The Origins Of The Cold War Flashcards
Difference in ideology
Capitalism: private enterprise and liberal democracy. Freedom to vote, stand for elections etc.
Communism: state-owned economy and one-party state. Only pro-communist parties were allowed.
The Tehran conference November 1943
Held in Casablanca. These were the issues discussed:
• D-Day
• Possible entry of USSR in the war against Japan
• Possible creation of an international organisation to maintain world peace.
The Warsaw Rising August 1944
Poles in city who had links with gov in exile in London revolted against Germans occupying the city. The poles wanted to liberate the city before the arrival of Soviet troops but the Poles were crushed by the Germans. The soviets stood by, refusing to help - the West saw this as heartless.
Agreements at Yalta Conference February 1945
Significant agreements:
• Establishment of UN
• Division of Germany, Berlin and Austria into temporary zones of occupation
• Soviets agreed to join war against Japan in return for Japanese islands in the east.
• Free elections in Eastern Europe.
Disagreements at Yalta Conference February 1945
These were plainly over Poland. Communist gov in Poland was set up based in Lublin even though there was a government in exile in London which was ready to go back as soon as safe to do so.
Potsdam Conference July 1945
Attitudes had intensified further, Attlee and Truman were the new prime ministers, two new comers to foreign affairs. Actions which worried Truman:
• Unhappy with Soviet actions in Eastern Europe as Stalin had been allowed to incorporate Polish territory into USSR.
• 5 millions Germans expelled from Poland and forcibly moved to West Germany
• Communist groups in Eastern Europe being positioned into important government roles.
The Atomic Bomb (four days after Potsdam)
Stalin was not informed due to reasons mention at Potsdam. Hiroshima bombed. Truman called it ‘greatest thing in history’ but the bomb shocked many. Second bomb dropped on 9th August 1945, surrender of Japan without Soviet assistance. Stalin denied part of Japan’s occupation.
