PostWorld War II S Todd PostWorld War II

Post-World War II S. Todd Post-World War II

Yalta Conference February 1945 �Meeting between U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin (“The Big Three”) �Purpose: To discuss Europe's postwar reorganization �With Soviet troops in most of Eastern Europe, Stalin was in a strong negotiating position �Roosevelt and Churchill tried hard to restrict post-war influence in this area

Yalta Conference �Poland was the main debating point -Stalin explained that throughout history Poland had either attacked Russia or had been used as a corridor through which other hostile countries invaded her -argued that only a strong, pro. Communist government in Poland would be able to guarantee the security of the Soviet Union

Yalta Conference �At Yalta, the decision to form a United Nations organization was confirmed -it was only on this issue that all three leaders were enthusiastically in agreement about �At the time of Yalta, Germany was close to defeat and British and USA troops were advancing from the west and the Red Army from the east

Yalta Conference �Agreed to divide Germany up amongst the Allies -however, all three parties agreed that the country that actually took control of Germany would be in the strongest position over the future of this territory �So which country should control Germany? ?

British Goals �Elevate the position of France to that of a major power �Prevent Soviet domination of Eastern Europe �Secure a role for Eastern European leaders in London �Protect the British and French empires �Establish a United Nations organization to promote world peace

American Goals �Secure Soviet support for war against Japan �Establish United Nations organization to promote world peace �Compromise on Eastern Europe. Democratic govern. /friendly to USSR �Elevate position of China to that of a major power �Avoid the issue of re-establishing European colonial empires

Soviet Goals �Retain territory seized in 1940 (esp. Poland) �Establish governments in Eastern Europe friendly to the USSR (what does that mean? ? ) �Secure war reparations to rebuild the Soviet Union �Permanently weaken Germany

Results of Yalta 1. The country of Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation: American, British, French and Soviet Union.

Results of Yalta 2. The German capital of Berlin would also be similarly divided. Berlin itself would be inside the Soviet zone of occupation. There would be American, British, French and Soviet occupied sectors of Berlin surrounded by Soviet occupied German country side.

Results of Yalta 3. The Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan after the defeat of Germany.

Results of Yalta 4. Poland’s boundaries would be altered as per the request of Stalin.