USSR + WW2 1941-47

By df3star
  • Grand Alliance + Stalin's fears of allies

    -Churchill resolute opponent to Communism/day after Op Barbarossa, said "any man or state who fights against Nazidom will have our aid"
    -marriage of convenience-defeat common enemy, circumstance rather than choice, had little else in common
    -Western fear + hatred of Communism remained/thought of USSR less of a threat than Hitler + needed help from Red Army to fight-defence + security
  • Period: to

    Economic, social + political impact of war in USSR

    -5 year plans brought industrial development in east
    -Ger occupation cost 63% of coal production,58% of steel, 45% of railways + 41% of arable land
    -Supreme Soviet-"On the Military Situation"-ensure supply of arms for 11m people (16% of population) in armed forces
    -all men aged 16-55 + women 16-45 put to work-53% women in workforce
    -white collar workers switched to munitions
    -pensioners+students work
    -military share of budget ^ 29%-57%
    -evacuation of factories from W-E,1503 units moved
  • Period: to

    Impact on war in USSR

    -only Lend Lease loans prevented complete collapse of economy
    -27m dead, 25m homeless
    -no civilian uprising: -repression + terror continued in Communist regime, propaganda higly effective-"Great Patriotic War to save "Mother Russia" and leadership of Stalin"
    -pragmatism saw concessions to previously outlawed Orthodox Church
  • Anglo-Soviet military assistance pact

    -agreed, but no possibility of Stalin's key demand of a second front
    -practicalities outweighing all other considerations as Stalin agreed to adopt principles of Atlantic Charter (principles for post war world-free trade + right of people to choose own govs)
    -Stalin believed it was a deliberate ploy in delaying opening 2nd front-confirmation that W wanted to see them weak
  • Tehran Conference

    -Red Army began to push Germans back after Battle of Stalingrad, Gers forced out of Africa, It invaded + USA stopped JP in Pacific
    -Stalin demanded 2nd front, agreed
    -2nd front in France, USSR had no resistance in taking all territories which they annexed in Poland + Baltic 1939-42, + Poland compensated w/ German territory-USSR would liberate S EU by itself due to Op Overlord=Buffer Zone
  • Poland Liberation

    -Home Army revolt against Ger-wanted non-com gov
    -German defeat of Warsaw Uprising destroyed HA
    -NKVD + Polish Com shot/imprisoned thousands to eliminante anti-Soviet opposition
    -Churchill + Roosevelt clung to compromise
    -Jan 1945 USSR recognised provisional gov
    -Polish gov in London
    -Oder-Niesse Line
  • Romania liberation

    -Bessarabia + N Bukovina, offensive 20 Aug 1944
    -Romanian King disposed of pro-Ger gov, wanted to negotiate
    -Br + USA accepted it as part of Soviet influence + gave no help to King
    -1945 March-coup on coalition gov to create pro-Soviet + Communist dominated National Democratic Front gov
  • Hungary liberation

    -Sept 1944 Soviet troops crossed border, head of state appealed for ceasefire
    -Dec 1944 Red Army outskirts of Budapest
    -Dec 1945 elections 17% of vote but 3 key posts
  • Bulgaria liberation

    -anti-Western bias in Romania, Soviet officials supported workers + peasants
    -occupation of Romania=invasion of Bulgaria
    -Allied Control Commissions in Oct 28
  • Soviet liberation of Eastern Europe

    -"Percentages agreement"/Churchill-Stalin meeting, USSR 90% predominance in Romania + 75% in Bulgaria, Br 90% in Greece, while Yugoslavia + Hungary divided equally for Br + Sov spheres of influences-Churchill drops it due to Roosevelt
    -Lend Lease cut-needed govs in EU to be friendly to USSR
  • Czechoslovakia liberation

    -alliance w/ USSR 1943, still annexed Ruthenia 1944
    -last country to fall
    -1944-5 Soviet Army occupied more
    -1945 Provisional Gov-8 seats Communist, Ministeries of Interior + Info
  • Yalta Conference

    -during war
    -Stalin wanted territory + control, wanted to retain influence in E EU, "what is ours is ours, what is theirs is theirs"
    -each power (Br, Fr, USSR + USA) allotted own zone of Ger + section of Berlin-4 Power Control
    -UN established
    -Reorganise provisional gov by including democratics from Poland + London
    -confirmed Poland's E borders on Curzon line + receive increase in N + W (land removed from Ger) due to USSR
    -elections ASAP
    -Declaration on Liberated EU-emergency measures
  • Potsdam Conference

    -post war, Truman new USA Pres, Atlee new Br PM w/ Labour gov, removed common enemy, USA developed atomic bomb, was abt to use it against JP-urged USSR to make a nuclear power ASAP
    -Stalin saw himself as senior statesman, determined to move frontiers of Poland west into Ger
    -German demilitarisation, denazification + punishment of war criminals
    -Allied Control Council-no central Ger gov-military commanders from 4 powers-each one in charge of own zone
    -Council of Ministers-peace + treaties w/ axis
  • Potsdam Conference Terms pt2

    -Reparations, USSR extract as much as possible/West wanted sufficient strength=temporary compromise, USSR + West take from zones, Br + USA 10% of reparations to Soviets + 15% in own zone in exchange for food + raw materials
    -Poland-substantial accessions of territory from Ger, Oder-Neisse Line recognised
    -development of UN
    -Red Army in Poland
  • Cold War Start

    -stalin's actions of expansion in EU + change in American attitude + policy=Truman, no longer common enemy + isolationist
    -Stalin's motives:expansion + advancing Communism,rebuliding economy + exploit E EU for resources. "buffer zone" to protect from evils of W
    -Sovietisation=Balkan region, supported comm movements in Greece, Turkey + Iran,outside sphere of inf,access to Med, Africa + ME 1946-47
    -West saw moves as aggressive + expansionist=fear combined w/ ignorance,mistrust + misunderstanding
  • USA + USSR breakdown of relationship

    -USA intended to reduce commitment in EU + co-operate w/Russians to ensure stability, hopes broke down after Stalin's imposition of Com govs in E EU, defiance of Yalta=untrustworthy
    -Kennan, US diplomat in Moscow, "Long Telegram",believed Stalin aimed to expand Russian dominance over EU, believed they would take over continent + endanger W interests, Br + Fr too weak to stop "Red Tide", USA has to
  • Truman Doctrine + policy of Containment

    -"America would support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures"
    -USA would not return to isolationism,committed to containing spread of Communism throughout the world
    -Political,economic + military when needed to countries in danger of Com-Turkey + Iran 1947
    -Martial Aid $13.3b
    -appeared that USA was acting nobly + unselfishly-would open up trade markets for US exports + investments-needed countries in support of Capitalism
    -"Dollar Diplomacy" USSR