Superpower relations 1943 - 1972
Rivalry and ideological differences between the Soviet
Union and the West
● The Russian Revolution happened in October 1917, and they withdrew Russia from World
War One
● In Capitalism, the economy is free from state control, whilst the government is elected by
democracy
● In Communism, the economy is controlled, and society is also controlled
● The Allies were suspicious of Stalin as he signed a pact with the Nazis
● Stalin was angry with the Allies because they took a lot of time to open the Second Front,
which weakened the Soviet forces
● Stalin wanted to have a buffer zone made of the countries that the Soviet army invaded and
that were expected to be Communist, and that’s why there were disagreements concerning
Eastern Europe
● The USA had to leave its policy of isolationism for a policy of containment of communism
(Truman Doctrine)
● There was also the Marshall Plan, which provided aid to poor countries so that communism
would not reach them
● Two opposite alliances were also formed: NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Tensions and disagreements during the Second World War
● The suspicions that Churchill and Roosevelt had about Stalin (and vice versa) shaped their
relations with each other, and their personal beliefs reinforced the suspicions. This was an
important reason for the deteriorating relations
● Churchill and Roosevelt feared that Stalin wanted to install communism in the Eastern
European countries that Germany invaded, and Stalin feared that Churchill and Roosevelt
wanted to weaken the Soviet Union after the war by delaying the opening of the second front
in the west
● In August 1945 - America dropped 2 Atomic bombs, and Stalin worried that, because they
didn't tell him, Churchill and Roosevelt might use them against the Soviet Union
● Therefore, the ideological differences and the lack of trust it was the cause of the
disagreements that happened between the meetings that determined how post-war Europe
should be governed
1
, Conferences: Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam
Tehran, November 1943:
● It was agreed that:
○ The USA and Britain would open a second front in Western Europe
○ Stalin helped the USA by sending Soviet troops to the war against Japan, once the
war in Europe was over
● They discussed what would happen to Germany: it would remain weak, Poland would have
land from Germany, and the Soviet Union could have the land it got in 1939 ( he had a secure
western border)
● The Soviet Union and the USA had a good relationship at this conference
● The United Nations would be set up after the war
Yalta, February 1945:
● They discussed how to bring a successful conclusion to WWII for the Allies
● The Soviet Union wanted its territory won in WWII, as it acted as a cushion for further
invasions
● They made agreements:
○ Germany and Berlin would be split into four zones, and it would pay reparations. The
Soviet Union would fight against Japan 3 months after the defeat of Germany
○ Free elections would be held in Eastern Europe
○ Poland will regain land from Germany, and the Soviet Union will have gains from
Poland as well, as in 1921
Potsdam, July-August 1945:
● Truman replaced Roosevelt, and he had a ‘get tough’ attitude with Stalin; he thought that he
wanted to spread communism and bring down capitalism. He used the bombs to give him an
edge in the discussions
● The United Nations was set up
● They agreed that:
○ Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones (British, French, Soviet, and
American), and its economy would be run as a whole
○ Each administering country would take reparations from its own zone
○ No agreement over Eastern Europe
2
, The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
● The Soviet Union wanted control over Eastern Europe, and it acted as a buffer zone (a zone
consisting of communist countries that helped the Soviet Union from a future invasion
coming from the West)
● The countries in Eastern Europe were allowed free elections, which meant that there could be
capitalist countries near the Soviet Union.
● But in the elections of Poland, there was an intimidation of non-communist parties, and
Poland ended up having a communist government and was in contact with the Soviet Union,
which became known as the Salami tactics.
The attitudes of Truman and Stalin
● Truman believed that communism was evil, and Stalin believed that capitalism was evil.
● Stalin was convinced that the Allies deliberately delayed the Second Front to weaken the
Soviet Union.
● Truman believed that the Soviet Union was planning to spread communism around the world.
● Truman decided to win all arguments against the Soviet Union and have a tough attitude
toward it.
