Chapter 1 – US, British and USSR relations in 1945
Conflicting Ideologies
Capitalism: individual’s fundamental right to liberty, equal opportunities, free market, individual ownership of land
and business -> competition, free elections.
Communism: state-controlled econ -> equally distributed land and resources. Limits individual freedoms, no free
political parties, exists to destroy capitalism.
Each ideology believed they should dominate in as many other nations as possible and saw the expansion of the
other as a threat.
Aims of the Big Three at the end of WW2
USA: establish markets for cap free trade, create a chain of bases to control the Pacific and Atlantic and give them
access to the raw materials and markets of W Eur & Asia, establish democratic states (supported decolonisation),
create UN for international cooperation & peace.
USSR: secure borders & gain friends/allies -> buffer zone (friendly nations on borders), to keep land annexed from
Poland, to get reparations from Germany and allies to recover economically.
UK: to survive as an independent great power, to keep power, maintain friendly terms w/ USA & USSR, establish
democratic govt in Warsaw.
USSR experience in WW2
Did bulk of the fighting, at least 26 mil dead, Ger used brutal tactics when fighting USSR, country destroyed in the
West up to Moscow, 25 mil POW treated brutally.
The Atlantic Charter 14th Aug 1941
Conference in boat off coast of Newfoundland between Roosevelt & Churchill. Optimistic plan for a post-fascist
world w/ 5 key principles that each ally signs up to when they join the war. Highly idealistic & unrealistic. Principles =
pursuing peace, self-determination, disarmament, open trade & no greed.
Long-term origins of Cold War
Wilson’s 1919 peace settlement excluded Russia; USA & UK among countries who supported ‘whites’ in Russian civil
war, which caused a lot of suffering in the USSR; both isolationist – USSR due to famine & USA to focus on econ;
Lenin wanted comm world revolution; Stalin was a tyrant with a ‘regime of terror’.
The Percentages Agreement
@ Moscow, Oct 1944, Churchill & Stalin, they decide % amount of influence they will each have in EE countries, to
agree to ‘spheres of influence’. E.g. Romania 90 (to USSR)-10, Greece 10-90 (to UK).
Yalta Conference 4-11 February 1945
West objectives: collective security through UN, long term coop w/ USSR, right to national self-determination,
reconstruction & democratisation of Ger, world econ reconstruction through IMF & World Bank.
USSR objectives: USSR to be in control of its own destiny, coop w/ UK & USSR, guaranteed security through Sov
spheres of influence in Eur, Ger to remain weak indefinitely, econ reconstruction of USSR, mainly at Ger’s expense.
Agreements: Ger -> 4 zones controlled by USA, UK, USSR & France. Berlin -> same. UN to be created. USSR to gain
land from Poland – Poland expanded N & W, declaration on Liberated Europe to be created.
Tensions: Opposing aims: self-determination v sov sphere of influence; Ger reconstructed v Ger weakened
indefinitely. Sense of UK & USA vs USSR. Stalin & Molotov saw the UK and USA as fundamentally anti-USSR. Tension
between Churchill & Stalin as Churchill believed USSR would threaten UK’s imperial interests. Vague agreements
over important issues such as Poland e.g. ‘democracy’ meant something different to Stalin vs the West. Roosevelt
said they “painted with a broad brush.”
Potsdam Conference 17th July – 1st Aug 1945
Agreements: Ger to be disarmed, demilitarised, de-nazified, decentralised; free speech, press & religion; Ger to be a
single econ unit. USSR to get reparations from its own zone & 25% from W zones.
Tensions: US detonation of a-bomb; failed to solve increasing suspicion & uncertainty between USA & USSR; Truman
more confrontational w/ Stalin, fear of comm & USSR’s power; Stalin believed the UK and USSR were rivals for
domination in Eur, that the time for coop had passed and he had an alternative agenda for EE. Churchill replaced 26 th
July. Truman & Stalin both had abrasive personalities.
