Information from the Edexcel History Textbook
| Front | Yalta |
| Back | February 1945Held to discuss winning the war and a post-war European governmentGermany would be split into four zones; USA, Britain, France, USSRGermany would pay $20 billion in reparations, half of which would go to the USSRNazi Party banned & war criminals executedUnited Nations set up, first metting on 25 April 1945. USA & France rejected the idea that each Soviet Republic would have membership, so only Russia, Ukriane and Belarus were admittedStalin agreed to join the War against JapanStalin agreed that future governments in the Eastern Bloc would be decided by free electionsPoland's borders would return to their position in 1921, and there would be free elections. Stalin expected this to bring about a pro-communist government, whereas Britain supported the London Poles |
| Front | Strategic Defense Initiative |
| Back | Reagan knew the soviet economy was struggling, so he increased spending to create problems for the Soviet Union as they would need to find extra funding to counter it1983 - Reagan announced the SDI ("Star Wars") which would place a series of satellites in orbit, carrying powerful lasers to shoot down missiles (against the Outer Space Treaty). However, the SDI was years from being ready, but made to seem like a realitySoviets now realised their missiles would be made redundantsignificant factor behind Gorbachev's new thinking |
| Front | Soviet reaction to the Prague Spring |
| Back | Brezhnev ordered Warsaw Pact troops to carry out manoeuvres in Czechoslovakia to threaten DubcekAfter Dubcek invited Ceausescu of Romania and Tito of Yugoslavia to Prague for talks, Brezhnev took action20 August 1968 - 500,000 Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia and ended the Prague Spring. There was little resistance, other than individual acts of bravery (blocking roads, attacking tanks etc.)Invading forces were told they had been invited to restore law and order and were shocked by the hostility they encounteredDubcek was arrested, sent to Moscow, and forces to reverse his reforms1969 - he was dismissed and replaced by hard-line communist and Soviet loyalist Gustav Husak |