WWII: Allied Cooperation and Wartime Conferences

• The only way to defeat Nazi Germany during WWII was for the Soviet Union and Western allies to work together.
• The US provided Lend-Lease aid to the Soviet Union.
• The Soviet Union fought alone on the Eastern Front.
• In August 1945, the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria.

Wartime Conferences

• Wartime conferences initially represented cooperation but later highlighted differences among allies.
• The Casablanca Conference took place in January 1943.
• The Allies agreed on the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan to dismantle their governing philosophies.
• The Atlantic Charter in August 1941 would form the basis of western cooperation.
• The Cairo Conference took place in November 1943.
• The Four Policemen concept proposed that each region of the world would have a superpower responsible for security.
• The U.S. and Britain would continue supporting nationalist (anti-communist) Chinese during this time.
• China would ensure that Japan would not reengage in imperialism.
• The Tehran Conference took place in November 1943.
• At this conference, the Allies agreed to open a second front in Europe.
• Stalin agreed to attack Japan after Germany was defeated.
• The framework for the United Nations was discussed.
• Initial discussions about the partition of Germany and postwar political boundaries were held.
• The Yalta Conference took place in February 1945.
• The formation of the United Nations was agreed upon.
• Germany was divided into Allied occupation zones.
• Free elections were to be held in Eastern Europe.
• Russia agreed to join WW2 against Japan.
• The Potsdam Conference was held in July 1945.
• Germany was to be disarmed.
• The Nazi Party was outlawed.
• The Nuremberg trials were planned.
• Russia was allowed to extract resources/property from their zone as reparation payment.
• Disagreements arose regarding Polish boundaries.
• There were disagreements on whether German occupation zones could cooperate and eventually unify.

Percentages Agreement

• Spheres of influence for the Soviet Union and US/UK were agreed upon.

Diverging Policies

• Soviet and American policies began to diverge starting in 1945.
• The Marshall Plan was created in 1947.
• Cominform and the Molotov Plan were established in 1947.
• George Kennan’s "Long Telegram" was sent in 1946.
• The Long Telegram led to the "Containment" policy.
• The Truman Doctrine was established in 1947.