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The Breakdown of the Grand Alliance between 1943 and 1949 ((3) Post War…
The Breakdown of the Grand Alliance between 1943 and 1949
(1) Early Tensions
War Time Conferences
- Spirit of Cooperation
Teheran (1943)
- solidified anglo-american invasion of France & Stalin announces that he will declare war on Japan after German defeat
Moscow (1944)
- Churchill and Stalin: Percentages Agreement
Yalta (1945)
- the declaration of freedom for liberated Europe & decided that Germany would be divided into 4 zones
Early tensions from inherent
ideological differences
The USA never attacked German in order to relieve tension on the Eastern Front:
USSR = -24 million = more than allies combined
(2) Change in Leadership
Potsdam - August 1945
- last time the three powers met
Churchill (--> Atlee) + Stalin + Truman
Truman
had little knowledge of diplomacy - rude and belligerent ; used the technological advantage of the atomic bomb as a negotiation tool
Stalin
exploited Truman's in experience
Eric Forner - the bomb would give the US unprecedented power
Stalin did not agree to the guarantee of granting free elections - particularly demeaning to Britain as they went to war to protect the territorial integrity and independence of Europe
(3) Post War Tensions
The Long Telegram (Feb 1946)
: Kennan - explained why soviets were not engaged with international organization // the inherent opposition of communism and capitalism economic systems = there will always be rivalry between the two systems // Soviet foreign policy was grounded in Russian expansionism
Iron Curtain Speech (Mar 1946)
: Churchill - Europe was now divided into: Totalitarian Europe and Free Europe // it was the duty of the free to prevent the spread of communism
Stalin's Response to Speech at Pravda
: likened British and America to the Nazis --> both had similar desires for world domination
The Truman Doctrine (Mar 1947)
- would provide economic and military assistance to prevent the spread of communism // new
Policy of Containment
The Marshal Plan (June 1947) (ERP)
- provided economic assistance to European countries = continued presence of the US in Europe // offered to USSR and satellite states (told to refuse) // US provided $13 billion to 17 countries
COMECON (1949)
- formation of two economic blocs
(4) The German Question
Formation of Trizonia (1947)
- introduction of new German-wide currency --> soviets refuse
USSR continued to force Germany to pay reparations // others focused on rebuilding Germany
The Berlin Blockade
April 1948
- prevented military supplies into West Berlin
Escalated to a full blow blockage via railways or road transport (violation of agreements at Yalta and Potsdam)
1st July 1948
- USA and British began a massive airlift of supplies that were dropped over the city // 13 000 tons of suplies per day
"Berlin had become a symbol of America's and the West's dedication to the case of freedom" - Truman (1955)
Jan 1949
- planes every 3 mins (winter)
12th My 1949
end of blockade
over 2 million tons of supplies
over 270 000 flights