Rising Tensions in the Cold War - The Yalta Conference

Question 1

What was the Yalta Conference?

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Where was the Yalta Conference held?

Answer 2

The Yalta Conference took place in Yalta in the USSR.

Question 3

When was the Yalta Conference held?

Answer 3

When was the Yalta Conference held?

Question 4

Who attended the Yalta Conference?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What decisions were taken at the Yalta Conference?

Answer 5

• 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, demilitarised and 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 and 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.

Question 6

What disagreements were there at the Yalta Conference?

Answer 6

• 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.