Yalta Conference, Feb 1945

What was the Yalta Conference?

The Yalta Conference was the second of three strategic meetings between the USA, Britain and the Soviet Union to discuss winning the war and post-war Europe.

Where was the Yalta Conference held?

The Yalta Conference took place in Yalta in the USSR.

When was the Yalta Conference held?

The Yalta Conference was held in February 1945.

Who attended the Yalta Conference?

The three Allied leaders present at the Yalta Conference were:

• ❖ President Roosevelt of the USA.
• ❖ General Secretary Stalin of the USSR.
• ❖ Prime Minister Churchill of Great Britain.

What decisions were taken at the Yalta Conference?

There were 11 important decisions made at the Yalta Conference.

• ❖ The superpowers agreed on the Declaration of Liberated Europe which guaranteed all countries freed from Nazi control the right to hold democratic and free elections.
• ❖ Nazi Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones, to be controlled by the USA, Britain, France and the Soviet Union.
• ❖ Germany would be reduced in size.
• ❖ Germany would be demilitarised.
• ❖ Germany would be ordered to pay reparations.
• ❖ After the war was over, Nazi war criminals would be tried and the Nazi Party banned.
• ❖ Poland would fall under the Soviet sphere of influence.
• ❖ Poland would be run under a democratically elected government.
• ❖ Eastern Europe would have free elections.
• ❖ The USSR would declare war on Japan 3 months after Nazi Germany was defeated.
• ❖ The United Nations was created.

What disagreements were there at the Yalta Conference?

There were 3 main disagreements at the Yalta Conference:

• ❖ The USSR wanted Germany to pay high reparations; Britain and the USA disagreed.
• ❖ Britain and the USA wanted Germany to recover, whereas the USSR wanted to keep Germany weak.
• ❖ Stalin wanted the Polish-German border to be much further to the west and desired a 'friendly' Polish government. Britain and the USA were worried this would mean Poland would be controlled by the USSR.