The Cold War begins 1945 -1948

Key issue:

Why did the wartime alliance fall apart?

What were the major points of difference

The importance of Yalta and Potsdam conferences

The roles of Stalin and Truman

By Mr Crowewww.SchoolHistory.co.uk

The chronology and narrative

• Major point: The USSR lost around 20 million people in WW2

• Stalin was determined to make the USSR secure in the future

• By contrast GB lost around 370,000 and the USA lost 297,000 people.

• KEEP THIS IN MIND

The rise of the superpowers

• Before WW2 there were a number of countries which could have claimed to be superpowers – USA, USSR,GB, France, Japan, Germany.

• The damage caused by the war to these countries left only two countries with the military strength and resources to be called superpowers….USA and USSR.

What they believed

• Don’t forget USA was capitalist and USSR was communism

• They were complete opposites

• They had allied against Fascism ….. Now the common enemy had been defeated the reason for co-operation was gone

• Differences soon emerged

Europe at the end of WW2

• After the war who would lead the countries and form new governments

• The USSR favoured the communist groups, the USA favoured the non-communists

• Examples would be Greece and Yugoslavia

• This was one cause of tension between the superpowers

TASK

• Two conferences were held in 1945 at Yalta and Potsdam

• The aim was to discuss the future especially• What to do with Germany’s leaders after the war• What would happen to the occupied countries

after liberation, especially those of Eastern Europe

• How to end the war with Japan• How to build a lasting peace.