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The Peace Conferences, 1945 (AQA GCSE History) : Revision Note

Zoe Wade

Written by: Zoe Wade

Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett

Updated on

The impact of peace conferences - Summary

The Grand Alliance met twice in 1945.

The first meeting of the Grand Alliance in 1945 was at Yalta. At this time the war against Germany was all but won. Discussion about post-war Europe took priority, such as the foundations of the United Nations and the future of Germany. Stalin also agreed to allow free elections in Eastern Europe after the war.

At the second meeting at Potsdam, Roosevelt and Churchill had been replaced by Truman and Attlee respectively. Their personalities differed greatly from their predecessors, which made it more difficult for them to get on with Stalin. There were far more disagreements at Potsdam about post-war Europe. Tensions were made worse after knowledge about the US creation of the atomic bomb had been made public.

The Yalta Conference

  • The Grand Alliance met at Yalta - a city in the Soviet Union - in February 1945

    • The meeting occurred during the final few months of the Second World War

Aims for the Yalta Conference

  • Each of the 'Big Three' had specific aims for the Yalta Conference

An illustrated infographic about the Yalta Conference in February 1945, focusing on post-World War II plans. The top section has a title bar reading 'Yalta, February 1945' and a subtitle stating the aim: 'Winning the Second World War and governing post-war Europe.' Below, three world leaders are depicted with their respective national flags and policy goals. Franklin D. Roosevelt of the USA is shown with the American flag and a text box stating the USA wanted the Soviet Union to confirm its support in the war against Japan and join the United Nations. Winston Churchill of the UK is displayed with the British flag, with text explaining that the UK wanted free elections in Central and Eastern Europe after the war. Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union is shown with the Soviet flag, with a text box stating that the Soviet Union wanted to keep the territory it had gained between the Soviet Union and Germany
An illustration showing the aims of the ‘Big Three’ at Yalta

Agreements made at the Yalta Conference

  • After eight days the Grand Alliance reached five main agreements

An infographic titled 'Agreements at Yalta' with a light green header. Below, five statements summarizing key agreements made at the Yalta Conference are listed in gray boxes. Each of the first four statements has a green checkmark beside it. The agreements include: Germany paying $20 billion in reparations and being split into four zones, the Soviet Union agreeing to fight against Japan, the Soviet Union agreeing to free elections in Eastern Europe, and Poland gaining land with free elections deciding its government. The final statement, about the establishment of the United Nations with limited individual memberships for Soviet republics, is also checked. A pink box labeled 'Main Area of Disagreement' is placed next to the statement about free elections in Poland.
A list of the agreements made by the Grand Alliance at the Yalta Conference

Yalta’s impact on US-Soviet relations

Positive impacts of Yalta

  • The Soviet Union declared war against Japan in August 1945

  • The Soviet Union would be awarded half of the $20 billion reparations

  • Roosevelt was pleased that the three main states of the USSR -  Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - had agreed to join the United Nations 

  • Roosevelt was pleased that it was agreed that free elections should take place in Eastern Europe

Negative impacts of Yalta

  • Stalin wanted a pro-Communist government to be elected in Poland

    • Churchill supported the non-Communist London Poles

The Potsdam Conference

  • The Grand Alliance met again a few months later at Potsdam - a city in Germany - during the end of the Second World War

  • Several events had happened between the conferences at Yalta and Potsdam:

    • Roosevelt had died and was replaced by Harry S. Truman

      • Truman adopted a tougher approach to Stalin

    • Churchill had been replaced by Clement Attlee following a general election

    • Germany had surrendered in May 1945

    • The USA had developed a new, devastating weapon - the atomic bomb

    • The United Nations had been established, with 51 members

Aims for the Potsdam Conference

  • As with the Yalta conference each of the 'Big Three' had specific aims at Potsdam

An illustrated infographic about the Potsdam Conference, held in July–August 1945, focusing on post-war Europe. The title bar reads 'Potsdam, July – August 1945,' with a subtitle stating the aim: 'Finalise agreements on post-war Europe.' Below, three world leaders are depicted with their respective national flags and policy goals. Harry S. Truman of the USA is shown with the American flag and a text box stating that the USA wanted to ensure peace in Europe and prevent the spread of communism. Clement Attlee of the UK is displayed with the British flag, with text explaining that the UK wanted free elections in Central and Eastern Europe after the war. Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union is shown with the Soviet flag, with a text box stating that the Soviet Union wanted to ensure that they remained powerful in Eastern Europe.
An illustration showing the aims of the ‘Big Three’ at Potsdam

Agreements made at the Potsdam Conference

  • Over two weeks of negotiation, the Grand Alliance reached four main agreements

"An infographic titled 'Agreements at Potsdam' with a light green header. Below, four statements summarizing key agreements made at the Potsdam Conference are listed in gray boxes. Each of the first, third, and fourth statements has a green checkmark beside it. The agreements include: Germany being divided into four zones controlled by the Soviet Union, USA, UK, and France; Berlin also being divided into four zones; the Soviet Union receiving 25% of industrial equipment from the other three zones in Germany; and the Nazi Party being banned with war criminals prosecuted. The second and third statements have small blue marks next to them.
A list of the agreements made by the Grand Alliance at the Potsdam Conference

Potsdam’s impact on US-Soviet relations

  • Truman had mentioned to Stalin that the USA had successfully tested the atomic bomb through the Trinity test

    • This increased tensions between both countries

  • Stalin wanted harsher reparations against Germany

    • Truman wanted to protect the German economy

  • Truman was concerned with the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe and the spread of Communism

  • Stalin wanted to keep his Red Army in Eastern Europe as protection against future threats

Worked Example

Write an account of how the peace conferences in 1945 affected Cold War tensions.

[8 marks]

Answer:

One way that the peace conferences affected Cold War tensions was by initially improving the bond between the USA and the USSR. At Yalta, the USSR agreed to support the USA in the war with Japan. The USSR declared war against Japan in August 1945. The Grand Alliance also agreed to award half of the $20 billion reparations to the USSR. This affected Cold War tensions as it demonstrates that, in February 1945, the USSR and the USA had positive, diplomatic relations. Despite some disagreement, they were working together to make key decisions about post-war Europe.

Another way that the peace conferences affected Cold War tensions was by highlighting the fear that the USA and the USSR had for each other. After the USA tested the atomic bomb, the USSR began to fear the strength of America's army. In addition, Stalin had increased the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe and the spread of Communism by stationing the Red Army in Eastern Europe. Therefore, the events surrounding the Potsdam Conference highlighted the distrust between the USA and the USSR. Both countries did not believe that each side's agreements were genuine, causing them to act more aggressively toward each other.

Examiner Tips and Tricks

When students see the word 'narrative', they often answer this question like a story. Do not do this. The question is asking you to explain the causes and consequences of the specified event.

For further guidance on this question, you can read this revision note on how to answer the 8-mark “Write an account" question.

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Zoe Wade

    Author: Zoe Wade

    Expertise: History Content Creator

    Zoe has worked in education for 10 years as a teaching assistant and a teacher. This has given her an in-depth perspective on how to support all learners to achieve to the best of their ability. She has been the Lead of Key Stage 4 History, showing her expertise in the Edexcel GCSE syllabus and how best to revise. Ever since she was a child, Zoe has been passionate about history. She believes now, more than ever, the study of history is vital to explaining the ever-changing world around us. Zoe’s focus is to create accessible content that breaks down key historical concepts and themes to achieve GCSE success.

    Bridgette Barrett

    Reviewer: Bridgette Barrett

    Expertise: Geography Lead

    After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.