Early tensions

• What were the 3 countries in the grand alliance and who was led by them?

  Britain- led by Churchill

  USA- led by Roosevelt

  soviet union- led by Stalin

  There aim was to defeat Nazi German
• Describe the Tehran conference?

  • from November to December 1943
  • USA and Britain agreed to open a second front against Germany to divert it from the soviets
  • soviets would declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated
  • The set up of the UN to settle future dispute between countries
• Describe the Yalta conference?

  • February 1945
  • Germany would have to pay reparations when defeated
  • The UN would be set up
  • Poland would be the Soviet sphere of influence but have a democratic government
• Describe the Potsdam conference?

  • July- August 1945
  • Germany and Berlin would be divided into for zones by USA, France, Soviet and Britain
  • Nazi party was banned and criminals sent to prison
  • Soviet union would receive 25% of the output from thee other 3 zones
• What led to the end of the Grand Alliance

  • They no longer had a common enemy, as Germany had been defeated
  • USA dropped the atomic bomb which gave them military advantage
  • Roosevelt was replaced by Truman who distrust Stalin as he set up a communist government
  • Britain was economically exhausted and became an ally to the USA
• What were the two different ideologies?

  Capitalism where they was freedom, people were able to make their own money and there was democracy

  Communism where the state took charge of the economy so there would be fairness
• What was the long and the Novikov telegram?


  • long telegram 1946 was a secret report to Truman they said that Stalin saw capitalism as a threat and had to be destroyed
  • they were also building their own military power
  • Novikov telegram told Stalin that USA wanted world domination and was building military strength
  • USA was also preparing its people for war with the Soviet Unioun
• What are the satellite states?

  • when the Soviet union wanted to spread its sphere of influence to neighbouring countries like Poland and Hungary
  • In the Yalta and Potsdam conference it was agreed that Poland would have free elections
  • however elections were fixed so that communist party was won and they shut down opposition parties
• What was the impact of the Soviet Sphere of influence?

  • was seen as a betrayal because of the Yalta agreement
  • USA was determined to contain communism through the Truman doctrine and the Marshall aid
  • The soviets wanted control of Eastern Europe for a buffer zone protecting it from
• What was Truman concern which led to aid being given out?

  • communism was seen as attractive to others, as it made sure that everyone had enough money
  • Countries like Poland already had communism forced on them and was worried it would happen to other countries
  • If Turkey and Greece became communist then other countries across Europe also will (domino theory)