Conflicting Ideologies
Capitalism: individual’s fundamental right to liberty, equal opportunities, free market, individual ownership of land
and business -> competition, free elections.
Communism: state-controlled econ -> equally distributed land and resources. Limits individual freedoms, no free
political parties, exists to destroy capitalism.
Each ideology believed they should dominate in as many other nations as possible and saw the expansion of the
other as a threat.
Aims of the Big Three at the end of WW2
USA: establish markets for cap free trade, create a chain of bases to control the Pacific and Atlantic and give them
access to the raw materials and markets of W Eur & Asia, establish democratic states (supported decolonisation),
create UN for international cooperation & peace.
USSR: secure borders & gain friends/allies -> buffer zone (friendly nations on borders), to keep land annexed from
Poland, to get reparations from Germany and allies to recover economically.
UK: to survive as an independent great power, to keep power, maintain friendly terms w/ USA & USSR, establish
democratic govt in Warsaw.
USSR experience in WW2
Did bulk of the fighting, at least 26 mil dead, Ger used brutal tactics when fighting USSR, country destroyed in the
West up to Moscow, 25 mil POW treated brutally.
The Atlantic Charter 14th Aug 1941
Conference in boat off coast of Newfoundland between Roosevelt & Churchill. Optimistic plan for a post-fascist
world w/ 5 key principles that each ally signs up to when they join the war. Highly idealistic & unrealistic. Principles =
pursuing peace, self-determination, disarmament, open trade & no greed.
Long-term origins of Cold War
Wilson’s 1919 peace settlement excluded Russia; USA & UK among countries who supported ‘whites’ in Russian civil
war, which caused a lot of suffering in the USSR; both isolationist – USSR due to famine & USA to focus on econ;
Lenin wanted comm world revolution; Stalin was a tyrant with a ‘regime of terror’.
The Percentages Agreement
@ Moscow, Oct 1944, Churchill & Stalin, they decide % amount of influence they will each have in EE countries, to
agree to ‘spheres of influence’. E.g. Romania 90 (to USSR)-10, Greece 10-90 (to UK).
Yalta Conference 4-11 February 1945
West objectives: collective security through UN, long term coop w/ USSR, right to national self-determination,
reconstruction & democratisation of Ger, world econ reconstruction through IMF & World Bank.
USSR objectives: USSR to be in control of its own destiny, coop w/ UK & USSR, guaranteed security through Sov
spheres of influence in Eur, Ger to remain weak indefinitely, econ reconstruction of USSR, mainly at Ger’s expense.
Agreements: Ger -> 4 zones controlled by USA, UK, USSR & France. Berlin -> same. UN to be created. USSR to gain
land from Poland – Poland expanded N & W, declaration on Liberated Europe to be created.
Tensions: Opposing aims: self-determination v sov sphere of influence; Ger reconstructed v Ger weakened
indefinitely. Sense of UK & USA vs USSR. Stalin & Molotov saw the UK and USA as fundamentally anti-USSR. Tension
between Churchill & Stalin as Churchill believed USSR would threaten UK’s imperial interests. Vague agreements
over important issues such as Poland e.g. ‘democracy’ meant something different to Stalin vs the West. Roosevelt
said they “painted with a broad brush.”
Potsdam Conference 17th July – 1st Aug 1945
Agreements: Ger to be disarmed, demilitarised, de-nazified, decentralised; free speech, press & religion; Ger to be a
single econ unit. USSR to get reparations from its own zone & 25% from W zones.
Tensions: US detonation of a-bomb; failed to solve increasing suspicion & uncertainty between USA & USSR; Truman
more confrontational w/ Stalin, fear of comm & USSR’s power; Stalin believed the UK and USSR were rivals for
domination in Eur, that the time for coop had passed and he had an alternative agenda for EE. Churchill replaced 26 th
July. Truman & Stalin both had abrasive personalities.
