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-Feburary 1945, Yalta Crimea
-Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin
-Allies were advancing through France and Belgium, approching the Rhine
-Soviets were in Poland
-Plans of Action for the occupation of the defeated German State.
Discussions were:
-The Declaration of Freedom for Liberated Europe
-Democratic Processes
-Promoting Economy Recovery
-Pursuing anti-Nazi policies
-Helping liberated countries in establishing provisional governments
Agreed to:
-Germany divided in four zones (France, USA, USSR, Great Britain)
-Dismemberment with inter-Allied cooperation and consultation
-German Reparation payments
-German leadership was to put on Trial for war crimes
-Non-German territories in central Europe were to be restored as Independent countries (Yugoslavia, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania)
-Poland lost territory in the east and gained territory from the west of Germany
-USSR agreed to join war against Japan 2-3 months after German surrender- In Exchange ist dominance over Mongolia was confirmed and parts in east Asia

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Germany surrendered unconditionally

Truman, Attlee, & Stalin

Germany was divided into four occupation zones, under control of the US, the UK, France & the USSR  → origin of the Cold War

Soviet army occupied the Baltic countries and most of eastern and southern Europe

The US accepted Soviet domination in eastern Europe as it felt that it needed Soviet assistance in defeating the Japanese

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Stalin’s expansion into eastern Europe and the proliferation of communism

Long Telegram

George Kennan

The US should avoid direct military confrontation with the USSR

Positive propaganda → make capitalism & democracy attractive to vulnerable countries

Weaken Soviet dominance in Europe

Containment & Truman Doctrine

Prevent the spread of communism

Avoid direct military conflict with the USSR

Military and financial assistance → undermined communism through non-confrontational means

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Economic assistance to European countries

European Recovery Program (ERP)

Offered loans to help rebuild European countries

Included the USSR and its satellites

The Soviets refused the aid and pressure the other European nations to do so

Truman condemned this action & stated that the US would oppose any government that was against European recovery

Granted assistances to countries such as Greece and Turkey

Continued American presence in Europe

Created close trade relations between Marshall Plan countries and North America that continued for decades

Influence and importance of communist parties diminished → gained popularity among the public

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-June 24th, Stalin orders the Berlin blockade and closes all land routes from West Germany to Berlin to starve the French, British and American troops from the city. In response, the three Western powers launch the Berlin Airlift to provide the Berliners with the plane
-28 June to 11 May 1949: The Berlin Airlift defeats Russia's attempt to starve West Berlin.
-May 11th, 1949
The Soviet blockade of Berlin ends with the reopening of the access roads to Berlin. The airlift will continue until September, when the Soviets restore the blockade. The blockade had been unsuccessful, bringing the Western powers closer together than sharing them.
Western countermeasures had caused considerable damage to economic life in East Germany and the other Soviet satellites.

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Mutual defense agreement

North Atlantic Treaty

An attack on one would be considered an attack on all, and that they would coordinate joint military action in the event of such an attack

Mutual Defense Assistance Program

Allocated $1.4 billion to assist the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Established military bases in NATO countries

US influence remained in Europe

USSR response → Warsaw Pact (1955) collective security agreement of its satellite states

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Response for Marshall Plan & ERP

Socialist countries such as China & Cuba

To provide economic stability to the eastern European countries → strengthen the Soviet position in eastern Europe in response to Marshall Plan

To coordinate the socialist economies in a mutually beneficial manner

COMECON policies were dictated by the USSR

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The doctrine of trying to push a geopolitical goal by rapidly escalating tensions and stopping shortly before the outbreak of a grand crisis, which gives a nation political leverage to achieve a certain goal. This was, for example, practiced by both Nikita Khrushchev and JFK during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when both sides continued to escalate tensions with positioning nuclear weaponry near  Cuba (and in the case of the USSR in Cuba). At the end of the crisis both countries succeeded, given that the USSR removed missiles from Cuba and the US removed missiles from Turkey.

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Before the entrance of the soviets and the USA, the Allies consisted of The United Kingdom, France, the Chinese Republic, The British Commonwealth, Yugoslavia, Greece, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway and Czechoslovakia. When Germany invade Poland, all of these nations were pulled into war with the Axis (Third Reich, Fascist Italy, and Japan). In January of 1941, the Germans double crossed their non aggression pact with the USSR and invaded them during operation Barbarossa. the SU did not pledge war against all of the axis though not declaring war against Japan. In December 1 1941, the Japanese attacked pearl harbour and the US pledged support to the allied cause. Tho initially not so militarily proactive, the US was crucial in providing support to the allies through Land Lease. The USSR and the US formed the Grand alliance, which was also incorporated by other countries around the world, like Brasil and South Africa.

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Tito was one of the many strongmen to come out of the Second World War. Whilst he implemented authoritarian policies, his Pan-Slavic nationalism united Yugoslavia and kept centuries old racial tensions in check. He adopted Market-Socialism. His attempts to approach the west brought him great recognition within the western democracies, but distanced his regime from the Eastern bloc, who wanted Yugoslavia to remain as a puppet state loyal to Stalin's Rule.

Song: With Great Marshal Tito

We're from an ancient tribe, but Goths we don't ascribe,
As we're children of ancient Slavs.
He who says otherwise merely slanders and lies,
And surely will face our wrath.
He who says otherwise merely slanders and lies,
And surely will face our wrath.

(Notice the element of Slavness, which was an appeal of his doctrine.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1Dfp5mnkow

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When Soviet Premier and General Secretary of the Supreme Soviet and Politburo, Marshal Josef Stalin had a stroke, the USSR was temporarily thrown into great turmoil, as opposing politicians rushed in to fill the enormous power gap. When he had the stroke, soviet leaders, led by Malenkov, struggled to find a doctor, for Stalin had executed most high profile doctors in the Doctor's Plot, a conspiracy that Jewish doctors wanted to kill him. After his death, Beria (the leader of the Security Forces the NKVD) attempted to take over control of Moscow with his troops and civil war almost ensued between them and the Red Army. During this time, the Chinese had an official period of mourning for Stalin. Some people who celebrated Stalin's death were persecuted by the NKVD. Beria, however began deconstructing the image of Stalin within the central committee by providing evidence that Stalin knowingly executed innocent soviet officials. Malenkov then took control, but his rule was characterized by failed attempts at granting more autonomy to farmers in the soviet union.

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After taking power in 1954, Nikita Khrushchev began a process of de-stalinizing the USSR, in the hopes that once the crimes of Stalin had been denounced by the Party, the population would become more loyal to it. This period was called Khrushchev's Thaw, and was characterized by the release of several political prisoners, halting of purges and political assassinations and liberalization of repression against free speech. Though initially very popular, Khrushchev's attempts at improving the lives of ordinary Soviet citizens were not as effective when put into practice, and thus, he suffered in popularity. It is interesting to know that even though he opposed Stalin after taking power, Khrushchev rose into power by supporting Stalin and enacting his purges, being instrumental to Stalin's rule in Ukraine before World War 2 and defending Stalingrad during its seige.