The Yalta/Potsdam Conference & The Division of Germany

Question 1

Leaders at the Yalta Conference

Answer 1

Franklin Roosevelt (United States); Winston Churchill (Great Britain); Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)

Question 2

When and where did the Yalta Conference take place?

Answer 2

February 4-11, 1945; Crimea, Soviet Union

Question 3

The significance of the location of the conference

Answer 3

The location of the conference in the Soviet Union gave Stalin the upper hand, as it was based in the country he ruled over

Question 4

Roosevelt’s agenda

Answer 4

Desired Soviet military support against Japan following Germany’s defeat, and Soviet participation in the United Nations

Question 5

Churchill’s agenda

Answer 5

Securing free elections in Eastern Europe for Soviet-liberated countries

Question 6

Stalin’s agenda

Answer 6

Creating a Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe to protect against future threats
**This included acquiring Poland under Soviet control due to its geographical location between Germany and the Soviet Union

Question 7

Post-war Germany

Answer 7

The leaders decided to split Germany into 3 zones: one for each Allied leader, and they would perform the process of demilitarization and denazification

Question 8

France and post-war Germany

Answer 8

Churchill advocated for France to receive a 4th zone from Germany, as it had been liberated by Germany during the war and had a similar government to that of Great Britain’s.
Stalin would only agree if the territory for France was taken from American and British zones

Question 9

Japan after World War II

Answer 9

Roosevelt secured an agreement with Stalin that Soviet military would enter into conflict with Japan 90 days after German defeat. Stalin wanted two historically Russian islands (Sakhalin and Kuril Islands) that were taken by the Japanese

Question 10

Leaders at the Potsdam Conference

Answer 10

Harry Truman (United States; Roosevelt passed away); Clement Attlee (Great Britain; Churchill was not re-elected); Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)

Question 11

When and where was the Potsdam Conference held?

Answer 11

July 17, 1945; Germany (already in 4 zones)

Question 12

How did Churchill describe Stalin?

Answer 12

“A mystery wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in an enigma”

Question 13

How did Stalin react to Truman’s news of the United States’ atomic bomb?

Answer 13

Stalin already knew, as he had spies who relayed him the information about the Manhattan Project
Stalin was developing his own atomic bomb as well

Question 14

What happened to Japan when they refused to accept the Allies’ terms of surrender?

Answer 14

Truman dropped an atomic bomb on the island of Hiroshima on August 6, killing more than 70,000 people and tens of thousands of more due to radiation poisoning
On August 9, Truman dropped another atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki, killing 40,000 people

Question 15

How was Germany divided post-World War II?

Answer 15

Germany was split into 4 zones: one each for Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union and the United States
**GB, France and USA zones were capitalist/democratic; Soviet zone was communist

Question 16

How was Berlin divided post-World War II?

Answer 16

Berlin was split into 4 zones, one each for the Allied countries. This was done in order to prevent the city from falling into Soviet control

Question 17

Why was Austria divided?

Answer 17

Austria was divided by the Allies, as Adolf Hitler was Austrian

Question 18

Purpose of the division

Answer 18

Main reason is to rehabilitate Germany: government is restored, economy is restored, and the people receive welfare

Question 19

How did Stalin react to the proposition of the uniting of the Western zones?

Answer 19

Stalin reacted poorly, and responded the Berlin Blockade (putting the entire city on lockdown and cutting off their supplies)

Question 20

Why did Stalin block Berlin?

Answer 20

Taking over a capital will increase power and influence; hopes that the United States will respond with an act of war, and in turn, will result in the world turning its back on them

Question 21

How does the United States react to the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 21

They come up with the Berlin Airlift: airdropping supplies to the people of Berlin. This helps citizens get food and supplies, is seen as a peaceful and humanitarian act, and if Stalin shoots down a plane with supplies, it will be seen as an act of war, and the world will turn its back on the Soviet Union

Question 22

What is NATO?

Answer 22

North Atlantic Treaty Organization: designed to prevent European/global wars

Question 23

What does NATO do?

Answer 23

Member countries of NATO promise to fight together if one of their member countries is attacked/invaded by a foreign enemy

Question 24

How did Stalin respond to NATO?

Answer 24

Stalin creates the Warsaw Pact, which applied the same concept as NATO
**However, the Warsaw Pact does not last: NATO is still around today