The Peace Conferences, 1943-1945 (Edexcel GCSE History)

The Impact of Peace Conferences - Summary

Agreements Made at Tehran, 1943

• The Grand Alliance first met at Tehran - a city in Iran - during the Second World War

Aims for the Tehran Conference

Agreements made at the Tehran Conference

Tehran’s Impact on the USA and Russia’s Relationship

• The conference at Tehran had a positive impact on the relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union:

  • Stalin had been concerned about the Soviet Union fighting Germany alone in the East and was pleased that a second front beginning in northern France had been agreed

  • Roosevelt had supported Stalin in attacking Germany from the West and not from the Balkans as Churchill had wanted

  • Stalin had agreed to support the USA in its war against Japan

• The conference at Tehran had a negative impact on the relationship between the USA and the UK:

  • Roosevelt was sometimes more worried that British colonialism was a greater threat to world peace than the Soviet Union

  • Churchill was disappointed that Roosevelt had sided with Stalin in opening a ‘second front’ in northern France

The Yalta Conference

• The Grand Alliance met two years later at Yalta - a city in the Soviet Union - during the final few months of the Second World War

Aims for the Yalta Conference

Agreements made at the Yalta Conference

Yalta’s Impact on America and Russia’s Relationship

• The conference at Yalta had a positive impact on the relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union:

  • 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 free elections had been agreed to take place in Eastern Europe

• The conference at Yalta had a negative impact on the relationship between the Soviet Union and the UK:

  • Stalin wanted a pro-communist government to be elected in Poland whereas Churchill supported the non-communist London Poles

The Potsdam Conference, 1945

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

• A number of 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

Agreements made at the Potsdam Conference

Potsdam’s Impact on America and the Soviet Union’s Relationship

• The conference at Potsdam had a negative impact on the relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union:

  • Truman had mentioned to Stalin that the USA had successfully tested the atomic bomb through the Trinity test, which increased tensions between both countries

  • Stalin wanted harsher reparations against Germany, while 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