1. Steps to the Political, Economic and Military Division of Europe
Part I of II

2. Introduction
By 1949, Europe divided into two sphere’s of influence, West Germany and East Germany established
Steps that led to this division
Wartime Conferences: Tehran, Yalta, Potsdam
Kennan’s Long Telegram
Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech
Truman Doctrine and Cominform
Marshall Plan
Red Army Occupation of Eastern Europe
Czech Coup
Berlin Blockade
East Germany and West Germany Established
NATO Established

3. Breakdown of the Grand Alliance
Beginning of alliance was when Soviets received aid from Churchill and Roosevelt in 1941
Churchill still disliked Stalin, mutual suspicion
Stalin had demanded a second front in Europe
Allies had only agreed in principle, Stalin thinks delays are intentional

4. Wartime Conferences Issues to be addressed State of the war
Status of Germany, Poland, Eastern Europe and Japan
United Nations

5. Tehran Conference Nov. 1943 State of the War Germany Poland
Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill – Big Three
State of the War
By 1943, Allies had begun to win the war
Soviets pushing Germans in East, Allies in North Africa
Not yet a second front
Germany
Differences from wartime experiences, unconditional surrender confirmed
Poland
Stalin seeking security, wanted territory from Poland, pro-Soviet government there
Tensions increased in 1943 with discovery of mass graves in Katyn forest

6. Tehran Conference Eastern Europe Japan United Nations Conclusion
Soviets demanded territory they had seized, meant the Baltic States, parts of Finland and Romania
Agreed, but against the Atlantic Charter
Japan
Pressed Soviets to enter the war, could not be convinced
United Nations
Supported by all participants
Conclusion
Agreement on UN
Need for a post-war weak Germany
Roosevelt played mediator between the other two
May have believed British imperialism was the real problem
Not concerned about Stalin

7. Yalta Conference
Feb. 1945, Stalin’s position strengthened as Red Army occupied most of Eastern Europe
State of the War
Germany almost defeated, second front opened, Ready to invade Germany
USA in control of the air and sea in the Pacific, preparing for invasion
Germany
Would be disarmed, demilitarized, de-Nazified and divided
Four zones, temporary, run as one country by the Allied Control Commission
Would pay $20 billion, 50 percent to USSR

8. Yalta Conference Poland Presented the greatest problem still
Borders established at Russo-Polish War of lines
Oder-Neisse Line in the west
Stalin got what he wanted
Gave in to ‘free elections’ in democratic government
British supported ‘London Poles’, pre-war government, Russians wanted Communist group

9. Yalta Conference Eastern Europe Japan United Nations Conclusions
Again ‘free elections’, seen as significant for British and Americans
Japan
Stalin promised to enter the war with Japan as soon as Europe was finished
Demanded territory in return, accepted
United Nations
Stalin agreed to join
Five permanent members of the Security Council, each with veto power
Conclusions
Structure of the UN
Soviets help with Japan
‘Declaration for Liberated Europe’

10. Between the Conferences
Radical changes occur before Potsdam
Roosevelt died in April 1945, Truman in with ‘get tough’ policy towards Stalin
Germany finally surrendered unconditionally May 7
Churchill lost the 1945 UK general election
Succeeded by Labour Party leader Clement Atlee
Soviet Red Army occupied Germany
Day after the conference began, US tested the bomb

11. Potsdam Conference July 1945, Stalin, Truman, Atlee State of the War
Americans poised to invade Japan, introduced bomb
Germany
Would be administrating in their own ways throughout each occupation zone
Economy was to be run as a whole
Eastern zone to give food to others
Poland
Truman not happy over prior agreements
Stalin could not appease Truman, left alone

12. Potsdam Conference Eastern Europe Japan United Nations Conclusion
U.S. also unhappy with Eastern Europe Percentage Agreements
Too much for Soviets, but they were already in the land
Difficult to force them to change, an occupation force
Japan
Atomic bomb tests successful, August 6 first one
Did not ask for Soviet aid
United Nations
Established with Treaty of San Francisco in same year
Stalin used veto power well
Conclusion
Agreement for immediate, practical control of Germany
Establishment of UN

13. Churchill’s Copy of Percentages Agreement

14. Other Key Developments
Other Key Developments

15. Salami Tactics Slicing off Eastern Europe piece by piece
Supervised organization of anti-fascist governments
Parties were pruned, leaving only Communists trained by Moscow
Leaders were often those who spent the war hiding in Moscow

16. Case Study: Poland
Free elections promised at Yalta to be held in weeks
January 19, 1947
Campaign of murder, censorship and intimidation
50,000 deported to Siberia
Polish Peasant Party had 246 candidates disqualified
149 arrested, 18 murdered
One million voters taken off the register
Soviets called all of this a victory over Western expansionism
Pattern in Eastern Europe

17. Soviet Pressure on Iran
At Tehran, had been agreed British and Soviets would withdraw their troops from Iran after the war
Stalin left his there, quelling ‘internal rebellion’
Soviet troops encouraged a Communism uprising
Iranian government complained to British and Americans
First UN crisis
Moscow finally removed troops

18. Instability Elsewhere
Pro-Communist rebellions in Greece and Turkey
Believed to be supported by Soviets
Communist parties also grew in Italy and France due to economic deprivation at the end of the war
Certainly weak links in anti-Communist Western Europe

19. Kennan’s Long Telegram, Feb. 1946
Key U.S. diplomat in Moscow, George F. Kennan sent a telegram to the State Dept.
Views would have a lasting impact
USSR view of the world was one of insecurity
Soviets wanted to advance Stalinism
Soviets were cruel and repression and justified it through perceived evil outside of the Stalinist system
Fanatically hostile to the West, but not suicidal
Logic of force

20. Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech
March 1946, former PM now in Missouri at Westminster College
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Despite hopes for free elections, Eastern Europe was Communist, presence of Red Army
Soviet Reaction
Stalin saw the speech as racist, called it a call to war, compared Churchill to Hitler
Withdrew from IMF
Stepped up propaganda
Five-Year Plan