Superpower relations and the cold war

• Yalta date


  February 1945
• Who was involved at Yalta

  Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt
• Which superpower relations were effected at Yalta

  Stalin & Roosevelt
• 3 key features of Yalta

  Germany/Berlin divided into 4, USSR to have 'sphere of influence' in E Europe, UN to be set up
• Reasons why Yalta changed superpower relations

  Roosevelt keen to keep Stalin on side, characterised by agreement to defeat Hitler, Churchill & Stalin didn't trust each other
• Potsdam date

  July 1945
• Who was involved at Potsdam

  Attlee (UK) Stalin (USSR) and Truman (US)
• Which superpower relations were effected at Potsdam

  Stalin & Truman
• 3 key features of Potsdam

  Germany/Berlin to be divided into 4, argued over issue of 'free elections' in E Europe, UN to be set up
• Reasons why Potsdam changed superpower relations

  Truman kept fact that he has exploded atom bomb from Stalin, hitler defeated, Stalin had troops in E Europe & set up communist government in Poland
• Soviet control of E Europe date

  1945-7
• Who was involved in Soviet control of Eastern Europe

  Stalin, Truman and Attlee
• Why did they want Soviet control of Eastern Europe

  Buffer zone to protect USSR from attack from W, didn't trust USA/GB as delayed D-day, been attacked twice by Germany
• Key features of Soviet control of Eastern Europe

  Buffer zone to protect USSR from attack from W Germany, forced to accept communist government, upset W as worried about possible spread of communism
• Where was Soviet control of Eastern Europe

  Behind the 'iron curtain', countries between Germany and USSR
• Reasons for Soviet control of Eastern Europe

  USA/GB agreed to USSR having 'sphere of influence' but USSR created satellite states, argued over 'free elections', upset W as worried about possible spread of communism
• Truman doctrine date

  March 1947
• Who was involved in the Truman doctrine

  Stalin & Truman
• Key features of the Truman doctrine

  Promised USA would send troops and economic resources to governments threatened by communists - containment
• What was the Truman doctrine a direct response of

  Soviet takeover of E Europe
• Reasons why the Truman Doctrine changed superpower relations

  'Officially' divided world into communists/capitalists, start of Cold War, made clear that USA would interfere, made USSR v suspicious of USA
• Marshal aid date


  June 1947
• Marshal aid


  Aimed to beat communism economically
• Who was involved in Marshal aid

  Stalin & Truman
• Key features of Marshall aid

  USA believed weak countries economically vulnerable to communism, promised $13 billion aid to any countries, refused by USSR and allies
• How much aid was given by 1953


  $17 billion
• Why did Stalin refuse Marshal aid

  Felt that USA trying to buy influence over Europe, 'dollar imperialism
• Dollar imperialism'

  USA trying to buy influence
• Reasons why Marshal aid changed superpower relations

  USSR felt USA trying to 'buy' friendship against them, take control of other countries as USA had the money, divided E&W further
• Cominform date

  1947
• Cominform

  Soviet organisation whose purpose was to denounce Marshall Plan aid
• Which superpower relations did Cominform effect

  Stalin & Truman
• What was Cominform the answer to

  Truman doctrine
• Key features of Cominform

  Coordinated all communist parties & brought all under control of USSR, made sure E Europe leaders were loyal to Stalin
• Reasons why Cominform changed superpower relations

  Made USA suspicious of USSR, increased Stalins control of E Europe, satellite states, international communism more organised
• Satellite States in Eastern Europe

  They had communist governments and little to no independence
• Comecon date

  1949
• Comecon

  Organisation for economic cooperation in European Communist states
• What was Comecon the answer to

  Marshall plan
• Which superpower leaders relationship was effected because of Comecon

  Stalin & Truman