history test cold war Flashcards
What did President Roosevelt report to the US congress on the Yalta Conference
We argued freely and frankly across the table. But at the end, on every point, unanimous agreement was reached … We know, of course, that it was Hitlers hope and the German war lords hope that we would not agree - that some slight crack might appear in the solid wall of allied unity… but Hitler has failed. Never before have the major allies been more closely united - not only in their war aims but also in their peace aims
What did Stalin say too Milovan Djilas in 1945
Perhaps you think just because we are the allies of the English we have forgotten who they are and who Churchill is. There’s nothing they like better than to trick their allies. During the First World War they constantly tricked the Russians and the French. And Churchill? Churchill is the kind of man who will pick your pocked of a kopeck. And Roosevelt? Roosevelt is not like that. He dips in his hand only for bigger coins. But Churchill? He will do it for a kopeck
What did president Truman say in 1949
We refused to be forced out of the city of Berlin. We demonstrated to the people of Europe that we would act and act resolutely, when their freedom was threatened. Politically it brought the people of Western Europe closer to us. The Berlin blockade was a move to test our ability and our will to resist.
agreements at the Yalta conference
Japan
Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan once Germany had surrendered
agreements at the Yalta conference
Elections
they agreed that as countries were liberated from occupation by the German army, they would be allowed to hold free elections to choose the government they wanted.
agreements at the Yalta conference
War criminals
as allied soldiers advanced through Germany, they were revealing the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. The big three agreed to hunt down and punish war criminals who were responsible for the genocide
agreements at the Yalta conference
Germany
They agreed that Germany would be divided into four zones: American, French, British, and Soviet.
agreements at the Yalta conference
United Nations
the big three all agreed to join the new United Nations organisation, which would aim to keep peace after the war.
agreements at the Yalta conference
Eastern Europe
The Soviet Union had suffered terribly in the war. 20 million soviets had died. Stalin therefore wanted to make Eastern Europe a Soviet sphere of influence
disagreements at the Yalta conference
Poland
Stalin wanted the border of the USSR to move westwards into Poland. Stalin argued that Poland, in turn, could move its border westwards into German territory
Churchill did not approve of Stalins plans for Poland. But he also knew that there was not very much he could do about it because Stalin’s red army was in total control of both Poland and eastern Germany.
Roosevelt was also unhappy about Stalins plan. But Churchill persuaded Roosevelt to accept it, as long as the USSR agreed not to interfere in Greece where the British were attempting to prevent the communists taking over
Stalin accepted this
changes since Yalta
Stalins armies were occupying most of Eastern Europe
Soviet troops had left most of his troops in the countries he had taken over. He set up a communist government in Poland. He insisted that his control of Eastern Europe was a defensive measure against possible future attacks
changes since Yalta
America had a new president
On 12 April 1945, president Roosevelt died. Harry Truman replaced him. Truman was a lot more anticommunist than Roosevelt and was very SUS of Stalin.
The Cold War was caused by the Soviet take-over of eastern Europe.
The USSR began to impose Communist rule on the countries it had occupied rather than allowing free elections. Stalin had removed non-Communist leaders in Poland replacing them with Communists. Stalin was able to spread Communism across Eastern Europe.
