Steady Steps to the UN? Or Steady Steps to the Cold War? Wartime and postwar conferences
Jan 18, 2016
Steady Steps to the UN? Or Steady Steps to the Cold War?
Wartime and postwar conferences
Atlantic/ Newfoundland ConferenceAugust 9-12, 1941
US Aims:• Gain American support to back
British (failed)• Assure that there were no
secret agreements (eg: Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and Poland)
• Arrange repayment of Lend Lease Act – lower GB tariffs against the US
Atlantic/ Newfoundland ConferenceAugust 9-12, 1941
GB Aims:
• US backing of Allies would deter Japan from attacking
Tehran ConferenceNovember 28-December 1 1943
• Establish an “enduring peace”
• First meeting between Stalin and Allies
• Discuss division of defeated Germany
Yalta Conference February 1945
Yalta Conference February 1945
• British and US try to limit Russian post-war influence in the Crimea
• Roosevelt wants Russia to help in the Pacific theatre
• Discuss division of a defeated Germany
• Russia wants a communist Poland (protection)
Potsdam ConferenceJuly 1945
• Churchill didn’t really want Stalin to help in the Pacific Theatre so Russia wouldn’t have too much influence in the Far East
• America had successfully tested an atomic bomb and Truman would let Stalin know about a new bomb and Stalin had little reaction
• Stalin’s objective to obtain economic help from war losses – reparations• US and GB no longer needed Russia’s support against Japan
Primary Evidence
Atlantic/ Newfoundland ConferenceAugust 9-12, 1941
Outcomes• Met aboard the USS Augusta to discuss war
strategy/ plans• Outline postwar strategy:
– Would not seek territorial expansion– Liberalization of international trade– Freedom of the seas– International labour, economic, and welfare
standards– Restoration of self-governments for all
countries that had been occupied during the war and allowing all peoples to choose their own form of government
• US is still “neutral”• Creation of the Atlantic Charter
Atlantic/ Newfoundland ConferenceAugust 9-12, 1941
Significance:1. Publicly affirmed solidarity between
U.S. and Great Britain against Axis2. Laid out President Roosevelt’s
Wilsonian-vision for the postwar world (self-determination, collective security, open seas, etc)
3. Inspiration for colonial subjects throughout the Third World to fight for independence.
Tehran ConferenceNovember 28-December 1 1943
Outcomes• Western Allies assured Stalin they would invade France• Operation Overlord set for May 1944 - later delayed
until June• Russia to help fight Japan after Germany was defeated
Tehran ConferenceNovember 28-December 1 1943
Significance:• "We came here with hope and determination. We leave here,
friends in fact, in spirit and in purpose." • Form a UN• Overlord alleviates pressure on Russia• Commission to work out the division of Germany
Yalta Conference February 1945
Outcomes
• Countries in the Crimea and Poland guaranteed free elections
• Creation of UN confirmed (Charter)
• Reparations
• War Crimes
• Soviet control of lands taken by Japan
Yalta Conference February 1945
Significance
• Race to claim Germany – Russia wins
• Russia regains lands in the east
• Russian liberated territories gain free vote
• French to get a portion of the US/ GB zone of Germany
Potsdam ConferenceJuly 1945
Outcomes:• German military prohibited and prevented• Germany to be administered as single economic unit by Allied Control Council • Stalin allowed to take 25% of West German industry in exchange for food, coal • Nazi leaders to be tried as war criminals at Nuremberg• Korea to be divided • etc
Potsdam ConferenceJuly 1945
Significance:• Ultimatum to Japan to surrender• Stalin doesn’t hold to his promise to allow free
votes in eastern Europe• Germany divided
Division of Germany
Russia enters Berlin first so they get a larger portion of Berlin and the area of Germany around it