The Origins of the Cold War (before 1946)

• Communism: A system of social organisation in which all property is owned by the community.
• Capitalism: an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.
• Ideology: A set of beliefs and values that are shared by a group of people.
• Revolution: Overthrown of government by opposing group
• A 'cold war' is a period of time when there is no war but there is tension between two countries. Like the 'cold war' between the USA and the USSR.
• The USA, Great Britain and USSR were part of the grand alliance in WW2.
• The leader of the USSR was Joseph Stalin in WW2, who was a dictator and a brutal ruler.
• Winston Churchill was the prime minister of Great Britain during WW2.
• President Franklin Roosevelt was the leader of the USA during WW2.
• USSR liberated Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Finland and Poland at the end of WW2.
• The USA and Britain liberated Italy, Greece and France at the end of WW2.
• The "declaration of Europe" (German war reparations)included the following: establish conditions of internal peace, relief of distressed people, and the establishment of a league of nations.
• The Yalta conference was in February 1945 and was attended by Stalin, Truman and Churchill.
• The aims of Yalta conference were the future of poland, decide the fate of post-war europe, the division of Germany, formation of United Nations and German war reperations.
• The results of the Yalta conference were the German war reparations, soviets joining the Japanese war but the division of Germany was left for later.
• The Tehran conference was in November 1943 and the USA and USSR agreed to work together to defeat the Axis powers
• The aims of the Tehran Conference were to plan the final strategy against Nazi Germany and Japan.
• The results of the Tehran conference were operation overted, invasion northern france and the USSR join war against Japan.
• The Potsdam conference was held from July - August 1945 and was attended by Truman, Attlee and Stalin.
• The aims of the Potsdam conference were to discuss the future of germany, the occupation zones and the division of berlin.
• The results of the Potsdam conference were Germany was demilitarised, denazified, punishment of war criminals and reparations.
• Clement Atlee replaced Churchill as prime minister in July 1945.
• In 1947, Britain received $3.7 billion in aid under the Marshall Plan which helped stabilise its economy.
• Britain faced economic problems such as high unemployment, low productivity, shortages of raw materials and food rationing.
• Atlee's foreign policy aimed at maintaining good relations with America and the Soviet Union while promoting British interests.
• Stalin became leader of the USSR in 1928 and ruled until his death in 1953
• The foreign Ministers conference took place on October 1943 with USA, USSR and Britain meeting in Moscow, to reconcile conflicting ambitions.
• Winston Churchill was replaced by Clement Atlee in the July 1945 elections.