Russia cram

• The Grand alliance 


  Was created in 1941 with the sole purpose of defeating nazi Germany and other Axis powers including japan

  It was a marriage of convenience between three countries:

  • Britain (a democracy at war since 1939)
  • The USA (a democracy, at war since December 1941)
  • The USSR (a one-party communist state at war since 1941)
• The tehran Confrence was the first meeting between the British, American and Soviet leaders. The Tehran confrence happend in November-December 1943
• Agreements in Tehran: Germany


  Usa and Britain agreed to invade Nazi-occupied France (using Britian as a base for the invasion)

  The soviet Union agreed to invade Germany from the east

  This was know as opening a second front against the nazis as it is notoriously hard to fight two wars at a time
• Agreements in Tehran:Japan 


  The USSR also agreed with the Americans that it would declare war against Japan. Japan had bombed the American navy at Pearl Harbour on the 7th of December 1941
• Agreements in Tehran: Post War

  The USA and Britian agreed that the Polish border would be moved westward, to fall along the Oder and Neisse rivers. This would give the USSR more of Poland’s land at the end of the war

  An international organisation, a bit like a successor to the League of Nations would try to peacefully solve problems between countries.This meeting lay the foundations for the UN
• The Yalta confrence was the second conference between the USA, Britain and the USSR. The Yalta Conference happened in February 1945
• Agreements made at Yalta: Nazi Germany

  At Yalta, the superpowers agreed on the Declaration of Liberated Europe. This was designed to aid the people who the Grand Alliance had liberated from Nazi control.

  Germany would be forced to pay reparations (payments to the victors after a war). Stalin thought that Germany should pay $20bn in reparations. However, it was agreed that no monetary reparations would be payed - instead, the Alliance would each run parts of Germany

  Germany would be demilitarised

  Nazi war criminals would be tried in courts of law
• Agreements in Yalta: Eastern Europe 


  Britian and America pushed very hard for there to be free and democratic elections in eastern europe. The soviet union was less keen on this. As a compromise, the Grand Alliance agreed that Poland could exist in a ‘Soviet sphere of influence’
• After the discussions at Tehran the UN was finally set up in Yalta in February 1945
• Potsdam: Leadership changes 


  FDR dies in April 1945 and replace by Truman who was less willing to compromise with the USSR

  After uk general election in July 1945 Churchill is replaced by labour leader Attlee
• Germany was defeated in MAy 1945. Then in August, Japan was defeated on ‘VJ’ Day. The Potsdam COnfrence happend bewteen July and August 1945. It was the third and final meeting between the USA Britain and the USSR
• Agreements in Potsdam: Nazi Germany

  The Nazi party was banned in Germany

  War criminals would be tried in court during the Nuremberg trials
• Agreements in Potsdam: Rebuilding of Europe 


  Something called the ‘Council of Foreign Ministers’ was created. It held its first session in London in September 1945. Its aim was to accelerate the recovery of Europe and to settle peace treaties with the Nazi allies (like Italy, Bulgaria and Finland)

  Berlin and Germany were divided between the Grand Alliance powers. The USSR would receive 1/4 of all the output produce in the British, American and French zones. This seemed to compensate for the USSR not getting any reparations
• Agreements at Potsdam: Eastern Europe 


  Truman wanted free, Democratic elections to happen in the eastern European countries ‘liberated’ by the Soviet Union but Stalin wasn’t keen on this idea

  The Uk and USA considered Stalin’s installation of an entirely pro-communist government in Poland to be a violation of the Yalta agreement
• Truman was president of the USA after Roosevelt's death in April 1945 and he was less sympathetic towards the communist dictatorship in the soviet union

  Roosevelt had held the alliance together after his death. Truman's approach was more hard-line
• Stalin was distrustful of Truman, who demanded lots of things at Potsdam

  He was angry that before the conference, Truman had successfully tested the atomic bomb without consulting him

  However, Stalin was already aware of the progress the USA was making
• The Atomic bomb


  On the 6th of August 1945, The USA dropped a bomb over Hroshima, Japan. The blast was equivalent to over 12,000 tons of TNT and around 12,000 Japanese civilians were killed

  A second bomb was released over Nagasaki on the 9th of august
• Impact of the Atomic bomb 


  Stalin took it as a threat and decide to make the Soviet Union more secure rather than allowing other countries freedom

  On the 19th of August 1949, the SU had developed their own atomic bomb - Increasing tensions severely and resulting in the Arms race
• Advanced weaponry 


  1945 - USA develops atomic bomb - Truman knows is important as it counters soviets stock of conventional weapons

