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Year 11
AQA

Early causes of tension between the USA and the USSR

I can explain why there was tension and disagreement between the USA and the USSR at the end of the Second World War.

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New
New
Year 11
AQA

Early causes of tension between the USA and the USSR

I can explain why there was tension and disagreement between the USA and the USSR at the end of the Second World War.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Grand Alliance put aside their differences during the Second World War to defeat their common enemy, Nazi Germany.
  2. Tensions emerged amongst the Grand Alliance because of different ideologies and priorities.
  3. Important agreements were made at the Tehran Conference and the Yalta Conference about the post-war world.
  4. Tensions increased at the Potsdam Conference for a range of reasons including a change in US President.
  5. The Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe remained a source of significant tension between the USA and USSR.

Common misconception

There was only significant tension between members of the Grand Alliance at the Potsdam Conference when the war had ended and Roosevelt had been replaced by Truman as US President.

Although tensions increased significantly by the Potsdam Conference, there was a high level of mistrust between the members of the Grand Alliance from early on. This is illustrated by Stalin's concern about the delays in opening a second front.

Keywords

  • Cold War - a period between c. 1945 and c. 1991 of intense rivalry and tension between the USA and the USSR

  • USSR - a collection of states known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; also known as the Soviet Union

  • Ideologies - sets of beliefs and ideas

  • Communist - relating to a system of government where all property is owned by the state and resources are shared equally

  • Capitalist - relating to an economic system where businesses and resources are owned privately for profit

Explore American and Soviet attitudes in more depth by analysing contemporary political cartoons.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Who were the winners of World War Two (WW2)?
Germany
Correct answer: USSR
Correct answer: Britain
Japan
Correct answer: USA
Q2.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - WW1
2 - WW2
3 - Cold War
Q3.
Who was on the side of Germany in WW2?
Correct answer: Italy
Britain
Correct answer: Japan
USA
Q4.
What was the USSR also known as?
the United States of America
the United Kingdom
Correct answer: the Soviet Union
Correct answer: the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Q5.
Match the country to the wartime leader during WW2.
Correct Answer:USA,Franklin Roosevelt

Franklin Roosevelt

Correct Answer:Britain,Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

Correct Answer:USSR,Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin

Correct Answer:Germany,Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler

Q6.
WW2 finally ended on September 2, 1945 following the surrender of which country?
USSR
Britain
Correct answer: Japan
USA
Italy

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which keyword describes a period between c. 1945 and c. 1991 of intense rivalry and tension between the USA and the USSR?
Correct Answer: Cold War, cold war, The Cold War, the Cold War, the cold war
Q2.
What was the ideology of the USSR during WW2?
Correct Answer: communist, Communist, communism, Communism
Q3.
What was the ideology of the USA during WW2?
Correct Answer: capitalist, Capitalist, capitalism, Capitalism
Q4.
Put the events in the correct chronological order.
1 - the Tehran Conference
2 - the Yalta Conference
3 - the Potsdam Conference
Q5.
Why was there a change in leadership at the Potsdam Conference?
Correct answer: Because Roosevelt died in April 1945 and was replaced
Because Churchill died in April 1945 and was replaced
Correct answer: Because Churchill's party lost the 1945 election so he was replaced
Because Roosevelt's party lost the 1945 election so he was replaced
Q6.
What did Truman announce the day after the Potsdam Conference began?
that the USA was pulling out of the conference as he hated Stalin
Correct answer: that the USA had successfully developed the world’s first atomic bomb
that the USSR had successfully developed the world’s first atomic bomb
that Britain was pulling out of the conference due to the election result

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