Iron Curtain Separates Europe

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?                
My impression of Source 26 was that the British were very against Stalin and didn't want him to take over the world. They had a reasonable assessment of Stalin's aims based on the facts. They were taking everything very seriously and considered that there is a possibility that he could take over the world and he likely wants to.



  
2. Source 26 is a British source. Does it seem likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government?    
It seems very likely that documents similar to the British Source 26 were being produced by the American government. America was just as involved as the British and largely agreed upon most things, and it is very likely that they also feared that Stalin was a threat to civilization. 




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.  
1.) Killed/executed opposing politicians- without competition, they couldn't lose
2.) Take control of all countries that were their enemies in WWII- If they controlled them, they couldn't be opposed by them
3.) Become leader of a country, then make it exclusively communist- Communism was the only option and would last for a while



 

Origins of the Cold War: Yalta Conference

1. What month and year did the Yalta Conference place?      
The Yalta Conference took place in February 1945, from the 4th until the 11th 




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.)        
At the time of the Yalta Conference, the Big Three Allies were fighting Hitler/Germany/the Nazis as well as the Japanese

 

3. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?        
Roosevelt was anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany because he wanted the Soviets' help fighting in Japan and he wanted Stalin's support for The United Nations, a new peace-keeping organization. 

 

4. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?
At the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin decided to divide Germany into four separate zones, on each for America, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. Stalin promised free elections and to join the war on Japan, and to attend a conference where the United Nations would form.

War in the Pacific

1. In what ways were the American victory at Midway and the Japanese triumph at Pearl Harbor alike?      
At Pearl Harbor, the Japanese bombed many American weapons and the Americans were defenseless. The same battle at Midway was very similar, but this time the Americans were attacking the Japanese. The Japanese were devastated, which made up for how devastated the Americans were after Pearl Harbor.


2. Why was the Battle of Leyte Gulf so crucial to the Allies?      
Japan had disastrous results and lost 3 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers, 13 cruisers and nearly 500 -lanes. From this point on, the Imperial Navy wasn't too important to Japan's defense. 


3. Why was Okinawa a significant island in the war in the Pacific?      
After they took Iwo Jima, It was the only island that stood between the Allies and a final assault on Japan.


4. What was the Manhattan Project? And who was J. Robert Oppenheimer?        
The Manhattan project was the development of the atomic bomb. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the lead research developer of this.


5. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?      
Because he wanted the USSR to help America against Japan in the pacific and he wanted Stalin's support for the United Nations- a world peace-keeping organization.


6. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?        
Germany would be divided into 4 zones; America, Britain, France and the USSR each would control one. These zones would eventually combine together for a reunited Germany. Stalin promised "free and unfettered elections" in Poland and other Eastern-European countries that the USSR occupied. Stalin also agreed to join in the war against Japan, and to participate in an international conference, where Roosevelt's dream of the United Nations would come true.


7. At the trials, many Nazis defended themselves by saying they were only following orders. What does this rationale tell you about the German military? Why was it important to negate this justification?   
This tells us how the German military would follow any order that they were given and were very loyal. It was important to negate these Nazis' justifications because despite the orders they were given, they still followed them and committed these horrible acts. This established the concept of individual responsibility even in times of war.