Unit 18 Origins of the Cold War (1945 -1968) Study Guide The Unfinished Nation, Chapters 27 -28 (p.687 -693), and 29 (p.708 -710) Key Questions Origins of the Cold War (pp. 641 -645) 1. Describe the legacy of mistrust between the Soviet Union and the United States up to World War II. How did the view of the world articulated by the United States contrast with the vision held by the Soviets and the British? ➢ Fundamental difference in the wa ys the great powers envisioned the postwar world. ➢ Americans: outlined in the Atlantic Charter in 1941 ; a world in which nations abandoned their traditional beliefs in military alliances and spheres of influence and governed their relations with one another through democratic processes, with an international organization serving as the arbiter of disputes and the protector of every nation’s right of self-determination. ➢ British: Churchill had been uneasy about the implications of self -determination for Britai n’s enormous empire. ➢ Soviets: were determined to create a secure sphere for itself in Central and Eastern Europe as protection against possible future aggression from the West. ➢ Churchill and Stalin envisioned a postwar structure in which the great powers would control areas of strategic interest to them. 2. What were the accomplishments of the Casablanca and Teheran Conferences? ➢ Casablanca Conference : Roosevelt and Churchill met in Casablanca, Morocco to discuss Allied strategy. Stalin demanded the immediat e opening of a second front in Western Europe; Roosevelt and Churchill did not accept this demand. ➢ Accomplished: announced that they would accept nothing less than the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers. They would not negotiate a separate peace w ith Hitler and leave the Soviets to fight for their own. ➢ Tehran Conference : the 3 leaders men in Iran. ➢ Accomplished: Stalin agreed to an American request that the Soviets enter the war in the Pacific soon after the end of hostilities in Europe. Roosevelt p romised that an Anglo -
American second front would be established within 6 months. 3. How did the Yalta Conference deal with the Polish and German questions? What differing views of the conference did the Soviets and Americans hold? ➢ In the Yalta Conference , Basic disagreements remained about the post war Polish government. ➢ Stalin had already installed a government composed of the pro -communist “Lublin” Poles. ➢ R and C insisted that the pro -Western “London’ Poles must be allowed a place in the Warsaw regime.
American second front would be established within 6 months. 3. How did the Yalta Conference deal with the Polish and German questions? What differing views of the conference did the Soviets and Americans hold? ➢ In the Yalta Conference , Basic disagreements remained about the post war Polish government. ➢ Stalin had already installed a government composed of the pro -communist “Lublin” Poles. ➢ R and C insisted that the pro -Western “London’ Poles must be allowed a place in the Warsaw regime.
