US, British and USSR Relations in 1945 (AQA A-Level History): Revision Notes

Tensions at Yalta

The deteriorating Grand Alliance

By early 1945, the wartime alliance between Britain, the USA and the USSR against Nazi Germany—known as the Grand Alliance—was beginning to fracture. Although the three powers had cooperated militarily throughout the war, underlying ideological differences and competing post-war visions were becoming increasingly apparent. The Western powers had opened a 'second front' in June 1944 by invading Nazi-occupied France, but as Germany faced collapse, Soviet forces swept westward at tremendous speed.

This rapid Soviet advance alarmed Western leaders. Many Eastern European states had already been liberated from Nazi occupation by the USSR rather than by Anglo-American forces. The question of what political systems would emerge in these territories exposed the different priorities of the wartime allies. Roosevelt remained committed to establishing post-war reconstruction based on cooperation among the victorious powers, yet Stalin sought absolute security through a network of Eastern European states under Soviet influence. This difference in approach created mounting tension in the weeks before the Yalta Conference.

The Yalta Conference, 4-11 February 1945

Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill convened at Yalta, a resort city in the Crimea, to plan for the imminent conclusion of the war against Germany. The conference, held from 4-11 February 1945, represented the high point of inter-allied cooperation on paper, appearing to confirm that the Grand Alliance remained intact and that its members were committed to a lasting consensus in international relations following the war. However, beneath this facade of unity, the objectives of the three leaders were not aligned.

Conflicting objectives at Yalta

The conference exposed stark differences between what Roosevelt and Churchill sought compared to what Stalin demanded. These diverging aims reflected fundamentally incompatible visions for post-war Europe.

Roosevelt and Churchill's objectives included:

• Establishing collective security founded on the United Nations
• Maintaining long-term cooperation with the USSR
• Guaranteeing the right to national self-determination with no imposed spheres of influence
• Reconstructing Germany and re-educating it as a democratic nation
• Implementing world economic reconstruction through the creation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank

Stalin's objectives included:

• Ensuring the USSR retained control over its own destiny without Western interference
• Securing cooperation with Britain and America only where it served Soviet interests
• Establishing Soviet security through guaranteed spheres of influence across Europe
• Keeping Germany weak indefinitely to prevent future German aggression
• Achieving economic reconstruction for the USSR, primarily at Germany's expense through reparations

Agreements reached at Yalta

Despite the underlying tensions, the conference produced several concrete agreements:

Germany would be divided into four occupation zones, each administered by one allied power (the USA, the USSR, Britain and France). This arrangement aimed to prevent any single power from dominating post-war Germany while ensuring coordinated reconstruction efforts.

Berlin would be similarly divided among the four powers, even though the city lay deep within the Soviet zone of occupation. This compromise reflected Western determination to maintain a presence in the German capital.

The United Nations Organisation would be formally ratified, fulfilling Roosevelt's vision of a permanent international body dedicated to maintaining peace through collective security arrangements.

The USSR would gain territory from Poland, while Poland would be expanded northward and westward at Germany's expense. This redrawing of borders reflected Stalin's determination to create a buffer zone between the Soviet Union and potential Western adversaries.

The reality behind apparent consensus

While the Yalta Conference generated optimism about continued East-West cooperation, the reality was that relations between Roosevelt and Churchill on one side and Stalin on the other were already deteriorating. The agreements masked profound disagreements about implementation and interpretation.

Stalin's position and priorities

The Second World War had devastated the Soviet Union. Conservative estimates suggested 25 million Soviet citizens had died, accompanied by the mass destruction of towns, cities, agriculture and industry. Against this backdrop, lasting security became Stalin's supreme objective. Both Stalin and Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov viewed the Western allies as fundamentally opposed to Soviet interests despite the wartime alliance. Nevertheless, Stalin remained pragmatic, recognizing the value of maintaining some avenue for cooperation with the West, particularly regarding economic reconstruction.

Stalin insisted Poland must be "free, independent and powerful," yet these terms meant something very different to Soviet leaders than to Western observers. Stalin's broader priorities in Europe focused on ensuring that Eastern Europe remained within a Soviet sphere of influence, with the long-term intention of transforming Germany into a communist state. The dismemberment of Germany would serve Soviet interests not merely by eliminating a military threat but by keeping Germany economically weak, thereby preventing it from competing with Soviet reconstruction efforts or aligning with Western powers.

Key figures at Yalta

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)

Roosevelt had served as US president since 1933, ending American isolationism when he brought the USA into the war in 1941. He was a committed democrat who nonetheless prepared to support the USSR within the Grand Alliance framework. Roosevelt held optimistic views about meaningful international cooperation continuing after the war concluded. His health was declining by the time of Yalta, and he would die just two months later in April 1945, leaving his successor Harry Truman to navigate the deteriorating relationship with Stalin.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Churchill became British prime minister in 1940 during Britain's darkest hour. Although he established a working relationship with Stalin out of wartime necessity, Churchill quickly grew deeply suspicious of Soviet post-war intentions. He was anxious to maintain unity among the Western capitalist powers against what he regarded as a fundamental threat from the USSR. Churchill's concerns about Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe would prove prescient, though his influence would diminish after Labour's election victory in July 1945 replaced him with Clement Attlee.

Vyacheslav Molotov (1890-1986)

Molotov was a loyal supporter of Stalin who served as Soviet Foreign Minister from 1939 to 1949 and again from 1953 to 1957. He functioned as the leading Soviet representative at Yalta and Potsdam, playing a central role in formulating Soviet foreign policy. Many regarded his uncompromising attitudes as making a substantial contribution to the collapse of East-West relations. Molotov consistently prioritized Soviet security interests over accommodation with Western demands.