Bring only your orange WJEC book to future lessons! You will not be needing the white textbook anymore! Additionally, all future lessons will now be found on the VLE under: Unit 3 – Post World War

LO: To understand the decisions made and why Germany was a key point of discussion. S

Meeting at Yalta February Can you name them? What do you notice about date? Where is Yalta?

The Yalta Conference – Feb 1945 Why there? Why then? Who was there? Why? Yalta

The Yalta conference is often thought of as the beginning of the Cold War. It was a meeting of the Big Three at the former palace of Tsar Nicholas II on the Crimean shore of the Black Sea. They met between 4 and 11 February Stalin’s army had reached the River Oder and were poised to attack Berlin. The Soviet army had been told to pause while the conference took place. Stalin had occupied Poland and had the largest army in Europe.

Decision Making: Yalta Background One of the main aims of a country’s foreign policy is to defend itself against invasion. In 1943 it became clear that the Allies were going to win the war. How was Stalin to prevent future major attacks on Russia, like those of 1914 and 1941? He had to make sure that the countries on Russia’s western borders were friendly, and that Germany was never again strong enough to attack Russia. What do you think the USA and Britain wanted? What would they be worried about?

Decision Making: Yalta Background One of the main aims of a country’s foreign policy is to defend itself against invasion. In 1943 it became clear that the Allies were going to win the war. How was Stalin to prevent future major attacks on Russia, like those of 1914 and 1941? He had to make sure that the countries on Russia’s western borders were friendly, and that Germany was never again strong enough to attack Russia. What do you think the USA and Britain wanted? 1.Worries about Russia expanding into Western Europe. 2.If Germany is too weak Communism could become popular. 3.Free elections in Germany

Decision Making: Yalta Background One of the main aims of a country’s foreign policy is to defend itself against invasion. In 1943 it became clear that the Allies were going to win the war. How was Stalin to prevent future major attacks on Russia, like those of 1914 and 1941? He had to make sure that the countries on Russia’s western borders were friendly, and that Germany was never again strong enough to attack Russia. What do you think the USA and Britain wanted? (4 minutes to save the world) Aims of the Game In Pairs: you are either an advisor to a) Stalin or b) the West. Discuss and offer suggestions on the following 1.Actions of individual Nazis who you will have in custody 2.The Nazi Party and the Nazi government 3.Germany’s military 4.Compensation and reparations 5.How to manage a post war Germany.

Yalta (5 minutes) Use your text book (page 205) and handout to make notes about the key decisions that were made at Yalta. Can you think of any problems with these decisions?

The Yalta Conference: Key decisions made Those responsible for war crimes should be tried in an international court of justice. Germany should be rid of Nazism (denazification) and democracy restored. Germany should be totally disarmed and demilitarised Germany should be divided into separate zones of Allied occupation. Germany should pay compensation for damage done in the war. Why would this last point prove to be so controversial?

The problems of Yalta The Yalta Conference was initially thought to be very successful. However, problems were emerging between the superpowers. Problems 1) The US thought the agreement to ‘democracy and free elections’ meant that Eastern Europe would have freedom of speech and proper elections. 2) The Soviets’ idea of democracy was the communist one, where the Communist Party represented the people, and all worked for the good of the nation. 3) These tensions at Yalta were the beginnings of much deeper mistrust and suspicion that led to the Cold War.

The Potsdam Conference July-August 1945

Explain what is different between these photos (can you put it into context?) YaltaPotsdam

The Potsdam conference ChurchillRoosevelt Stalin Great Britain USAUSSR In May 1945, Germany surrendered. In July and August 1945, the Big Three met again this time at Potsdam. However, the Big Three changed. Truman Atlee

Roosevelt died, and was replaced by Truman. Truman felt Roosevelt had been too soft on the communist USSR. During the Potsdam Conference, Churchill lost a general election and was replaced by Clement Atlee. The ‘new’ Big Three did not get on as well as the original Big Three. In addition to changes in the leaders, there were other tensions at Potsdam.

Tensions at Potsdam Truman was in the middle of trials for the new atomic bomb. He didn’t reveal this, but Stalin secretly knew from his spies. Stalin was furious that Truman kept the issue a ‘secret’, and saw this as a clear threat to the Soviet Union. Stalin was determined to get what he felt the USSR deserved: reparations from Germany and guaranteed future security. Truman was determined to force free elections in Eastern Europe to encourage countries to recover. Stalin had other ideas and wanted to keep the countries weak to act as a buffer zone.

Task #2 Write down the key decisions that were made at Potsdam. Use your text book page 206 and your handout

“Agreements” at Potsdam Germany was divided into four zones. Each zone was occupied by one of the four Allies: Britain, France, USA, and USSR. Out of these zones emerged two countries: West Germany and East Germany. Berlin was divided into four sectors. Germany was to be de-militarised. All German naval and merchant ships were to be given to the Allies. The German people were to be “re-educated” and Nazism stamped out, and war criminals tried and punished.

“Agreements” at Potsdam - Reparations Initially, German reparations were agreed – each country was to take reparations from its own area of occupation. The USA, Britain, and France had intended to weaken Germany but now realised that a strong Germany could act as a buffer against communism, and Stalin’s Soviet Union. Therefore reparations would end in their occupation zones, and they aided Germany’s economic recovery. Reparations for damages did continue in the Soviet- occupied zones.

Final Task Having read pages of your orange WJEC text Complete questions 1,2,3 on page 206: 1. How and why did the peace agreement of Yalta and Potsdam differ from the Treaty of Versailles 2. Why was German economic recovery important to the West 3. What caused the suspicion between the Allies between the Allies after 1945?

Homework over half-term Complete TIG sheets up to this point