Yalta and potsdam (45)

• aims of blocs after WW2?

  SU: seek power and stability

  US: want to be global superpower. want to rebuild economy in Europe for stable trade (marshall plan later) and fixed economy could mean democracy as politics follow and establish. suspicious of stalin so containment policy created.

  UK: want to maintain strong relations between US, UK are economically struggling so want support from strong economic ally. Worry about US turning to isolationism (asked for help in Greek civil war)
• what is agreed upon at Yalta?

  • Germany divided into 4 zones
  • UN organisation is formally ratified
  • Soviets gain Polish land, Poland expand to North/West.
  • Declaration of Liberated Europe signed (main point was essentially free use of elections
• disagreements at Yalta?

  • SU: keep Germany weak. US: rebuild as democratic nation
  • SU: guarantee of security. US: no sphere of influence attempts
  • SU: choose own destiny. US: collective security (states co-operate to strengthen alliances)
  • SU: reconstruct Russia at German expense. US: need world to economically grow
• why did Stalin need security so badly?

  He has suffered badly in the war, being invaded by Germany twice and had 27 million people killed, compared to Germany losing 7 million

  • UK lost 450,000 US lost 420,000.

  Stalin wanted East Germany as a buffer zone and stops ideology of capitalism completely taking over
• what different superpowers were in Yalta?

  • Churchill, weary of sphere of influence so strong alliance established with US. More worried about soviet expansion than economic impact of war (Churchill was rationing to 1950s)
  • Stalin, needed Eastern Europe under sphere of influence by weakening Germany and strengthen Poland as a buffer zone so there's no potential corridor of attack
  • Roosevelt, wanted to secure non-communist and democratic future. FDR seemed naive and underestimated the importance of security, thought Stalin would give in and agree with everything.
• what was agreed upon in Potsdam?

  • Germany completely demilitarised
  • denazification: nazi members removed from public office and education system
  • Soviets receive reparations from own zone of Germany and 25% from West zones.
  • freedom of speech/ free press restored.
  • grand alliance broken due to ideological differences
• what limitations are there of Potsdam?

  • nothing was done to restore international co-operation
  • failed to address any growing suspicions of uncertainty developed.
  • didn't lay down non-confrontational relationship between communist east and capitalist west.
• why was allied unity less likely?

  • FDR simply allied with Stalin , little knowledge of international affairs and how communist was a threat.
  • Churchill as a new Prime Minister makes trust difficult
  • A-bomb shows huge mistrust due to miscommunication. US finally has upper hand and could destroy Soviets