ORIGINS

Pre 1945 5 notes

1939
August 23: Molotov Ribbentrop non aggression pact between USSR and Nazi Germany

1941
Atlantic Charter: outlined the aims of the United States and the United Kingdom for the postwar
world as follows: no territorial aggrandisement, no territorial changes made against the wishes
of the people (self-determination), restoration of self-government to those deprived of it,
reduction of trade restrictions, global co-operation to secure better economic and social
conditions for all, freedom from fear and want, freedom of the seas, abandonment of the use of
force, and disarmament of aggressor nations.
- USSR accepted the charter, but didnt comply with it after the war
- At this point, they were in a marriage of convenience. There was no disagreement
because they wanted to first resolve the war. Their agreements may be placative,
especially by the USSR to secure lend-lease aid (which arrived significantly after
stalingrad, about 1942-1943)

1942
Promises to open the second front were unfulfilled and postponed to 1943 (in saying)
- This caused the USSR to have a suspicion that the western powers deliberately
postponed the opening of the second front in order for them to take the brunt of the
action in the eastern front, so that the western powers would have a better position to
negotiate the postwar order. This suspicion influenced how the USSR negotiated during
Yalta and Potsdam
- This suspicion seemed later confirmed when the US abruptly cut off lend lease aid,
refusing to aid the USSR in reconstruction (they requested a loan of 6 billion dollars
worth of industrial equipment)

1944
6 June 1944: opening of second front
October 1944: Percentages agreement
- It was becoming increasingly clear that the Allied forces would win the conflict. The UK
was concerned with establishing a neutral buffer zone between the UK and potentially
antagonistic USSR, hence resorting to the percentages agreement which would give
Stalin more control over Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, in exchange for carte blanche
power over Greece to secure the mediterranean sea for the UK.

1945 5 notes
4 to 11 Feb: Yalta conference
Key decisions:
 - The war was still going on. The relationship between the leaders was still good and
cooperative
- Soviet Union to establish compromise coalition in Poland and allow for free elections
(seen as in accordance w Atlantic Charter), but eventually failed to do so and supported
the Lublin Committee in Poland, disregarding the Polish govt. in exile in London
- In april that year, following roosevelt’s death, truman and churchill who were more
suspicious of USSR intentions opposed this, causing the question of Poland to be left
open
- Roosevelt got the USSR to join the war with Japan 3 months after the war with Germany
ended with some preconcessions such as the recognition of mongolian state as
separate from China. (Roosevelt had a much leaner stance w the USSR)
- The USSR joined the UN and was given the power to veto unwanted decisions.
- Note: USSR had military forces occupying Eastern Europe with 3 times as much might
as the Allied forces in the west, as they established their sphere of influence.
8 May: Unconditional surrender of German forces
May 11: Abrupt cut off of Lend Lease Act to USSR
July 17-August 2: Potsdam conference
- German Question
- Germany would be divided into four occupation zones (among the three powers
and France); Germany's eastern border was to be shifted west to the
Oder–Neisse line
- Many matters regarding the question of germany was resolved easily between
the leaders - that of denazification, demilitarisation..
- The USSR and France wanted strong punishment and quelling of Germany - it
had lost a lot and needed security. It also needed reparations to rebuild. On the
other hand, the US and the UK did not want such a punishing plan to be exacted
(argument over Morgenthau plan)
- Became a point of contention
- a Soviet-backed group was recognized as the legitimate government of Poland
- Lublin Poles accepted under the premise that “The Polish Provisional
Government agreed to hold, as soon as possible, free elections with widespread
suffrage and secret ballots. Democratic and anti-Nazi parties would have the right
to take part, and representatives of the Allied press would have full freedom to
report on developments during the elections”
- British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was concerned that, given the enormous
size of Soviet forces deployed in Europe at the end of the war, and the perception
that Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was unreliable, there existed a Soviet threat to
Western Europe.
- Council of foreign ministers established
- The conference was largely successful with the powers being able to agree on many
key issues.
6-9 August: atomic bombing of Japan
- The US had invited Britain into its atomic bomb project but kept it secret from the Soviet
Union. Stalin was aware that the Americans were working on the atomic bomb, and he
 reacted to the news calmly. One week after the end of the Potsdam Conference, the US
bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Shortly after the attacks, Stalin protested to US
officials when Truman offered the Soviets little real influence in occupied Japan. Stalin
was also outraged by the actual dropping of the bombs, calling them a "superbarbarity"
and claiming that "the balance has been destroyed...That cannot be." The Truman
administration intended to use its ongoing nuclear weapons program to pressure the
Soviet Union in international relations.

1946 5 notes
February 1946: Long telegram
- Kennan emphasized that the Soviet Union did not see the possibility for long-term
peaceful coexistence with the capitalist world and that the best strategy was to “contain”
communist expansion around the globe.
- Formed basis of containment theory
- Talked about Iranian crisis (USSR refusal to leave iran before the date agreed upon at
Tehran), refusal of World Bank/IMF (though its just cuz USSR was poor), Bolshoi
Theatre Speech, annexing of albania
April 1946: US denies requests for a Soviet Loan.
- Between 1945 and 1947, USSR only received 242million in aid, while the UK received
4.4 Billion
7 August 1946: Turkish straits crisis
- On part of soviets: opportunistic, wanting to control the strait.
- The US - truman saw this as an act of aggression, didnt want turkey to fall into
communist hands, and sent a naval task force. USSR withdrew on 26 October.
10 Nov 1946: Legislative elections in France: adopts a multiparty parliamentary system, with 3
parties, one of which is communist. Attempts to keep good relations with the USSR and the UK
and US, while centering foreign policy around fear of invasion from a rebuilt Germany. However
the growing popularity of the communists led to further superpower fears that the USSR was
expanding its reach into western europe. (though they werent)

