Cold War Origins and Yalta Conference

The relationship between Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union during World War II, formed to defeat Nazi Germany.

The belief that one's own ideology is superior and should be spread to other countries.

The tension and mistrust that grew between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II.

A meeting between Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill in 1945 to discuss the postwar world.

The American policy of staying out of European conflicts, ended by Roosevelt in 1941.

The Soviet Union's desire to create a zone of allied nations in Eastern Europe to protect its security.

The difference between the United States and the Soviet Union on how to manage the post-war world.

The belief that the Grand Alliance could be maintained after World War II, leading to lasting international cooperation.

The period after World War II when relations between the former allies, the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain, deteriorated, marking the beginning of the Cold War.

The meeting of the leaders of the Allied Powers (USA, UK and USSR) in July 1945, where they discussed the post-war world and agreed on the division of Germany and the establishment of the UN.

The Soviet leader during World War II and the Cold War, known for his suspicion of the West and his determination to secure the Soviet Union's position.

The British Prime Minister during World War II and the early years of the Cold War, known for his strong opposition to Soviet expansionism.

The US President who succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt after his death in 1945. Truman was involved in the Potsdam Conference and revealed the US's atomic bomb capability to Stalin.

The devastating impact of World War II on Soviet infrastructure, economy, and population, with an estimated 25 million citizens killed.

The key issue that caused tension between the West and the USSR after World War II, involving the future of Poland and the Soviet Union's influence in Eastern Europe.

A policy of economic self-sufficiency where a country minimizes its involvement in international trade and focuses on internal production.

The removal of anti-communist leaders and the installation of pro-communist governments in Eastern European countries after World War II.

Stalin's belief that the USA and its allies were rivals for dominance in Europe, leading to his focus on securing Soviet power in Eastern Europe.

The Red Army's continued presence in Eastern Europe and the establishment of communist regimes to ensure the security of the USSR.

The belief that unity in political and economic systems strengthens a country's power and resilience.

Stalin's strategy of creating a buffer zone of communist states in Eastern Europe to protect the USSR from perceived threats.

The USA's goals in Eastern Europe, as perceived by Stalin, to limit Soviet influence and promote its own interests.

Stalin's belief that the USA aimed to undermine Soviet alliances with Eastern European countries and establish control over the region.

A key goal of the Potsdam Conference was to ensure that Germany would be completely stripped of its military capabilities and its Nazi past removed from public life. This included demilitarizing the country, purging Nazi influences from education and government, and holding war criminals accountable for their actions.

The Potsdam Conference aimed to create a unified economic system for Germany, with all zones sharing a common policy, industry, and financial structures. This plan aimed to prevent economic disparities from causing further conflict. However, the agreement also included Soviet reparations from the Western zones, creating tensions between the Allies.

The Potsdam Conference failed to address the growing suspicion and uncertainty between the USA and the USSR, which were already developing different ideologies and geopolitical ambitions. This failure paved the way for the Cold War, a period of intense ideological competition and political tensions between the communist East and capitalist West.

The Great Depression was an economic crisis affecting most of the world, starting with the Wall Street Crash in 1929. The US economic crisis led to the demand for immediate repayment of loans from foreign firms and governments, further deepening the global crisis and contributing to the rise of political extremism.

President Truman aimed to create a peaceful and prosperous post-war world based on national self-determination, open trade, and international economic cooperation through institutions like the IMF and World Bank. This vision aimed to prevent another global economic depression and ensure US influence on the global stage while also minimizing the expansion of the USSR.

Truman believed that a global economic system based on international cooperation, like the IMF and World Bank, would help prevent the recurrence of an economic crisis like the Great Depression. This system would also fulfill American ideological imperatives and promote its geostrategic interests by limiting other nations' influence, particularly the USSR.

The Potsdam Conference resulted in some crucial agreements on the future of Germany and the post-war world, but it failed to address long-term issues and tensions, particularly those between the USA and the USSR. The conference's lack of forward-looking vision ultimately contributed to the Cold War rivalry and the division of Europe.