Overall, a democracy is much better than communism. With communism also, there is a domino affect that seems to be going on in Europe where multiple fall for communism. Once one country is communist, many other people fall for that. This should stop and we must try to contain communism!
Sincerely,Harry Truman
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Dear Stalin,
I feel that you have made a poor decision at the Yalta conference, not that I am able to judge you, because I’m not, but I feel that your opinion/decision was incorrect. Instead of going along with your opinion of posting heavy post war/after war reparations from Germany, a large amount of those reparations (half of those reparations) would go to the Soviet Union, we should have a different decision. So, instead, we should reduce the treatment of Germany by allowing the countries that occupy the nations occupying to exact reparations from only their area of occupation. Byrnes and I want to avoid the situation that occurred after the Treaty of Versailles which resulted in Germany having to pay high reparations following World War I. Experts agree and feel that the reparations which Germany was forced to pay had a disadvantage and perhaps “fueled the rise of the Nazis”. So, on July 26, 1945, the Potsdam declaration was started by the United States, Great Britain, and China (which was a revision of the Montreux Convention in 1936, which gave Turkey control over the Turkish Straits). The Potsdam declaration “threatened” Japan with immediate and much destruction if they did not immediately surrender, (the Soviet Union did not sign the declaration because they wanted/had yet to declare war with Japan). Please follow guidelines from Potsdam conference. From, Truman Dear Truman, When you say you are not able to judge me, you could not be more right. How dare you attempt to rebuke me for simply trying to further my own country's interests. Yes, it is true that I have not implemented free elections in Eastern Europe, but why should we adopt your ideology? You try to spread your ideas of Democracy, the U.S.S.R. tries to give people equality. The United States of America does not have to agree with Communism, although it would be wise to, but you have no right to try and stop it. You are far away, separated, you need not concern yourself with meddling in Europe. The U.S.S.R. has its territory, and the United States has its territory. There are firm lines separating East and West here, it is not necessary to try to expand or decrease these boundaries. I can see that you have tried to financially fortify Greece and Turkey, but this is useless. You are pouring your resources into a lost cause, Truman. Those countries will fall like the others to the U.S.S.R., fairly. It would be in your best interest to keep your hands out of the U.S.S.R.’s communist agenda. Dear Stalin, Communism is not right when you think about economy. The economy is very poor, and one circumstance that results, is poverty of your country. Communism promotes equality, but with equality, perhaps not many people are very wealthy. Since many in the USSR are starving, because they are equal in wealth (not that wealth is the main focus of life, because it is not), people are perhaps poor. The idea of communism vs. democracy should be discussed. Democracy is better because there is more of a political point of view. In a democracy, people’s/an individual’s rights are respected to own property in terms of production. In communism, an effort perhaps is made to eliminate economic inequality. Although, if someone is poor, many people may probably be poor because of the effort put in economic inequality. In a democracy, we have the right to vote for political leaders, whereas communism normally takes a form of totalitarianism. Overall, democracy is better than communism. From, Truman Dear Truman, I recall you made similar delusional arguments at Potsdam. You say that the U.S.S.R. is poor and in poverty, but I firmly deny that. We are thriving, the struggles that we endure simply make us stronger and able to endure more. Communism brings equality. Democracy pleases only half, Communism focus’s on something larger than simple peoples views. Those without education and perspective should not be allowed to determine the future of a country, but wise men with goals for the future, men who know the road that needs to be taken for success. The people cannot own their own property, but it is fairly distributed to them by their government. Their government, which is not totalitarian. The U.S.S.R. has no aims to control everyone's life, but to ensure that everyone has equal money and opportunity. This can only be accomplished with a government that can see beyond the immediate wants of people to the effective and efficient manner of life that can be achieved through perseverance. The people have no need or reason to vote, their government will take care of them and lead them to a better future. From, Stalin Stalin and I have written various letters back and forth to each other. I sent a letter to Stalin regarding how Stalin isn't following said guidelines (Potsdam conference) and also further research on Yalta (before Potsdam) and perhaps events in detail. A letter that Stalin replied with was regarding why the Yalta rules are not right, justifying why his rules are right, differences of land, and the iron curtain. I replied back about why a democracy is right compared to communism. Stalin replied back further talking about democracy and communism, but how communism is better than a democracy. Certain dates that events occurred were said in some of the letters.
The Yalta conference was in February of 1945, (Germany was not defeated yet) Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill agreed to split Germany into three sections of occupation, also, to permit free elections in Eastern European countries. The Potsdam conference was in July of 1945, there were open disagreements because of Roosevelt's death, Churchill losing the 1945 election, and Germany had been defeated. I was furious at the amount of reparations and a communist government was being set up in Poland! Sincerely, Harry Truman I was just a new president to the US, and a little bit after World War II, the British government and our government was secretly making an atomic bomb, and after a test of the bomb, was approved to use against Japan. The Japanese emperor (Hirohito) agreed to surrender on August 14, 1945, closing World War II (on September 2, 1945 which was the formal surrender from Japan). I also faced challenges in my first year of presidency, for example, the American relations with the USSR. As allies, we began to deteriorate before the end of World War II due to the difference in ideas. The idea difference was that the US supports a democracy and how the USSR supports communism. Also, Churchill “created”/used the name “the iron curtain” on March 5, 1946 and Stalin “created”/took some part in the iron curtain saying that no one could cross that line.
Sincerely, Harry Truman |