Cold War- Peace Conferences Flashcards
(19 cards)
1
Q
When did the Tehran conference take place?
A
28th Nov- 1st December 1943
2
Q
Leaders involved in the Tehran conference
A
- Stalin
- Roosevelt
- Churchill
3
Q
Decisions made at the Tehran Conference
A
- Cross Channel Invasion by Britain and USA in May 1944 to open a second front against Germany in Nazi-controlled France.
- USSR to invade Japan after Germany defeated
- UN to be set up after war to settle intrernational disputes
- Poland’s border moved to the West to gain territory from Germany before losing it to the USSR from the East- borders to be along Oder and Neisse rivers.
4
Q
Disagreements of the Tehran Conference
A
- Churchill wanted second front in Balkans to prevent Red Army from conquering all of eastern Europe- both Roosevelt and Stalin rejected
- Roosevelt viewed Britains colonialism as a larger threat than Communism
5
Q
Why did the Tehran conference happen in Tehran, Iran?
A
Closer to the USSR-make Stalin happy
6
Q
Consequences of the Teharan conference
A
- Disagreement over Germany’s future:
Roosevelt and Churchill: Germany should be rebuilt to avoid the economic disaster caused by the Treaty of Versailles.
Stalin: Germany should be punished and forced to give up territory, pay reparations to ensure they were never a threat again - The Allies: split Europe into two “sphere’s of influence,”- created some early tension and rivalry between the two opposing political rivals.
For example, the west of Europe was the United States and Britain’s side, where capitalism would be dominant but the east of Europe was Stalin’s side, where communism would be respected and not threatened by neighbouring countries. - Yalta conference
7
Q
Importance of the Tehran conference
A
- UN established in 1945
- International Relations were changed by this, and the complex relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union would eventually evolve into the Cold War rivalry. (INCREASED TENSIONS)
- The decisions regarding Poland and Eastern Europe would lead to decades of tension and conflict, as the region became a focal point of East-West relations.
8
Q
When did the Yalta conference take place?
A
4th Feb- 11th Feb
1945
9
Q
Leaders involved in the Yalta Conference
A
- Stalin
- Roosevelt
- Churchill
10
Q
Decisions made at Yalta Conference
A
- USSR to wage war against Japan when Germany defeated
- Germany and Berlin divided into 4 zones- US, Britain, France (Capitalist) and the USSR (Communist)
- Denazification of Germany- try Nazi war criminals in an international court of justice
- Allow countries liberated from German occupation to have free elections and choose the government they wanted
- They laid the groundwork for the establishment of the .United Nations
- Eastern Europe would be a Soviet ‘Sphere of Influence’.
11
Q
Disagreements at Yalta Conference
A
- How much Germany should pay in reparations- Stalin wanted a much higher figure compared to Roosevelt and Churchill, so the decision was delayed until the Potsdam Conference.
- Stalin wanted the Polish-German border to be much further to the West than the western allies, as well as wanting a ‘friendly’ Polish government so his country would be protected from Germany. Fearing that this would be a Soviet controlled government, Churchill and Roosevelt persuaded Stalin to allow free elections
12
Q
Consequences of the Yalta Conference
A
- Potsdam Conference
- Churchill believed that Stalin should not have been permitted to keep his troops in Eastern Europe. This** created some early tension** between Britain and the USSR. (ALSO IMPORTANCE)
- The ‘Big Three’ disagreed on the meaning of ‘free elections.’ Stalin believed that it was where people would vote for communism since only communism truly represented the people. Yet, Roosevelt and Churchill believed that it was where lots of political parties would compete for votes. This disparity increased tensions between the allies.
13
Q
Importance of the Yalta Conference
A
- Last meeting of the ‘Big Three’
- Increasing Tensions due to disagreements made
14
Q
Potsdam Conference Date
A
17th July- 2nd August
1945
15
Q
Leaders at the Potsdam Conference
A
- Stalin
- Truman
- Attlee
16
Q
Decisions made at Potsdam
A
- Germany + Berlin divided into 4 zones- Soviet Zone in East Germany, others in West
- Demilitarisation of Germany
- Re-establishment of democracy in Germnay
- Germany pays reparations in equipment and materials to ease them- most to the USSR because they suffered most
- Nazi party banned + Nazi’s removed from positions of authority- leading Nazis put on trial for war crimes at Nurmeburg 1946.
- Full participation in the UN
- Poland’s border pushed Westward.
17
Q
Disagreements at Potsdam
A
- No agreements made over Germany. Following the death of 20 million Russians during the war, Stalin wanted massive compensation to completely disable Germany to protect against any future threats. However, Truman saw a revived Germany as a barrier to future Soviet expansion, and he also wanted to prevent Germany to have a non-negotiable punishment as severe as the Treaty of Versailles which caused widespread backlash from Germany against the allies.
- Different views on free elections:
Truman: free elections in Eastern Europe
Stalin: Unwelcome Interference- no submission to US pressure
Truman: ‘get tough’ policy against USSR.
18
Q
Tensions during the Potsdam Conference
What happened between Yalta and Potsdam to affect US-Soviet Relations
A
- USSR troops liberated countries in Eastern Europe but didn’t remove military prescence.
July: occupided Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania - Stalin set up a communist government in Poland, ignoring the wishes of the majority of the Poles + agreements made at Yalta + protests from Britain and USA- this control was a defensive measure against future attacks
- Red Army largest- demilitarisation in West, expansion of Armed forces in USSR
- April 1945: Roosevelt dies. Stalin + Truman distrust - determined to stand up against Stalin
- July 16th 1945- USA test Atomic Bomb- Stalin furious that he wasn’t consulted beofrehand
- Churchill defeated in General election and replaced by Clement Attlee.
19
Q
Consequence of the Potsdam Conference
A
- Soviet Expansion of Eastern Europe