1947 5 notes
19 January: Poland’s “free elections” occurred on 19th january, with results rigged in favour of
the communists by Stalin
February 28: Britain runs out of financial resources, prompting the US to take up some of its
commitments(Greece and Turkey)
March 12: Truman doctrine (known to ‘spark’ cold war) and the Marshall Plan
- Stepping in to aid Greece in a violent civil war between democrats and communists
(USSR did not intervene as part of a secret agreement with the UK, although the
communists were backed by Yugoslavia). (Domino theory)
- Turkey is anti communist, but underdeveloped and in need of extensive financial aid to
keep Soviet threat and pressure in check and rebuild the country. US aid is needed to
keep Turkey in control of the Turkish Straits for free trade.
 - Weakness of eastern europe, annexing of SSR states, long telegram.. Caused US to
overestimate the USSR’s ambitions and overreact.

15 July: Anglo-American loan to revive british economy.

5 October: Cominform established to consolidate USSR’s power in Eastern Europe (Yugoslavia,
Czechoslovakia)

ABRIDGED

1948 1 note
April 3 1948: Marshall Plan implemented

Pre 1945 5 notes

1939
August 23: Molotov Ribbentrop non aggression pact between USSR and Nazi Germany

1941
Atlantic Charter

1942
Promises to open the second front were unfulfilled and postponed to 1943 (in saying)

1944
6 June 1944: opening of second front
October 1944: Percentages agreement

1945 5 notes
4 to 11 Feb: Yalta conference
8 May: Unconditional surrender of German forces
May 11: Abrupt cut off of Lend Lease Act to USSR
July 17-August 2: Potsdam conference
6-9 August: atomic bombing of Japan

1946 5 notes
February 1946: Long telegram
April 1946: US denies requests for a Soviet Loan.
7 August 1946: Turkish straits crisis, opportunistic
10 Nov 1946: Legislative elections in France with communists

1947 5 notes
19 January: Poland’s “free elections” occurred on 19th january, with results rigged in favour of
the communists by Stalin
February 28: Britain runs out of financial resources, prompting the US to take up some of its
commitments(Greece and Turkey)
March 12: Truman doctrine (known to ‘spark’ cold war) and the Marshall Plan
15 July: Anglo-American loan to revive british economy.
5 October: Cominform established to consolidate USSR’s power in Eastern Europe (Yugoslavia,
Czechoslovakia)

1948 1 note
April 3 1948: Marshall Plan implemented

Key Ideas:

1. Goals of the different leaders, and how it shapes interactions and agreements
a. Misunderstanding between the leaders
b. Pivotal moments that changed the tide despite how things were going so far
2. Traditionalist, revisionist, post-revisionist views

2. Western VS USSR Ideals

Western leaders - led by the US, they arguably had these goals
- Expand their sphere of influence to counteract communism’s global threat
- Seen in Marshall Plan, Truman doctrine
- Secure a democratic, free world (secondary aim)
- Seen through atlantic charter, UN declaration in 1943

USSR ideals
- Secure eastern europe as a buffer zone against future threats
- Strengthen the communist bloc worldwide (secondary aim)
These are arguably the main aims of the leaders
So think about at the start - what led to these aims, how did they come into conflict with each
other, and lead to intensifying of the conflict?

Arguably, it started with pre-ww2 understanding of the USSR

1. Ideological divide
a. USSR had a centralised authoritarian state with a repressive political system and
a socialist command economy
b. The world revolution calls of Lenin (forming of comintern, 1919) stood in contrast
to the ideals of the US in the Fourteen points of 1918 written by Woodrow Wilson
US: This led to some suspicion on the part of the US - they didnt want to recognise the USSR
until 1933. However, Stalin’s internal purges from 1934 to 1936 left the US disillusioned about a
special relationship with the USSR. it wasnt possible.
Later in 1939 when the Soviets signed the non-aggression pact, there was suspicion from the
US.
USSR: The USSR was also wary of the western powers due to how they intervened to topple
the Bolshevik regime during the Cold War. However, stalin was ok with reconciling with western
leaders due to fears of a revived Germany, and its growing militarism, hence joining the League
of Nations in 1934.
So while there was mutual suspicion and discontentment with how the other side handled
affairs, there was also no action
1. Soviet recognition of the need to reconcile to avoid being disadvantaged in a war with
Germany
2. US isolationism after the Great Depression.

After the world war,

Small grievances seemed to confirm US suspicions and move them to action

1. Question of Poland
a. What the USSR said during the conferences vs what it did
b.
2. Strong hold of Eastern Europe
a. After the war, the USSR held most of eastern europe
b. Annexation of eastern european states was very possible, and there could be
quick expansion

—(can expand on all these when talking about essay)-----

We need to clarify the positions of the powers and everything at each point

SBQ:

1. Evaluating the sources, its individual claim.

2. Evaluate reliability and usefulness
3. Establishing the relationship between the different sources in the set.
4. What is the role of each source in the set argument?
5. Be clear what is the set argument you need to be evaluating

Introduction establishes unpacking of the claim and summary of set arguments

First body block is set argument one. Second block is set argument two. Conclusion is your
evaluation.
Start refining your writing skills in terms of how to write these blocks.