Topic 1: The Origins of the Cold War 1941-58

• What was the Tehran conference? Nov-Dec 1943

  • USA and Britain agreed to open up a second front
  • Soviet Union declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated
  • Poland boundaries moved eastwards
• What was the Yalta Conference? Feb 1945

  • Germany defeated in size, divided and demilitarised (have to pay reparations)
  • Europe would be rebuilt along the lines of the Atlantic Charter
• What was the Potsdam Conference? July-Aug 1945

  • Council of foreign Ministers was set to organise rebuilding of Europe
  • Nazi Party was banned and war criminals were to be prosecuted
  • Germany was to be reduced in size
• What was the Marshall plan?

  Formalised economic assistance that Truman described in the Truman doctrine 1947
• What is the domino effect?

  The domino effect refers to the idea that one event or action can set off a chain reaction of similar events or actions.
• What was the Truman doctrine?


  Describes a speech given by the US president.
• Truman Doctrine 1947:

  • USA was prepared to send troops money and resources to any nations resisting communism
  • communism limited peoples freedom
  • capitalism and communism could not co exist in the same nation