pre war conferences Flashcards
(26 cards)
What were the post-war aims of the USSR?
Security of its western border and justification for a buffer zone in Eastern Europe
The USSR lost 27 million people in the war and had faced German attacks in the past.
What did the Soviets do to Eastern European countries post-war?
Installed communist governments and forced sympathetic governments
This was part of their strategy to create a sphere of influence.
What was the USSR’s stance on Germany post-war?
Wanted to weaken Germany’s ability to wage war and prevent its resurgence as a major power
How did the US view the Soviet refusal to withdraw from Eastern Europe?
As political and ideological expansion rather than a desire for safety
What was Roosevelt’s position regarding Soviet presence in Eastern Europe?
He was accepting in exchange for Soviet help in Japan
What shift occurred in US policy after Roosevelt’s death?
Harry Truman took a more aggressive stance against communism
What was Truman’s goal in dealing with the Soviets?
To display a strong hand against communism
What did the US want for Germany post-war?
A strong industrial Germany for open markets and strong trade
What was the significance of the Yalta Conference?
Big Three leaders met to form the post-war world order
Who were the Big Three leaders at Yalta?
Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill
What was agreed upon regarding Germany at Yalta?
Weakened by splitting it between the USSR and the West
What was one outcome of the Yalta Conference regarding German industry?
What was left of the German industry was to be destroyed or confiscated
What was established regarding the United Nations at Yalta?
There would be five permanent members: US, Britain, France, and USSR
What was the Potsdam Conference focused on?
Determining Germany’s fate in detail after its defeat
What major change occurred in leadership between Yalta and Potsdam?
Roosevelt was replaced by Truman
What were the agreed terms for Germany at Potsdam?
Demilitarised, democratised, denazified, and war criminals arrested
What ultimatum was issued to Japan at Potsdam?
Final ultimatum before the US dropped atomic bombs
What did Truman reveal to Stalin that escalated tensions?
The successful detonation of an atomic bomb
What change did the USSR make in their terminology regarding Eastern Europe?
From ‘sphere of influence’ to ‘buffer zone’
What was the Long Telegram?
A communication from George Kennan painting the Soviet leadership as paranoid and aggressive
What did Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech signify?
A call to save Europe from Soviet influence
What was Stalin’s response to the Iron Curtain speech?
Defended the Soviet right to a buffer zone
What did Novikov’s letter convey about the US?
The US arrived late to WW2 to advance its interests
What were the conflicting ideologies between the US and USSR?
US believed in self-determination and capitalism, USSR believed in a buffer zone and communism