3
Rivalry and ideological differences between the Soviet
Union and the West
● The Russian Revolution happened in October 1917, and they withdrew Russia from World
War One
● In Capitalism, the economy is free from state control, whilst the government is elected by
democracy
● In Communism, the economy is controlled, and society is also controlled
● The Allies were suspicious of Stalin as he signed a pact with the Nazis
● Stalin was angry with the Allies because they took a lot of time to open the Second Front,
which weakened the Soviet forces
● Stalin wanted to have a buffer zone made of the countries that the Soviet army invaded and
that were expected to be Communist, and that’s why there were disagreements concerning
Eastern Europe
● The USA had to leave its policy of isolationism for a policy of containment of communism
(Truman Doctrine)
● There was also the Marshall Plan, which provided aid to poor countries so that communism
would not reach them
● Two opposite alliances were also formed: NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Tensions and disagreements during the Second World War
● The suspicions that Churchill and Roosevelt had about Stalin (and vice versa) shaped their
relations with each other, and their personal beliefs reinforced the suspicions. This was an
important reason for the deteriorating relations
● Churchill and Roosevelt feared that Stalin wanted to install communism in the Eastern
European countries that Germany invaded, and Stalin feared that Churchill and Roosevelt
wanted to weaken the Soviet Union after the war by delaying the opening of the second front
in the west
● In August 1945 - America dropped 2 Atomic bombs, and Stalin worried that, because they
didn't tell him, Churchill and Roosevelt might use them against the Soviet Union
● Therefore, the ideological differences and the lack of trust it was the cause of the
disagreements that happened between the meetings that determined how post-war Europe
should be governed
1
, Conferences: Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam
Tehran, November 1943:
● It was agreed that:
○ The USA and Britain would open a second front in Western Europe
○ Stalin helped the USA by sending Soviet troops to the war against Japan, once the
war in Europe was over
● They discussed what would happen to Germany: it would remain weak, Poland would have
land from Germany, and the Soviet Union could have the land it got in 1939 ( he had a secure
western border)
● The Soviet Union and the USA had a good relationship at this conference
● The United Nations would be set up after the war
Yalta, February 1945:
● They discussed how to bring a successful conclusion to WWII for the Allies
● The Soviet Union wanted its territory won in WWII, as it acted as a cushion for further
invasions
● They made agreements:
○ Germany and Berlin would be split into four zones, and it would pay reparations. The
Soviet Union would fight against Japan 3 months after the defeat of Germany
○ Free elections would be held in Eastern Europe
○ Poland will regain land from Germany, and the Soviet Union will have gains from
Poland as well, as in 1921
Potsdam, July-August 1945:
● Truman replaced Roosevelt, and he had a ‘get tough’ attitude with Stalin; he thought that he
wanted to spread communism and bring down capitalism. He used the bombs to give him an
edge in the discussions
● The United Nations was set up
● They agreed that:
○ Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones (British, French, Soviet, and
American), and its economy would be run as a whole
○ Each administering country would take reparations from its own zone
○ No agreement over Eastern Europe
2
, The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
● The Soviet Union wanted control over Eastern Europe, and it acted as a buffer zone (a zone
consisting of communist countries that helped the Soviet Union from a future invasion
coming from the West)
● The countries in Eastern Europe were allowed free elections, which meant that there could be
capitalist countries near the Soviet Union.
● But in the elections of Poland, there was an intimidation of non-communist parties, and
Poland ended up having a communist government and was in contact with the Soviet Union,
which became known as the Salami tactics.
The attitudes of Truman and Stalin
● Truman believed that communism was evil, and Stalin believed that capitalism was evil.
● Stalin was convinced that the Allies deliberately delayed the Second Front to weaken the
Soviet Union.
● Truman believed that the Soviet Union was planning to spread communism around the world.
● Truman decided to win all arguments against the Soviet Union and have a tough attitude
toward it.
3
