US, British and USSR relations in 1945 (1) Flashcards
How did ideology affect the OCW?
The massive divide in the concepts between their ideology’s meant there was little understanding between each of the powers. The different concepts on which the countries were built also added to this.
Decisions made at Yalta?
Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones. The UN would be formally ratified. The USSR would gain land from Poland and Poland would be expanded to the West and North. Poland would receive free ‘democratic’ elections. A Declaration on Liberated Europe should be created.
Problems at Yalta?
USSR did not want to be part of UN, wanted to have complete self control.
The USSR wanted safety through spheres of influence in Eastern Europe.
The West wanted to reconstruct Germany due to fears from the last WW1 but Russia wanted Germany weak due to fears of another invasion (lost 25 million in WW2)
What is the Percentages agreement?
In 1944, Churchill and Stalin met in Moscow to decide on the percentages of influence in Eastern European States. In Romania, the USSR got 90% while in Greece, Britain got 90%. In Hungary each got 50%.
How did the situation deteriorate after Yalta?
Roosevelt perceived the post war world to be built around the American idea of democracy whilst Stalin believed that communism could still achieve this.
Decisions made at Potsdam
Germany was to be completely disarmed and de-militarised. De-Nazification was to be carried out. Decentralisation of the political system was to be carried out. Freedom of speech and of the press were to be restored. Freedom of religion was to be restored. Germany was to become a single economic unit with common policies. The USSR was to receive reparations from its own zone and 25% from other zones.
A-bombings
On the 6th of August 1945, an atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed 80,000 and destroyed 90% of buildings. On 9th August 1945 another was dropped on Nagasaki which killed 40,000. This sparked the creation of the atomic arms race as Stalin demanded that they catch up to restore the ‘balance’ - Gaddis
Death of Roosevelt
Roosevelt and Stalin were seen to have worked and co-operated well together. When he died in April 1945, he was replaced by Harry Truman who openly challenged communism and used the USA’s atomic monopoly at the Potsdam conference to order Stalin. This was the start of the breakdown of the Grand Alliance.
