The Breakdown of the US-Soviet Alliance

• The Grand Alliance in WW2: meaning

  • The Grand Alliance was also called the ‘Big Three’
  • Its members were the USA, the USSR and the UK
  • They united in the Second World War to defeat theAxis powers of Germany and Japan
• The Grand Alliance background info

  • The members of the Grand Alliance were suspicious of each other:
  • Communism and the strength of the USSR concerned UK and the USA
  • Historians call the Grand Alliance a ‘marriage of convenience’ 
  • The members worked together to defeat a common enemy
  • When they had achieved this, there was nothing to keep the Grand Alliance together
  • After the defeat of the Axis powers by August 1945, the political atmosphere changed
  • ‘Old powers’ like UK and France decreased in power
  •  The new ‘superpowers’ of the USA and the USSR increased in power
• Members of Grand Alliance, 1941-45


  USA: Franklin D Roosevelt

  wanted to accept USSR as a superpower+power to ensure world peace+prevent war

  UK: Winston Churchill

  His belief in British empire meant he was suspicious of Stalin+spread of communism

  USSR: Joseph Stalin

  Strengthen one-party rule in Soviet Union+believed west wanted to destroy communism

  AFTER 1945:

  USA: Harry s Truman

  while Roosevelt was more friendly with Stalin, Truman adopted a ‘get tough’ approach to Soviet Union

  UK: Clement Attlee

  As Newly-elected prime minister, he wanted to return to Britain to make some changes
• Background of the Yalta Peace Conference

  • The Grand Alliance met two years later at Yalta 
  • Yalta was a city in the USSR 
  • The meeting occurred in the final few months of the Second World War
• Agreements at Yalta, Feb 1945

  • After its defeat, Germany would pay 20 billlion dollars in reparations and be split into four zones
  • the Soviet Union agreed to fight against Japan
  • the Soviet Union agreed that free elections would be held in eastern europe
  • The soviet Union would gain land from Poland and free elections would be held to decide on its own government (main disagreement)
  • the UN would be established, but not all 16 members of the Soviet Union would be given individual membership
• Yalta, Feb 1945- aims


  Winning WW2 and governing post-war Europe

  USA- Franklin D. Roosevelt:

  The USA wanted the Soviet Union to confirm its support in the war against Japan and be part of the UN

  UK- Winston Churchill:

  the UK wanted free elections to be held in central and Eastern Europe after the war

  USSR- Joseph Stalin:

  The USSR wanted to keep the territory it had gained between the USSR and Germany
• How Yalta affected the US-Soviet Alliance

  • The Yalta Conference had a positive impact on the US-Soviet alliance because:
  • The USSR declared war against Japan in August 1945
  • The USSR would gain half of the $20 billionreparations
  • The three main states of the USSR -  Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - joined the United Nations
  • Stalin agreed to free elections in Eastern Europe
• background of the Potsdam Peace Conference

  • The Grand Alliance met a few months later at Potsdam, a city in Germany
  • Several events had happened between the conferences at Yalta and Potsdam:
  • Roosevelt had died and Harry S. Truman replaced him as president
  • Truman wanted a tougher approach to Stalin
  • Clement Attlee replaced Churchill following a general election
  • Germany had surrendered in May 1945
  • The USA had developed a new, devastating weapon - the atomic bomb
  • 51 members had joined the United Nations
• Aims of Potsdam Conference, July-August 1945


  Finalise agreements on post-war Europe

  USA: Harry S Truman

  The USA wanted to both ensure peace in Europe and prevent the spread of communism

  UK: Clement Attlee

  The UK wanted free elections to be held in central and Eastern Europe after the war

  USSR: Joseph Stalin

  The USSR wanted to ensure that they had remained powerful in Eastern Europe
• agreements at Potsdam

  • Germany’s four zones would be controlled by the USSR, USA, UK and France
  • Berlin would be divided into 4 zones
  • USSR would receive 25% of industrial equipment from the other 3 zones in Germany
  • the Nazi party was banned and war criminals were to be prosecuted
• How Potsdam affected the US-Soviet Alliance

