The Breakdown of the Grand Alliance

What was Kennan's Long Telegram, and when did it occur?

- A telegram sent by the US diplomat in Moscow (George Kennan) regarding the nature of Soviet conduct - February 1946

What were the three main positive outcomes from the Yalta conference?

- Agreement on the formation of the United Nations - The USSR agreed to join the war against Japan - The Big Three signed a 'Declaration on Liberated Europe' which pledged their support for democratic elections in all European countries

Who represented which countries at the Potsdam Conference?

- Attlee, the UK - Truman, the US - Stalin, the USSR

What was discussed in the Tehran conference regarding the state of war?

- By 1943 the Allies had begun to win the war - However the US and USA had not yet launched a second offensive front in Europe like Stalin had asked for - At Tehran, Stalin pushed his allies to take part in the USSR's burden of fighting Germany

What was the impact of the Iron Curtain Speech?

- Churchill referred to Soviet-dominated Communist governments in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - These satellite governments went against the agreements of the Yalta conference - The Soviet Union was outraged- within one week Stalin compared Churchill to Hitler and saw the speech as "racist" and a "call to war with the Soviet Union" - The Soviets withdrew from the International Monetary Fund - They also stepped up the tone of anti-Western propaganda - They also initiated a 5-year plan of economic self-strengthening

What was discussed in the Tehran conference regarding Germany and Poland?

- It was decided that the "unconditional surrender" of Germany was a priority for the Allies - The Allies agreed to the USSR gaining territory in the interest of 'security' - In return, Poland would be given German territory (ensuring future conflict between the two nations) and forcing Poland to turn to the USSR for help in the future

When and where did the Potsdam Conference occur?

- July 1945 - Potsdam, Germany

What were the impacts of Kennan's Long Telegram?

- Kennan argued that the USSR wanted to advance 'Stalinist ideology', and that the Soviet regime was cruel and repressive - Kennan's 'logic of force' was able to harden attitudes in the West - It also prompted the Soviet ambassador for the US to send a hostile and suspicious telegram - Both telegrams indicated emerging hostility and suspicion between the US and USSR

What were the developments that occurred between Yalta and Potsdam?

- President Roosevelt died in April 1945 - He was replaced by Truman, who adopted a much more hardline stance against Communism and the Soviets - Germany surrendered unconditionally in May 1945 - Attlee succeeded Churchill as Prime Minister of the UK - The Soviet Red Army occupied territory far to its West - The day of the Potsdam Conference, the US successfully detonated its first atomic bomb

Who represented which countries at the Tehran Conference?

- Stalin, USSR - Roosevelt, USA - Churchill, UK

Who represented which countries at the Yalta Conference?

- Stalin, USSR - Roosevelt, USA - Churchill, UK

When and where did the Tehran Conference occur?

- Tehran, Iran - November 1943

What was the 'Iron Curtain Speech', and when did it occur?

- The 'Iron Curtain' speech was a speech given in Missouri and is seen as a defining moment in the origins of the Cold War - It was given in March 1946

What was discussed in the Yalta conference regarding Germany and Poland?

- The Allies decided that Germany would be disarmed, demilitarised, de-Nazified and divided into 4 zones - These 4 zones would be occupied by the UK, US, USSR and France, and the division was intended to be 'temporary' - Stalin also demanded that Germany pay 20 billion dollars to the Allies, with the USSR receiving half of this - Stalin received the territory he wanted from Poland, but agreed that a democratic government be established there

What were the three major conferences preceding the breakdown of the Grand Alliance?

- The Tehran Conference - The Yalta Conference - The Potsdam Conference

When and where did the Yalta Conference occur?

- The conference was held on the Black Sea of Russia - 1945

What was discussed in the Potsdam conference regarding Germany and Poland?

- The process of demilitarising and de-Nazifying was being carried out in Germany by the US, the USSR, the UK and France in each of their respective zones of occupation - The German economy was to run 'as a whole' but was limited - The Soviets were given 25% of the reparation bill from the 3 Western-occupied zones of Germany - Truman was not happy regarding the agreements regarding Poland, and challenged the decision over the new Western frontier between Poland and Germany