The Potsdam Conference, Teheran and Yalta Flashcards
When did WW2 end?
1945
How would ordinary Germans feel about the end of war?
-relief because people began to distrust Hitler, the weakening of Nazi power, the impact of bombing, rationing
Who was in charge of the economy after 1942?
Speer
When was Auschwitz liberated?
-27th January 1945
What issues would face Germany at the end of the war?
-lost war again, economic hardship, removing Nazi ideology, returning to lives before the Nazis would be hard, rationing, displacement of people, undo the war economy (how they were preparing for war), pariah (outcast), rebuild the government, education system has to be rebuilt
How did war end?
-by 1941 Germany had failed to defeat the USSR
-Germany->suffered Anglo-American bombing, labour shortage and faced debt of 42 billion RM
-USA had a powerful economy
-USSR had increased resources
What was the state of the war in the summer of 1944?
-Massive Soviet offensive: Himmler ordered death marches from concentration camps to the interior of the Reich
When did the German army surrender unconditionally?
7th May 1945
What were the allied post-war plans?
-Three ‘summits’ (a meeting between heads of government) were held to make decisions about post war plans.
-These took place between the ‘Grande Alliance’ which was formed out of military necessity: USSR, USA and Britain
When was Teheran?
1943
Who attended Teheran?
-Churchill
-Roosevelt
-Stalin
What was the purpose of the Teheran meeting?
-military strategy for end of war campaign
-borders
-German economy post WW2
What were the outcomes of Teheran?
-disagreements over borders
-no concrete plan created
When was the Yalta Protocol?
February 1945
Who attended Yalta?
-FDR/Roosevelt
-Churchill
-Stalin
What were the aims to discuss at the Yalta Protocol?
-to discuss how to divide Germany into 4 zones which Britain, France, the USA and the USSR would occupy after the war
-bring Nazi war-criminals to trial
-set up a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity ‘pledged to the holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible’
-help the freed peoples of Europe set up democratic and self-governing countries by helping them to (a) maintain law and order; (b) carry out emergency relief measures; (c) set up governments; and (d) hold elections
-set up a commission to look into reparations
When and where was the Potsdam Conference?
July - August 1945 near Berlin
Who attended the Potsdam Conference?
-Truman
-Attlee
-Stalin
In relation to the Nazis what was agreed in the Potsdam Conference?
-set up the four ‘zones of occupation’ in Germany->the Nazi Party, Nazi government and laws were to be destroyed
-Nazi war-criminals to be put on trial
What was the Potsdam agreement?
-Recognition of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity with elections to be held.
-Russia was allowed to take reparations from the Soviet Zone, and also 10% of the industrial equipment of the western zones as reparations. America and Britain could take reparations from their zones if they wished
-communication was difficult and making decisions were hard
What was the difference between Yalta and Potsdam in terms of the leaders?
-FDR/Roosevelt is replaced by Truman USA
-Churchill is replaced by Attlee GB
-Stalin was still there USSR
What had changed between Yalta and Potsdam?
-March 1945, Stalin invited the non-Communist Polish leaders to meet him, and arrested them. In May 1945, the British Joint Planning Group had drawn up plans for ‘Operation Unthinkable’ - a ‘total war … to impose our will upon Russia’.
-Roosevelt had died, the new president, Truman, was inclined to ‘get tough’ with the Russians.
-At the beginning of the conference, Truman learned that America had tested the first atomic bomb. It gave the Americans a huge military advantage ->Truman used it as blackmail to threaten Stalin and Attlee to get what he wanted
What were the consequences of Potsdam?
-USSR was allowed to take reparations from Soviet Zone and also 10% of the industrial equipment
-more disagreements between powers of conflicting ideology
-at the beginning of the conference Truman learned that America had tested the first atomic bomb->huge advantage to Americans
What were the main differences between the Yalta and Potsdam conference?
-there were more threats at Potsdam than Yalta->more conflicting sides
-Atlee replaced Churchill and Truman replaced FDR
-threat of atomic bomb at Potsdam
