Activity 1 - How did war aims differ?

  1. Explore - Read Slides 3-4 of the Lesson Presentation. Make notes on the post-war aims of the Big 3 powers. 
  2. Discuss - Considering their post-war aims, what do you think would be the main disagreements?
  3. Examine - Examine this short biography of Joseph Stalin. In what ways did Stalinism shape foreign policy?
  4. Watch - Watch this video about the first meeting between Churchill and Stalin in 1941. What does the video reveal about the relationship between Churchill and Stalin?

Activity 2 - What disagreements emerged?

  1. Examine - Read and make notes from Slides 5-21 of the Lesson Presentation on the issues discussed at the wartime conferences.
  2. Analyse - In groups, complete this worksheet analysing the agreements and disagreements made during the three major wartime conferences. Each group should focus on the key issues from one of these conferences:
    1. The Tehran Conference - 1943
    2. The Yalta Conference - 1945
    3. The Potsdam Conference - 1945
  3. Identify - Look at the issues which were discussed at the three conferences. Which issues were satisfactorily resolved? Which decisions were likely to cause tension in the future?
  4. Discuss - What were the most significant agreements and disagreements? 

Activity 3 - What was the outcome of war?

  1. Analyse - What was the outcome of the wartime conferences for each member of the Grand Alliance? How would these outcomes affect the post-war world? Complete the table on this worksheet by considering:
    1. Territorial gains
    2. Political gains
    3. Ideological gains
    4. Effect on the post-war world
  2. Discuss - Which of the great powers benefited the most from the Second World War?

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Mamaux, A. (2015). Oxford IBDP Programme - The Cold War, pp. 17-29
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Gaddis, J.L. (2006). The Cold War - A New History, pp. 18-34
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Williamson, D.G. (2015). Access to History - The Cold War, pp. 20-37, 39-46
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