Short Term Causes

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Yalta and Potsdam Conferences- Conferences between the allies to discuss:

What to do with Germany after surrender

What to do with occupied countries after liberation

How to end the war in Japan

How to maintain lasting peace

Yalta Conference (February 1945):

The Leaders present were:

Stalin (Leader of the USSR)

Roosevelt (President of the USA)

Churchill (Prime Minister of Britain)

Agreements:

All 3 agreed to join the United Nations

Germany to be divided into four zones of occupation (Britain, France, USA and USSR)

Berlin to be divided into four zones the same as Germany

Stalin to have a 'sphere of influence' in Eastern Europe

'Free elections to be held to decided governments countries liberated from Nazi occupation

USSR to join the war against Japan once Hitler had been defeated.

Disagreements:Stalin insisted on a 'friendly government' (communist) in Poland. The West demanded free elections in Poland.

Potsdam Conference (July 1945):

The Leaders present were:

Stalin (Leader of the USSR)

Truman (President of the USA)

Attlee (Prime Minister of Britain)

Personality Clash:

Truman, the new President of the USA, was fiercely anti-communist.

He was not prepared to negotiate with Stalin which angered Stalin

Agreements:

USSR to gain eastern Poland and Poland to be compensated with some German land

Nazi Party to be banned and Nazi war criminals to be put on trial

Disagreements:

Stalin denied a naval base in the Mediterranean

Stalin demanded harsh reparations for Germany for the USSR ($20 billion compensation). This figure was rejected by Truman and Attlee because they didn't want to make the same mistakes as at Versailles

Stalin had set up a communist government in Poland without free elections being held- this angered Truman and Attlee and made them suspicious of Stalin's motives