  Stalin instructs his scientists to develop a Soviet nuclear bomb which was completed in 1949

  This led the USA to develop a hydrogen bomb in 1952

  By August 1953 the USSR also had a hydrogen bomb 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb

  In June 1957 USA starts developing the ICBM

  By August, the USSR was testing its own ICBMs
• ICBM 


  Inter-continental ballistic missile - can hit a target 4,500 KM away
• Weapons devolped in the Arms rance

  ICBM - Guided ballistic missile minimum range of 5,500 KM

  MRBM - medium range ballistic missile

  IRBM - Intermediate range ballistic missiles

  AMB - Anti ballistic missiles - to intercept and destroy any ballistic threat

  MIRV - Multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle - several warheads that can be aimed at Different targets
• Both Stalin and Truman Feared that the breakup of the Grand Alliance might lead to future conflict

  In 1946, they both asked their embassies (bases for their country abroad) to report on attitudes in each other countries
• The long telegram 


  George Keenan (America’s ambassador in Moscow), 22nd Feb 1946

  In this telegarm, it was established that Stalin wanted to see the destruction of capitilism, and that the world outside the SU was hostile and was looking to destory communism. Keenan believed that the SU was not suicidal and would back down if faced with too strong resistance
• The Novikov Telegram 


  Nikolai Novikov (Soviet diplomat working in Washington) 27th of feb 1946

  The Novikov telegram suggested that the SU thought equally poorly ofthe West. The USA wanted to use their military power in order to dominate the world. It also portrayed that following Roosevelt’s death, the Americans no longer wanted to be involved with the SU and would back their government in war if necessary
• How Truman Interpreted the Long telegram

  • USSR don't trust Truman
  • Stalin wanted to see destruction of capitalism and were building military
  • Stalin paranoid of rest of world
  • USSR was not suicidal so could be forced to back down
  • policy of containment should be adopted to stop the spread of communism
• How Stalin interpreted the Novikov telegram

  USA don't trust Stalin

  USA wanted to use the massive military to dominate the world

  Since Roosevelt’s death, THe USA were no longer willing to co-operate with USSR

  American people would support their government in a war

  To protect themselves, USSR had to develop as much protection as possible
• The iron Curtain Speech (5ht march 1946) 


  Churchill was not PM at the time, but still had enormous influence

  In his speech, he made it clear that he thought the SU was a threat to world peace

  He was provoked to make this speech due to the fact communist government had recently set up in Hungary, Poland, Romani and Bulgaria
• Impact of the Iron Curtain Speech

  This led to worsening relationships between the east and the west because it increased mistrust - the SU strengthening its forces

  Stalin assumed that the words of Churchill were also the beliefs of Truman as Truman must of cleared the speech

  Stalin set up a campaign of anti-Western propaganda
• How Eastern Europe countries became satellite states

  in 1944 and 1945 the Soviet red army freed many countries from the control of the Nazis, but when the war was over, Stalin wanted to keep theses as they were useful buffer zones between SU and Germany

  He turned them into satellite states with a communist gov - Truman saw this as Stalin trying to spread communism. This increased tensions
• The original satellite states

  Countries under soviet influence included; East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria

  Yugoslavia and Albania were also satellite states but were never occupied by the Red Army - more independence

  Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were all conquered by the SU in 1940and treated as a part of the SU
• The Truman Doctrine

  1947
• The Truman Doctrine


  • Britain struggling financially, couldn't provide military support to Greece to fight off communism
  • Truman took action
• Truman's speech


  1. Announced US would provide economic aid package to Greece and Turkey - $400 million + military personnel

  2. Viewed communism as the will of the minority being forced on the majority (rather than the majority rule with freedom)

  3. Said communism should not be allowed to grow

  4. USA would send support to countries trying to resist communism
• USA turning from isolationism (not getting involved)

  To containment (limiting spread of communism)
• The Greek civil war

  There was resistance of the Invasion of Greece by Germany during WW2 by two groups - communists and royalists

  After Germany left, the two groups fell out

  The British restored the Greek monarchy and put down a communist rebellion

  The communists renewed their fight in 1946, Britain tried to suppress them but asked the USA to take over in 1947

  Communists were finally defeated in 1949 and fled to Albania
• Marshall plan started


  1948
• Marshall plan ended


  1952
• Marshall plan


  Aid provided by the USA to European countries after WWII
• George Marshall (US secretary of state) made a speech 3 months after Truman's saying how aid would be provided
• Between 1948 and 1952, the USA gave $12.7 billion of aid (as well as $13 billion before the plan was put into action)