Yalta and Potsdam conferences and the Berlin Airlift Flashcards
What was the Truman Doctrine?
President Truman committed America to helping anyone who was fighting Communism
What was the Marshall plan?
$17 billion of aid to Europe to help Europe rebuild and redevelop after WW2.
Why did America introduce the Marshall plan?
- America believed that poorer countries would turn Communist, therefore America hoped their aid would bring prosperity to Europe, and Europe wouldn’t fall to the USSR.
- America trying to undermine the USSR in Eastern Europe, by putting east under pressure as they showed them how good life could be in the Capitalist West.
Why was the Truman Doctrine introduced?
To prevent the spreading of communism through the domino effect. America was scared of communism and the dominant effect getting to America via Cuba.
How did the USA benefit from the Marshall plan?
Gained Europe as a trading partner
Made sure America didn’t live in political isolation
When was the Truman Doctrine introduced, and an example of a country in helped immediately?
1947
Greece - The US gave aid to Greece in 1947 and had defeated the communist threat by 1949. The UK had been giving Greece aid but couldn’t by 1947 (no money)
When was the Yalta Conference and who was there?
February 1945
FDR for the USA
Churchill for the UK
Stalin for the USSR
What was agreed at the Yalta Conference?
Agreed to split Germany into 4 areas of occupation
Free elections in Eastern European countries
USSR invited to join the UN
USSR promised to join war against Japan when Germany was defeated
When was the Potsdam Conference and who was there?
July 1945- The war against Germany was over but the war against Japan was still ongoing
Truman for the USA
Attlee for the UK
Stalin for the USSR
What was agreed at the Potsdam Conference?
Germany was to be disarmed
Nazi party abolished and war criminals put on trial
Germany had to pay small reparations for war damage
What was Truman and Attlee angry about at Potsdam?
Occupation zones agreed for Germany
Amount of reparations that Germany was to pay
Stalin had arrested non-communists officials in Poland
Countries in Eastern Europe were falling to Communism under the pressure of Stalin
What was Stalin angry about after Potsdam?
Truman didn’t tell him about America’s two atomic bombs that he was to drop on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (told UK)
Forced Japan to surrender before USSR could get to Japan and claim land to expand the USSR
What did the USA and UK want for Germany post WW2?
To rebuild Germany
Wanted a strong unified Germany
Wanted a Capitalist Germany
What did Stalin want for Germany post WW2?
Wanted Germany to be destroyed/ made very weak
Wanted $10 billion in compensation for WW2
Wanted to share control of Ruhr- Germany’s richest industrial area which was controlled by the British
What angered Stalin about Germany in 1948?
French, British and American’s unified their sections to create a unified West Germany (wanted unified Germany)
Introduced the Deutschmark in June 1948, which was a strong currency as it was backed by the Marshall plan
Stalin saw these as disrespectful, and that Britain and the USA were trying to restore Germany’s power
