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US & Soviet Attitudes to Peace

History: Cambridge International GCSE The Twentieth Century (Option B), topic 4.1.7

US & Soviet Attitudes to Peace

Stalin sought security via Eastern Europe control. The US aimed to stop communism through containment. Roosevelt promoted democracy; Truman used the atomic bomb, sparking Cold War tensions.

Stalin's foreign policy goals

Stalin's foreign policy goals

  • Stalin focused on Soviet security after WWII.
  • Stalin wanted to create a buffer zone in Eastern Europe to prevent future invasions.
  • Stalin aimed to spread Soviet influence through communist governments.
  • Stalin's policy showed a desire for control, not peace with the West.
Reasons for Soviet actions

Reasons for Soviet actions

  • Stalin remembered the invasions from Germany in WWI and WWII.
  • Stalin feared another invasion would destroy the Soviet Union.
  • Stalin used Soviet armies to establish friendly governments in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.
  • Stalin believed this influence stopped the West from attacking again.
WWII consequences for the USSR

WWII consequences for the USSR

  • The USSR suffered around 27 million deaths in WWII.
  • The war destroyed 1,700 towns and 70,000 villages in the Soviet Union.
  • The Soviet farms lost 25 million horses and 30 million cattle.
  • The USSR faced millions of refugees and major economic damage.
Roosevelt's attitude to empires

Roosevelt's attitude to empires

  • Roosevelt supported the idea of self-determination for all nations.
  • Roosevelt opposed large empires and 'spheres of influence.'
  • Roosevelt promoted democracy and cooperation after the war.
  • Roosevelt believed peace depended on freedom and international cooperation.
US policy on containment

US policy on containment

  • The US wanted to stop the spread of communism worldwide.
  • The US used containment to limit Soviet influence in Europe and Asia.
  • The US supported countries threatened by communism with money and military aid.
  • The US aimed to protect democracy and capitalism globally.
Truman and the atomic bomb

Truman and the atomic bomb

  • Truman became US President in April 1945 after Roosevelt died.
  • Truman used the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
  • Truman aimed to end WWII quickly and show US power to the USSR.
  • Truman's use of the bomb increased tensions and started the Cold War.

Test yourself on US & Soviet Attitudes to Peace

  • What was one of Stalin’s main goals after World War II?

  • What did Roosevelt promote after World War II?

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