The Cold War
Origins of the cold war
Yalta –Feb 1945
Big three – Stalin, Roosevelt,
Churchill
Agreement
Germany to be divided
into 4 zones, as would
Berlin (GB France USA
USSR)
Poland to gain land
from Germany but lose
land to USSR
USSR guarantees free
elections for Eastern
Europe
YALTA
Changes
April Roosevelt dies –
replaced by Truman
who was openly anticommunist –
determined to “get
tough with Russians”
During Potsdam,
Churchill lost the
election and was
replaced by Attlee
POTSDAM Aug 1945
Changes in the Big
three meant that the
personalities had
changed.
Disagreements at this
conference saw the
beginnings of the cold
war
Agreement
Plans for division of
Germany agreed
Germany to pay
reparations
War criminals to be
tried
United Nations set up
Truman demanded
USSR hold free
elections for Eastern
Europe
Stalin angry Truman
didn’t mention Atomic
Bomb which Stalin
secretly knew about
Iron Curtain
Term coined by
Churchill
“ From Stettin in the
Baltic to Trieste in the
Adriatic, an iron curtain
has descended across
the Continent." Fulton
Missouri 1946
Border between East
and West Europe
Stalin took control of
Eastern Europe to act
as a buffer zone to any
future invasion from the
West.
Causes of the Cold War
Differences of principle
Roosevelt was more
between communist
trusting of the
states and capitalists
Russians. His death
End of war saw end of
and replacement by
need for selfTruman led to a much
preservation
more Anti-Russian
stance
When German defeat
was seen as inevitable
Bevin felt GB must
Stalin in particular
stand up to Russiansstarted to plan for postbest way to achieve this
war Europe .
was to work with US
Aim- to strengthen
By end of 1947
Russian influence in
Communist Govts. Set
Europe
up in Poland Hungary
West became alarmed at
Romania Bulgaria &
spread of communism
Albania
across Europe
Communist Europe 1949