Although Britain, the USA, and the Soviet Union united against Germany and Japan in the Second World War, there was no real change in how they viewed each other. The USA and Britain were still suspicious of the communist Soviet Union, whilst the USSR distrusted the capitalist world. The Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam conferences Conference Tehran Yalta Potsdam Date November 1943 February 1945 July-August 1945 Leaders Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin Truman, Attlee, Stalin Outcomes The USA and Britain Germany to be split Germany split into would attack Germany in into four zones, each four zones, but the Western Europe, helping controlled by a economy would be the Soviets fighting in different power: the run as a whole the East. USA, Britain, France, Berlin split into Stalin would declare war and the Soviet Union. four zones against Japan and help Half of Germany’s $20 controlled by the USA to defeat them billion reparations different once the war in Europe would go to the Soviet countries, even was over. Union, the Nazi Party though it was Agreed that the aim of would be banned and within the Soviet the war was Germany’s war criminals zone of Germany unconditional surrender, prosecuted. Each administering and that it should be The United Nations country would take kept weak after the was set up its reparations war. The Soviet Union from the zone of Poland could take land joined the war against Germany it from Germany, and the Japan controlled. As the USSR could keep land it Stalin agreed the Soviet Union had taken from Poland in future governments of controlled the 1939. Eastern Europe would poorest zone, it An international be decided by free could take a organisation should be elections quarter of the set up to settle disputes Polish borders were industrial through discussion and agreed, and free equipment from negotiation (later elections were other zones. became the United guaranteed. Stalin Truman objected Nations) expected this to result to Soviet control in a pro-communist over the countries government, whereas of Eastern Europe Britain supported the and the London Poles. arrangements for Poland agreed at Yalta.
Although Britain, the USA, and the Soviet Union united against Germany and Japan in the Second World War, there was no real change in how they viewed each other. The USA and Britain were still suspicious of the communist Soviet Union, whilst the USSR distrusted the capitalist world. The Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam conferences Conference Tehran Yalta Potsdam Date November 1943 February 1945 July-August 1945 Leaders Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin Truman, Attlee, Stalin Outcomes The USA and Britain would attack Germany in Western Europe, helping the Soviets fighting in the East. Stalin would declare war against Japan and help the USA to defeat them once the war in Europe was over. Agreed that the aim of the war was Germany’s unconditional surrender, and that it should be kept weak after the war. Poland could take land from Germany, and the USSR could keep land it had taken from Poland in 1939. An international organisation should be set up to settle disputes through discussion and negotiation (later became the United Nations) Germany to be split into four zones, each controlled by a different power: the USA, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. Half of Germany’s $20 billion reparations would go to the Soviet Union, the Nazi Party would be banned and war criminals prosecuted. The United Nations was set up The Soviet Union joined the war against Japan Stalin agreed the future governments of Eastern Europe would be decided by free elections Polish borders were agreed, and free elections were guaranteed. Stalin expected this to result in a pro-communist government, whereas Britain supported the London Poles. Germany split into four zones, but the economy would be run as a whole Berlin split into four zones controlled by different countries, even though it was within the Soviet zone of Germany Each administering country would take its reparations from the zone of Germany it controlled. As the Soviet Union controlled the poorest zone, it could take a quarter of the industrial equipment from other zones. Truman objected to Soviet control over the countries of Eastern Europe and the arrangements for Poland agreed at Yalta.
History%20Superpower%20relations%20and%20the%20Cold%20War%20-%20revision%20booklet%20%281%29.docx