Why did the USA-USSR alliance
begin to break down in 1945?
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With Germany defeated the USA and the USSR no longer had a common
enemy to fear.
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The different ideologies of the two countries – capitalism and
communism – made it hard for them to trust each other.
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The Yalta Conference ( 1945 )
The 1945 summit conferences
and the breakdown of the USA-USSR alliance in 1945–6
Roosevelt – democracy in Eastern
Europe and good relations with the USSR
Churchill – to stop Stalin
imposing communism on Eastern Europe
Stalin – Security of the USSR
and wanted Polish territory
Yalta February 1945
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Divide Germany into four ‘zones’, which Britain, France, the USA
and the USSR would occupy after the war.
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Bring Nazi war-criminals to trial.
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Set up a Polish Provisional Government of National
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Help the freed peoples of Europe set up democratic and
self-governing countries
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Set up a commission to look into reparations.
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At Yalta, the negotiations went very much in Stalin's favour due
to the fact that Roosevelt wanted Russian help in the Pacific
Potsdam July 1945
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To set up the four ‘zones of occupation’ in Germany.
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To bring Nazi war-criminals to trial.
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To recognize the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity
and hold 'free and unfettered elections as soon as possible'.
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Russia was allowed to take reparations from the Soviet Zone, and
also 10% of the industrial equipment of the western zones as reparations.
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America and Britain could take reparations from their zones if
they wished.
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Although Yalta seemed successful, behind the scenes, tension was
growing particularly about reparations, and about Poland
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Relations between the superpowers had worsened considerably since
Yalta.
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Roosevelt had died, and America’s new president Truman insisted
that he would ‘get tough’ with the Russians.
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Soon after he had arrived at Potsdam, Truman knew that America had
tested the first atomic bomb giving America a huge military advantage over
everyone else
-
The worsening relations between the USSR and the USA came out in
Winston Churchill’s “ Iron Curtain “ speech, accused the USSR of dividing
Europe by an “ Iron Curtain “
How had the USSR gained
control of Eastern Europe by 1948?
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Stalin was determined to set up a “buffer zone” to prevent another
invasion from the West
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The Baltic States were
annexed by the USSR
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The USSR annexed much of Eastern Poland, and by 1947 it was
totally in communist hands
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In 1945 Romania’s King was forced by the USSR to appoint a
communist prime minister leading to a complete communist takeover
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Communist won a rigged election in 1945
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In Czechoslovakia a coalition government took power after the war
gradually the communist undermined the government and eventually talking full
control.
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At Yalta and Potsdam it was agreed East Germany would be given to
the Soviets
-
Hungary in 1947 a rigged election was held resulting in communist
control.
How did the USA react to
Soviet expansionism?
-
The USA interpreted the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe as the
start of an attempt to spread communism around the world
Truman Doctrine - March 1947
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Truman declared American support for anyone fighting communism
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The US would use their power and wealth to prevent the spread of
communism
Marshall Plan – June 1947
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George Marshall declared that financial aid would be given to
prevent communism
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16 European countries were funded with $13 billion
Economic cost of not giving
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Europe would have collapsed economically, aid was the cheaper
option
US economy benefiting
-
Europeans would spend the money they received on American good
Political move
-
It gave the US more power over Europe
Prevent communism
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Without aid it would have been hard to remain free from communism
The occupation of Germany and
the Berlin Blockade
-
The US wanted to rebuild the German economy so they introduced the
new “Deutschmark” in June 1948
-
Russia retaliated by blocking West Berlin on 21 June 1948
-
West Berlin contained around two and a quarter million people who
had only six weeks’ worth of food so Britain and America decided to airlift
supplies through the air corridor (2000 tonnes/day)
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However Stalin was afraid of the atomic bomb which eventually
forced him to life the blockade
-
West Berlin was now politically tied to the West
What were the consequences of
the Berlin Blockade?
-
Tension between the US and the Soviet Union increased
-
In response to what the US deemed the threat of communism NATO was
established as an alliance against the Soviet Union
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The Cold War situation got worse and it almost led to full scale
war
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East and West Germany were split up. In May 1949, America, Britain
and France united their zones to form Bizonia/Bizone.
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In 1955, the Soviet Union set up the Warsaw Pact which was an
alliance of all Communist states.
Who was the more to blame for
starting the Cold War: the USA or the USSR?
Yalta/Potsdam:
USA
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Threatening the Russians with
the atomic bomb
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Wanted a free and fair
democracy in eastern Europe
-
Strong Germany
Russia
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Poland to become communist
-
Weaken and cripple Germany
Stalin/Truman:
USA
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Truman did not want to
compromise
-
Keen to impose limitations
and bully the Russians
Russia
-
Stalin killed millions of his
own, he was paranoid and fearful which resulted in him wanted a “buffer zone”
Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe:
USA
-
Truman Doctrine
-
Marshall aid pumping millions
to prevent the spread of communism
Russia
-
“Buffer one”
-
Rigged elections to ensure
the spread of communism over Eastern Europe
Berlin Blockade:
USA
-
US and British joining
occupation zones
-
Introducing the Deutschmark
without consulting the Soviets
Russia
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Blockade itself
-
Buzzed transport planes
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Ost-mark
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The Russia are ultimately to
be blamed
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Russians vision for expansion
was more harmful
-
Leaving Stalin alone would
mean he could storm through and conquer Europe
-
Russians constricted eastern Europeans
from freedom
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However….American actions
were still aggressive but subtle
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