imperialist plots” and “dollar diplomacy.”
- Concerned about the impact of Marshall Aid on Soviet satellite states.
