the beginning of the cold war

Question 1

Give the three members of the Grand Alliance, the date it began and its main aim:

Answer 1

Before the Cold War, Britain, the USA and the Soviet Union worked together as the Grand Alliance. It was set up in 1941 and aimed to remove the common enemy, Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Question 2

Give the name and date of each of the conferences:

Answer 2

The Tehran Conference was held first between November and December 1943. The second conference was held in Yalta in February 1945. The third conference was held in Potsdam between July and August 1945.

Question 3

Give the four key points from the Tehran conference in November/ December 1943:

Answer 3

1. ) The USA and Britain agreed to open up a second front by invading Nazi-occupied Europe.
2. ) The USSR would declare war on Japan once Germany had been defeated.
3. ) The boundaries of Poland would be moved westward, so that Poland would gain land from Germany, and lose some to the USSR.
4. ) It was also agreed that an international body would be set up to settle future disputes between countries. This set the scene for the establishment of the United Nations.

Question 4

Give the five key points of the Yalta Conference in February 1945:

Answer 4

1. ) Germany, when defeated would be reduced in size and divided and demilitarised. Also, it would have to pay reparations.
2. ) Countries would have democratic elections.
3. ) The UN would be set up.
4. ) Again, the USSR would declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated.
5. ) Poland would be in the USSR’s sphere of influence and would be ran more democratically.

Question 5

Give the five key points of the Potsdam Conference in July/ August 1945:

Answer 5

1. ) A Council of Foreign Ministers would be set up to organise the rebuilding of Europe.
2. ) The Nazi Part was banned and war criminals would be prosecuted.
3. ) Germany would still be reduced in size an divided out between Britain, France, the USA and the USSR.
4. ) Berlin would also be divided up into zones of occupation by the successful allies.
5. ) The USSR would receive 25% of the output from the other three zones.

Question 6

Why were tensions beginning to grow between the wartime allies?

Answer 6

Tensions were beginning to grow between the wartime allies because of growing differences in the future of Germany and East Europe. Also, Roosevelt’s death had led to Truman becoming president. Truman felt he couldn’t trust Stalin and tended to undermine his power.