The Start of the Cold War- USA-USSR alliance breakdown in 1945

Why did the USA-USSR alliance begin to break down in 1945?

Ideological differences 

Tensions contributed to an uneasy relationship during WW2

USSR fearful of future attacks from capitalist countries 

• Communists came to power in October 1917
• Several western powers including the USA and Great Britain intervened in the Russian Civil War against the Communists
• In the 1930s Stalin thought the West saw Hitler and the Nazis as the buffer against the spread of communism. In addition, Stalin was not invited to the Munich Conference.

Different beliefs of how society should be organised

• America was a democracy, with free multi-party elections
• The US economy was capitalist 
• People were largely free to hold any religious or political belief. 
• Freedom of speech was important to Americans
• The rights of Americans were laid out and protected by their constitution 
• Saw policies as 'doing the right thing' rather than serving own interests

• USSR was communist, with one-party rule and no political opposition allowed.
• Soviet citizens had few political rights 
• Millions of innocent people were persecuted in the 1930s and religious beliefs were not tolerated 
• Most of the economy was controlled by the state and was subject to long-term central planning

Western political leaders suspicious of the Soviet Union

1. They feared that the Communists shared the ambitions of the Russian Tsars who preceded them and wanted to expand into central Europe and the eastern Mediterranean

2. Senior Communists had talked about the need for a worldwide revolution, increasing the likelihood of a conflict between communism and capitalism at some point of in the future.

Wartime disagreements

Publically appeared to have good relations

The USSR was invaded in June 1941

• The public was presented with a positive image of relations between the USA, Great Britain and the USSR
• This emphasised the common goal of defeating Nazism and the terrible conditions which the Russian people faced on the Eastern Front.

Allies cooperated extensively 

• British merchants braved the horrors of the Baltic to supply the USSR with needed materials
• The USA agreed to extend the Lend-Lease programme to the Soviet Union.
• (The Lend-Lease programme started in 1941, where the USA lent, leased and sold military equipment to countries fighting Germany, Italy and Japan)

Teheran Conference

• 28th November - 1st December 1943
• They agreed to set a  date for the invasion of France, while military officials and politicians regularly met to discuss details of organising the war. 

Aim:

• Plan for reconstruction after WW2
• Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill agreed that Britain would the USSR would have a 'sphere of influence', an area in which communism would be respected
• Western Europe would be a British & American 'sphere of influence', where capitalism would dominate
• Desperate to have the USSR as an Ally 
• Stalin wanted to be tough on Germany (revenge as USSR has suffered much)
• Churchill & Roosevelt felt that it was important that Germany was re-built 
  • Learned from the Treaty of Versailles 

Tensions: 

• Stalin's obsessive secrecy prevented him from sharing his battle plans with Britain or the USA.
• Churchill would not share his knowledge of the Enigma codes with…