The Breakdown of the Grand Alliance and the Origins of the Cold War, 1942-1946

The Breakdown of the Grand Alliance and the Origins of the Cold War, 1942-1946 provides a detailed explanation of the key events and the Allied approaches to them, producing the breakdown of the Grand Alliance. Given the commitment by all three Allies to maintain cooperation over and into the post-war world, an analysis of why that failed.

The Breakdown of the Grand Alliance and the Origins of the Cold War, 1942-1946 starts with the evidence that the Soviet Union and its two Allies were initially aiming to achieve post-war cooperation over the nature of the international system and maintaining that cooperation after peace was established it then provides a detailed explanation of how that commitment began to be questioned from September 1944 and an analysis of why confrontational policies began to supersede those of cooperation from 31 December 1944 partly. Particular attention is paid to Poland, Romania, Germany, and the countries bordering on the northern and southern Mediterranean shores in which the UK and USSR had particular interests. The conferences of Yalta and Potsdam are covered while also examining Tehran. The initial Councils of Foreign Ministers are given considerable attention, along with the possibilities raised of extending the two temporary 1944 spheres of influence arrangements.

The aim of the book is to provide evidence different to the standard focus on Eastern Europe as the initial origins of the Cold War's causes. Rather than assuming the Soviet intention was essentially always to expand Soviet power or achieve communist domination over what eventually became the Soviet satellite empire. Just because this was what eventually happened does not mean that this was always the objective whether or not re-enforced by ideology. Different assumptions about initial Soviet aims are based on evidence suggesting that until the autumn of 1944, these aims, and the US Moscow embassy's interpretation of those aims, were to maintain cooperation with the Western Allies. The specific questions are what led these aims to change and when they first became evident and developed between Dec 1944 and Sept 1945. The inconsistencies inherent in this process saw doubts arising on both sides as to whether confrontation or continued efforts at cooperation should be prioritised until the end of 1945