1. What is your overall impression of Source 26 (p. 70) and use extracts from the source to support your view. (No fence sitting; you must choose one but not both)
• a reasonable assessment of Stalin’s aims based on the facts
• an overreaction to Stalin’s actions based on fear of and prejudice towards the USSR?
Source 26 expressed how Stalin is irrational because he will not, "co-operate with any non-communist controlled government." This means that Stalin is going to do as he wishes and not listen to anyone else in Europe because the Soviet Union and the countries which it influences is the only communist countries in Europe. Another impression from Source 26 is that the Soviet Union is an extreme threat because of the size of the army and the amount of power that the country has. The Soviet Union wanting to take over the world with a communist rule is an actual threat due to the power they have, which is shown by the title of the report, "The Threat to the Civilization."
2. Source 26 is a British source. Does it seem likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government?
Similar documents could have been made by the American government because the Soviet Union was also a big threat to the United States. One thing that might be different though is that the United States might not be as worried about the Soviet Union taking over the United States, like the British fear that they would do to Great Britain, because the United States is farther away from the Soviet Unions power.
3. Study Source 27 (p. 71) and make a list of three different actions that Communists took to achieve power in eastern Europe. AND Explain how each factor helped. \
- In Hungary the Communist party became the single biggest party in the country and then they imprisoned all politicians that weren't communist and Church leaders. This was a factor that helped the Communist in Hungary because there was no one to go against the Communist rule.
- Communists became the outright leaders of Poland in 1947 when they exiled all non- communist leaders. Once again this made it so there is no threat against the Communist leaders because all of the leaders in Poland are communists.
-In Bulgaria the left wing coalition won the election and the Communist leaders executed all of the the leaders of the other political parties. This not only made it so there was no other threats to the communist rule but it also threatened the people because it showed that if they tried to go against the Communist party they would die.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Potsdam Conference
1. Read Source 17 (p 68). At Yalta, Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed with Stalin that eastern Europe would be a Soviet ‘sphere of influence’. Do you think Source 17 is what they had in mind?
It is not what Churchill and Roosevelt originally had in mind. The original agreement was that Stalin would be able to control parts of eastern Europe if he gives the people the freedom of being able to vote. In source 17 it says that Stalin would be controlling the eastern European countries with a communist rule because that is his social system and he can't help but also rule the countries his way.
2. Would they agree with Stalin’s views expressed in Sources 17 and 18? Explain your answer.
They would not agree with Stalin's views because Stalin is saying that because the Soviet Union borders with Poland he can represent Poland and have control over it, but Great Britain and the United States do not border Poland so they should not has so much say, which it says in source 18. Churchill and Roosevelt would not agree with this idea because they believed that because the United States and Great Britain fought in the war they should have a say in the government that is formed in Poland.
3. Explain how each of the three developments described in the text might affect relationships at Potsdam.
The three developments described in the text is that the Soviet Union controlled most of Eastern Europe, the USA had a new President, and the United States has just formed a successful atomic bomb. Stalin wanted to keep control over the countries he has control over in Eastern Europe because it is also part of the land which the Soviet Union lost after World War I, this affects the relationships during the Potsdam conference because Stalin wants to fight for the land, which Truman and Attlee do not want the Soviet Union to have so much control. Truman was the new President in the United States, and Truman was more of an anti-communist than Roosevelt meaning that he is a lot more harsher on Stalin which causes more disagreement. Lastly the United States just found out that the Trinity Test was a success, meaning that the United States no longer needed the Soviet Unions to help them win the Pacific War against Japan, which means that Truman can be a lot more harsh on the Soviet Union because they no longer need them for anything.
It is not what Churchill and Roosevelt originally had in mind. The original agreement was that Stalin would be able to control parts of eastern Europe if he gives the people the freedom of being able to vote. In source 17 it says that Stalin would be controlling the eastern European countries with a communist rule because that is his social system and he can't help but also rule the countries his way.
2. Would they agree with Stalin’s views expressed in Sources 17 and 18? Explain your answer.
They would not agree with Stalin's views because Stalin is saying that because the Soviet Union borders with Poland he can represent Poland and have control over it, but Great Britain and the United States do not border Poland so they should not has so much say, which it says in source 18. Churchill and Roosevelt would not agree with this idea because they believed that because the United States and Great Britain fought in the war they should have a say in the government that is formed in Poland.
3. Explain how each of the three developments described in the text might affect relationships at Potsdam.
The three developments described in the text is that the Soviet Union controlled most of Eastern Europe, the USA had a new President, and the United States has just formed a successful atomic bomb. Stalin wanted to keep control over the countries he has control over in Eastern Europe because it is also part of the land which the Soviet Union lost after World War I, this affects the relationships during the Potsdam conference because Stalin wants to fight for the land, which Truman and Attlee do not want the Soviet Union to have so much control. Truman was the new President in the United States, and Truman was more of an anti-communist than Roosevelt meaning that he is a lot more harsher on Stalin which causes more disagreement. Lastly the United States just found out that the Trinity Test was a success, meaning that the United States no longer needed the Soviet Unions to help them win the Pacific War against Japan, which means that Truman can be a lot more harsh on the Soviet Union because they no longer need them for anything.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Origins of the Cold War: Yalta Conference
Questions
1. What month and year did the Yalta Conference place?
The Yalta conference took place in February 1945.
2. While the conference was taking place who were the Allies (Big Three) still fighting? Be specific.(Consider as well, what hadn't taken place yet that you've already studied.)
The Allies were still fighting in World War II against Germany because Germany did not official surrender till May of 1945. The United States was also fighting Japan in the War in the Pacific.
3. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?
Roosevelt had a fear that if they did not come to agreement to the fate of postwar Germany that the Soviet Union will take it over and give the Germans a harsh payment for the war and make the Eastern part of Germany communist. Most of the Yalta conference was about the fate of postwar Germany but in the end they could not come to a final decisions about what to do.
4. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?
A few decisions were made during the Yalta conference. For one it was decided that Germany would temporarily be divide into four parts, one for each of of the countries of Great Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union in order that each country would get the war debt back from Germany. Another decision made was that the Soviet Union would help the United States fight against Japan after Germany surrendered. Stalin said that the Soviet Union would declare war on Japan 90 days after Germany surrendered. Lastly, they decided to have a meeting later on in San Francisco to establish the United Nations.
1. What month and year did the Yalta Conference place?
The Yalta conference took place in February 1945.
2. While the conference was taking place who were the Allies (Big Three) still fighting? Be specific.(Consider as well, what hadn't taken place yet that you've already studied.)
The Allies were still fighting in World War II against Germany because Germany did not official surrender till May of 1945. The United States was also fighting Japan in the War in the Pacific.
3. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?
Roosevelt had a fear that if they did not come to agreement to the fate of postwar Germany that the Soviet Union will take it over and give the Germans a harsh payment for the war and make the Eastern part of Germany communist. Most of the Yalta conference was about the fate of postwar Germany but in the end they could not come to a final decisions about what to do.
4. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?
A few decisions were made during the Yalta conference. For one it was decided that Germany would temporarily be divide into four parts, one for each of of the countries of Great Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union in order that each country would get the war debt back from Germany. Another decision made was that the Soviet Union would help the United States fight against Japan after Germany surrendered. Stalin said that the Soviet Union would declare war on Japan 90 days after Germany surrendered. Lastly, they decided to have a meeting later on in San Francisco to establish the United Nations.
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