  • The Potsdam Conference had a negative impact on the US-Soviet alliance because:
  • The Trinity test increased tensions between both countries
  • Stalin wanted harsher reparations against Germany
  • Truman wanted to protect the German economy
  • The USSR’s control over Eastern Europe concerned Truman
  • He believed that Stalin was spreading communism
  • Stalin wanted to keep his Red Army in Eastern Europe as protection against future threats
• Background of the Atomic Bomb

  • The USA dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945:
  • The first exploded in Hiroshima
  • The second exploded in Nagasaki
  • Both bombs killed roughly 120,000 Japanese civilians
• USA justification for using the atomic bombs on Japan

  • Demonstrate Power (unofficial reason)

  Atomic bombs would send a message to the USSR of how technologically advanced and powerful the USA were

  • Boost Morale

  Atomic bombs would boost the morale of troops because they would no longer need to fight

  • Force Surrender

  Atomic bombs would force Japan to surrender, which they had previously refused to do

  • Reduce Deaths

  Atomic bombs would prevent an invasion of Japan by US troops, preventing millions from being killed
• What did President Truman believe the use of atomic bombs on Japan would do

  • Persuade Western European countries to support the USA
  • Encourage Eastern European countries to resist Soviet expansion and ally themselves with the USA
• What is the Manhattan Project 


  The code name for the American project set up in 1942 to develop an atom bomb
• Why Did the Atomic Bomb Damage the US-Soviet Alliance

  • Stalin heard about the success of the Manhattan Projectduring the Potsdam conference in July 1945
  • After the bombing of Hiroshima, Stalin:
  • Wanted to create a buffer zone (area of land separating 2 other areas and is designed to prevent fighting) between Germany and the USSR
  • The communist countries would protect the USSR from any potential invasions from the West
  • Accelerated the USSR’s atomic bomb project
  • The USSR successfully tested an atomic bomb on 29th August 1949
• how atomic bombs increased tension between both sides (USSR+USA)

  • The atomic bomb increased Cold War tensions because:
  • Truman wanted to show his power to the USSR
  • He hoped that this would prevent war and protect Eastern Europe from Communism
  • Stalin saw the USA’s actions as aggressive
  • He believed the USA wanted to destroy Communism
  • He became willing to do whatever it took to protect the USSR, including Eastern Europe

  
• The Long Telegram

  • George Kennan was the USA’s ambassador in Moscow:
  • His opinion on the USSR was highly respected
  • In February 1946, Kennan sent a telegram from Moscow back to President Truman:
  • Its name refers to the length of the telegram
  • It contained around 8,000 words, far more than a typical telegram message
  • The telegram contained Kennan’s assessment of Soviet attitudes towards the USA:
  • Stalin wanted to destroy capitalism as it was a threat to Communism
  • The USA should aim to ‘contain’ the USSR and Communism
  • Peace would not be possible between the USSR and the USA
• The Novikov Telegram

  • Nikolai Novikov was the Soviet ambassador in Washington:
  • In September 1946, Novikov sent a telegram from Washington back to Stalin:
  • The USSR were aware of the Long Telegram and wanted to make a similar report on the USA
  • The telegram contained Novikov’s assessment of American attitudes towards the USSR:
  • The USA wanted to build up its military strength to achieve world domination
  • Following Roosevelt’s death, the USA no longer wanted to cooperate with the USSR
  • The American people would support a war against the USSR
• How the Novikov Telegram and the Long Telengram impacted the US-Soviet Alliance

  • Both sides believed the other was untrustworthy and planning their destruction
  • The telegrams confirmed these fears
  • The telegrams led to both sides adopting policies toward the other

  
• Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ Speech

  • Winston Churchill was no longer the British Prime Minister
  • was still a very influential figure
  • March 1946: Churchill delivered a speech about threat of USSR
  • Iron Curtain’ refers to impenetrable (impossible to enter/go through) divide between capitalism in West+Communism in East
  • ’Iron Curtain’ speech increased tensions between USA+USSR
  • Both countries built up their military forces, leading to an arms race (where countries try have more+stronger weapons vs each other)
  • Churchill gave speech in USA
  • Stalin believed speech reflected beliefs of US government