This section examines how the Allied forces advanced through Europe during the closing stages of the Second World War, shaping the political divisions that would define the early Cold War.

Background to Liberation

The concept of liberation in 1944–45 referred to the military campaigns that removed Nazi German control from occupied territories. However, the meaning of liberation differed sharply between the Western Allies—principally the United States, Britain, and France—and the Soviet Union.

The Military Context

By 1943, the Axis powers were retreating:

• In the West, Allied forces landed in Italy (1943) and later in Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944.

• In the East, the Red Army pushed westward after victories at Stalingrad (1943) and Kursk (1943).

A labelled map of Soviet advances from August 1943 to December 1944, indicating major thrusts toward Central and Eastern Europe. It helps students visualise how Soviet occupation followed military progress and fed into post-war political control. Source

These offensives not only defeated Germany but determined who would occupy liberated regions.

Liberation in the West

Western Allied Advance

The Western Allies aimed to restore democratic governments and rebuild free societies. Key stages included:

• Operation Overlord (D-Day) and the liberation of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

• Entry into Germany from the west by late 1944–45.

The liberation here emphasised:

• Re-establishing pre-war governments or facilitating free elections.

• Providing emergency relief and planning economic recovery, laying foundations for later initiatives like the Marshall Plan.

Political Intentions

Western leaders such as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill sought a post-war Europe based on:

• Self-determination—the principle that nations should choose their own governments.

• Limiting Soviet influence, though early cooperation was necessary to defeat Germany.

Liberation in the East

Red Army Occupation

As the Red Army swept through Eastern Europe, Soviet aims differed markedly:

• Stalin viewed these regions as a buffer zone to protect the USSR from future invasions.

• Soviet troops occupied Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, installing pro-Communist administrations.

Political Consequences

Instead of fostering independent democracies, the USSR:

• Sponsored coalition governments initially, but gradually sidelined non-Communist parties.

• Ensured key ministries—such as the interior and defence—were controlled by Communist officials.

This process, often termed Sovietisation, sowed the seeds of post-war confrontation.

Contrasting Visions of Liberation

The Western and Eastern approaches revealed deep ideological divides:

• Capitalism and Liberal Democracy vs. Communism and One-Party Control.

• The West emphasised free elections, while the USSR prioritised security and ideological alignment.

These opposing visions led to:

• Rising suspicion during the war’s final months.

• Disputes over agreements made at the Yalta Conference (February 1945), which promised free elections in Eastern Europe but were not honoured by Stalin.

Key Countries and Regional Impact

Poland

• Liberated by the Red Army in 1944–45.

• Stalin insisted on a government friendly to Moscow, marginalising the London-based Polish government-in-exile.

• Sparked early diplomatic tension with Britain and the USA.

The Balkans

• Yugoslavia saw the Communist Partisans under Tito take power, maintaining a degree of independence from Moscow despite Soviet assistance.

• Greece, in contrast, became a battleground between Communist partisans and royalist forces, prompting British—and later American—support for the anti-Communist side.

Germany

• As both Western Allies and the USSR advanced, the country was destined for division.

A clear, labelled map of the Allied occupation zones in Germany after 1945, with Berlin shown as a special multinational area. It links military liberation to political outcomes in Germany that shaped East–West relations. Source

• Initial plans for joint administration eventually collapsed, leading to separate zones of occupation and later the creation of West and East Germany.

Significance for the Cold War

The liberation of Europe directly shaped the post-war order:

• Soviet occupation laid the groundwork for the Eastern Bloc.

• Western liberation fostered democratic governments that would join alliances such as NATO.

Bullet points highlighting key consequences:

• Emergence of an iron curtain dividing Europe into capitalist West and Communist East.

• Triggered early superpower tensions despite the continuing wartime alliance.

• Set the stage for later conflicts over Germany, including the Berlin Blockade (1948–49).

Allied Diplomacy and Tensions

During the liberation process:

• Churchill, Roosevelt, and later Truman attempted to balance cooperation with the USSR against growing concerns about Soviet intentions.

• The percentages agreement (Churchill–Stalin, 1944) informally divided influence in Eastern Europe but proved contentious.

• By the Potsdam Conference (July 1945), disagreements over Poland, reparations, and the occupation of Germany had become stark.

Legacy

The ‘liberation of Europe in the East and West’ was not merely a military campaign but the foundation of the Cold War itself. As Nazi Germany collapsed, the contrasting methods and goals of Soviet and Western forces ensured that peace would be followed by political confrontation, not lasting cooperation.