Yalta Conference

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Relations Between the 'Big Three'

Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill were known collectively as the 'Big Three'.

A united front

The 'Big Three' were keen to present a united front in 1945 despite their opposing political ideologies.
They posed for carefully staged photographs at events such as the Yalta Conference of February 1945. This hid the tensions that existed between them.

Roosevelt's opinion

Privately, Roosevelt thought that he could work with Stalin as he thought they shared the same vision for post-war Europe.
Roosevelt thought that Churchill was simply too sensitive to Stalin’s provocations.

Stalin's opinion

Stalin thought that Churchill was a great statesman but distrusted him greatly believing he was much more of a threat than Roosevelt.
Stalin preferred Roosevelt to Churchill and treated Roosevelt with respect.

Churchill's opinion

Churchill did have grave reservations about Stalin who he thought would challenge Britain’s imperial interests.
Churchill also thought that Roosevelt was wrong to trust Stalin the way he did and thought Roosevelt was too pro-Russian.

Tensions at Yalta

The 'Big Three' met at the Yalta Conference in February 1945 to discuss what Europe would look like after the Second World War. The fate of Poland was the main source of tension.

Poland

The USSR liberated Poland and set up their own government in Lublin. This was a communist government. The original Polish government was exiled to London because of WW2.
At Yalta, Stalin agreed that he would allow members of the exiled Polish government into his Lublin government. He also promised that Poland would have free and fair elections.
This pleased the USA and Britain as they thought communist influence in Poland would dwindle.
It was also agreed that the Polish borders would be altered; giving areas from Eastern Germany to Poland and other Polish land to the USSR.

Germany

At Yalta, it was agreed that until a final settlement was conducted, Germany would be divided into four Power Zones.
Each would be controlled by a different country; USA, USSR, Britain and France.
Berlin (the capital city) would also be divided into similar zones.

Other agreements

The USSR agreed to join in the war against Japan in return for the southern half of the Sakhalin Island and economic rights in Manchuria.
The Big Three at Yalta also agreed on a common set of ideals as the victorious allies known as the Declaration of Liberated Europe.
Lastly, at Yalta, the establishment of the United Nations was agreed upon. In April 1945, a conference was to be held in America which would launch the new world organisation.

1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9

1.1Events of 1945

1.1.1The Grand Alliance

1.1.2Yalta Conference

1.1.3Potsdam Conference

1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance

1.2.1Communism in the 20th Century

1.2.2Relations between Roosevelt, Stalin & Attlee

1.2.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Origins of the Cold War

1.3Developing Tensions

1.3.1USSR Actions

1.3.2Long Telegram & Iron Curtain Speech

1.3.3Cominform

1.3.4Greek Civil War & the Truman Doctrine

1.3.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Developing Tensions

1.4US Involvement in Europe

1.4.1US Policy Towards Britain & Europe

1.4.2US Attitudes Towards Germany & Berlin

1.4.3The Marshall Plan

1.5Conflict over Germany

1.5.1Sectors & Bizonia

1.5.2The Berlin Blockade

1.5.3The Formation of NATO, April 1949

1.5.4A-A* (AO3/4) - US Involvement in Europe

2Widening of the Cold War

2.1US Containment in Asia

2.1.1Japan

2.1.2China & Taiwan

2.2The Korean War

2.2.1Causes & Military Action in Korean War

2.2.2Attitudes of the USSR, China & the USA

2.2.3Panmunjon Armistice & Impact of the Korean War

2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Widening of the Cold War

2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953

2.3.1McCarthyism & The 'Red Scare'

2.3.2USA Dominance in the United Nations

2.4Global Alliances

2.4.1Global Alliances in Europe & Asia

2.4.2Eisenhower, Brinkmanship & Domino Theory

2.4.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Tensions & Alliances

3The Global War

3.1Khrushchev

3.1.1Polish & Hungarian Uprisings 1956

3.1.2East-West Relations

3.2Cold War Rivalries

3.2.1Arms Race & Space Race

3.2.2Berlin Crisis & The Berlin Wall

3.2.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Khrushchev

3.3Conflict in Asia

3.3.1Indo-China

3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers

3.4.1Relations Between the USA & Cuba

3.4.2The Cuban Missile Crisis & its Significance

4Confrontation & Cooperation

4.1Vietnam

4.1.1Johnson

4.1.2Nixon

4.1.3Paris Peace Talks

4.2Cooperation

4.2.1Khrushchev & Kennedy

4.3Pressures on the USSR

4.3.1Czechoslovakia

4.3.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Confrontation & Cooperation

5Brezhnev Era

5.1Detente

5.1.1Settlements

5.1.2Detente up to 1979

5.2Second Cold War

5.2.1Renewed Hostilities

5.3Developments in Africa & Americas

5.3.1Angola, Ethiopia, Chila, Nicaragua, Grenada

5.3.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Brezhnev Era

6Ending of the Cold War

6.1Gorbachev

6.1.1Gorbachev & Reforms

6.2Cooperation between US & USSR

6.2.1Key Figures & Summits

6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe

6.3.1Significance of 1989

6.4End of Tensions Across the World

6.4.1Africa, Afghanistan & the Americas

6.4.2Malta Summit & the Aftermath

6.4.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Ending of the Cold War

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