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Yalta Conference
Yalta conference was between the "Big Three". USA, USSR and Great Britain (Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill). They discussed how to complete the victory over Hitler and what to do with Germany once it had been occupied. They also talked about how to defeat Japan and that Germany was to be split into four zones, a quarter each for USA, USSR, Great Britain and France. The start of the UN was also agreed to by all leaders, and came into being in October 1945 -
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Stalin's Takeover of Eastern Europe
Stalin wants to create a buffer zone of satellite states with communist governments, Stalin took over Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. He did this by falsifying elections and installing governments by force and other methods (e.g. Lublin Poles). During this he also created Cominform and Comecon To link communist countries -
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Potsdam Conference
USSR, USA, and Great Britain (Stalin, Truman, Churchill-Attlee). Occupation zones created in Germany. USSR to join war against Japan. Polish Border set at River Neisse. Agreed that each state would take reparation from their own zone. Truman told Stalin that he had developed the atom bomb halfway through the conference, but Stalin already knew since he had spies in the American nuclear program, showing growing suspicion between the USA and the USSR -
End of WW2
The wartime alliance between the allies began to break down, the USSR was communist and the USA and Europe were capitalist. These two political ideologies were complete opposites, causing tension between the the combatants. The USSR also wanted to create a buffer zone, and use satellite states to protect them from future attack. However, USA and Europe wished to install democratic elections in each of the conquered/liberated countries, again causing tension between the two ideologies. -
Long Telegram
A telegram written by George Kennan, that claimed that Moscow was determined to eliminate America to ensure communist supremacy across the world. Truman sent a copy of this to all top officials; a month later Churchill gave his famous Iron Curtain speech, talking about how communism wanted to block out Europe -
Truman Doctrine
Truman pledged support to anyone who wanted to fight communism, he wanted to contain communism to the USSR and help fight the spread. The speech was summed up by one word "containment" -
Marshall Plan
President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. It became known as the Marshall Plan. They aimed to give 17 billion dollars, but only gave 13.7 billion. They gave the money away to any struggling European country who needed money. However, only 20% was given in cash, and the rest in produce and machinery; this also helped the USA's economy. -
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Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was an attempt by the USSR limit the accessibility of the West to travel to their sectors of Berlin, which were within East Germany. They cut of all roads, and only allowed planes to fly in via three small corridors. Without supplies for Berlin throughout the winter, the West had to airlift at least 12,000 tonnes of supplies per day to West Berlin.