Cold War (Tehran Conference 1943- Warsaw Pact 1955) Detailed

The Cold War.

Tehran (November 1943) - First meeting of the Grand Alliance. 

• Possible entry of USSR into war against Japan
• Possible creation of an International Organisation to maintain peace etc prevent future wars.
• TENSIONS RISE…
• Stalin believes that Roosevelt and Churchill are delaying opening a second front against Germany, so Roosevelt sets one up in the WEST.
• Churchill annoyed because he wanted a second front set up in the Balkans.

YALTA (FEB 1945)

Meeting to decide the fate of Germany once defeated in the War (WW2)

• DEFINITE creation of the UN (International Peace Organisation)
• Germany to be split into 4 zones (UK, USA, FRANCE, USSR)
• Berlin (Inside USSR zone) to be split into 4 zones.
• Nazi war criminals to be FOUND and put on trial in International Court of Justice. 
• Countries previously occupied by the Nazis but freed by RED ARMY to hold free elections to choose a GOVERNMENT.
• TENSIONS RISE…
• Stalin wants to take part of EASTERN POLAND to add onto the USSR. He wanted to compensate Poland by giving it 25% of Germany. 
• Uses the excuse that Germany has invaded USSR twice in the past 50 years and Eastern Poland will act as a buffer between the two countries, preventing further invasion
• USA/USSR not sure about the idea but don’t want USSR to be invaded again by Germany. Agree to the idea. 
• UK WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN POLAND
• SUCCESS. ONLY DUE TO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STALIN AND ROOSEVELT.

POTSDAM (JULY 1945)

Grand Alliance meet to discuss the reparation costs in Germany.

-Stalin wants HIGH reparation costs. Wants to weaken Germany and therefore make it more susceptible to Communism (People have less money so will turn to state provided items). In addition to this, if Germany was weaker, they are less likely to invade USSR again.

-HOWEVER USA/UK do not want Germanys economy to be weakened as they don’t want it to become susceptible to Communism.

-USA/UK agree that most of the reparation costs that Germany has to pay will be through equipment and materials to the USSR. This is because Stalin used the excuse that his zone of Germany was the poorest and therefore he had the worse deal. 

• Nazi party banned. Trials to be held at NUREMBURG in 1946. 
• Germany to be demilitarised. 
• TENSIONS RISE….

Roosevelt died on 12th April 1945 and replaced by President Truman. Truman strongly dislikes and distrusts Stalin and therefore they do not have a good relationship. 

-Stalin had already gone against his agreements in the YALTA conference (Feb 1945) as he had set up a COMMUNIST government in Poland (Churchill’s previous fear). This was all despite him agreeing that any countries under previous Nazi occupation and freed by the Red Army would be able to have FREE ELECTIONS to elect a government.

-In addition to this, USA had tested an ATOMIC BOMB days before the conference. Stalin was furious as he had not been told about this beforehand.

SOVIET EXPANSION INTO EASTERN EUROPE

-USSR had been taking…