Yalta vs Potsdam Flashcards
what were sources of conflict for the Grand Alliance during Yalta?
- reparations for Russia
- who should be allotted zones of occupation for Germany
- the future of Eastern Europe, specifically Poland - e.g. free elections and type of government
- Discussions over the UN Security Council, especially over veto power
however, agreements were formed in Yalta, such as..?
- future of Germany - it was to be divided into four occupation zones - France was chosen in the end (compromise by Stalin - he did this so the UK and US got less power/land)
- it was agreed that Poland would be increased in size by taking some German land
- the Soviets agreed to join the war in the Pacific!
- the UN was created to replace the old League of Nations
- Poland was agreed to have free elections and democracy
- Reparations would be taken from Germany (including forced labour) - although no specific amount or allocation was agreed
FROM BBC BITESIZE
Outcomes:
Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation with the USSR, Britain, France and the USA each controlling a zone. France had been liberated from
Nazi Germany
and was included at the conference partly due to pressure from the French leader, General de Gaulle, but also because Britain wanted a European ally with whom it could share the cost of the post-war
reconstruction of Germany.
The German capital, Berlin, was about 100 miles inside the Soviet zone and it, too, was to be divided into four zones, each controlled by one of the Allied powers. Berlin would become a continuing source of tension once the Cold War began in earnest.
All countries freed from Nazi control were to be guaranteed the right to hold free,
democratic elections to choose their own governments. This commitment was released as an official joint statement, the Declaration on Liberated Europe. However, Stalin was offered a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe where
communist ideals would dominate.
Again, Stalin committed to joining the war against Japan, once Germany had been defeated. This was important to the Americans who were suffering heavy losses in the Pacific, despite the fact they were gradually pushing back the Japanese.
All the leaders made a commitment to pursue, and put on trial, suspected Nazi war criminals.
The Allies agreed to the setting up of the
United Nations, an organisation dedicated to international cooperation and the prevention of war.
When was the Yalta conference?
/ context
- Allied victory was looking very likely (this was three month before May 7th, when Germany would officially surrender) but there was still war with Japan to worry about. However, it was largely a conference looking at the future of the world after the war ended, such as how to prioritise peace e.g. in the form of the United Nations
- The Soviet Union had not declared war on Japan, only on Germany, so Roosevelt and Churchill wanted to secure a promise that Stalin would fight against Japan - this was at the previous Tehran Conference, and they wanted confirmation of it at Yalta
- it hints at tensions and issues that would cause the Cold War post-ww2, but also shows the strength of diplomacy between the three members as most of the issues were resolved with compromises. This is later contrasted with new leaders at Potsdam.
what were some sources of tensions between Roosevelt/US and the other leaders at Yalta?
ROOSEVELT -
is. w. Britian/Churchill - did not agree with colonies (reduced trading partners)
tried to uphold US-Soviet relations because they were needed for Japan - possibly made the UK-US relationship look weaker
is. w. Russia - largely over E.E. and Poland especially as the Red Army was already in control of Poland and wanted it to become a communist country, the first of a series of ‘buffer states’. The UK and US wanted the London-based non-communist Polish government which was in exile to be in power instead
–> it was agreed that a ‘more broadly-based government’ would be formed - many U.S. officials felt Poland had been sold out for Japan, and condemned to a communist future. Roosevelt felt there was little he could do as they had already gained control of Poland, and hoped it could be resolved post -WW2
What did Churchill want as a vision of the future?
- POLISH SELF-DETERMINATION
- THE PERCENTAGES AGREEMENT*
- wanted to keep British colonial power, stop America from renewing its policy of isolationism, and wanted agreements with Stalin to maintain peace (although he was later replaced by Clement Atlee, who did not agree with Communism at all.)
What did Joseph Stalin want as a vision of the future?
- BUFFER ZONE
- POLISH LANDS
- SOVIET SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
What did Roosevelt want as a vision of the future?
- UNITED NATIONS
- SELF-DETERMINATION/DECOLONISATION
THE PERCENTAGES AGREEMENT - explain
- made in October 1944
(chatgpt)
As World War II was nearing its end, Allied leaders were discussing how to manage the territories liberated from Nazi occupation. Churchill and Stalin met in Moscow to negotiate their spheres of influence.
Percentage Breakdown: Churchill proposed a rough division of influence in various Eastern European countries. The percentages agreed upon were:
Romania: 90% Soviet influence, 10% British
Greece: 90% British influence, 10% Soviet
Hungary: 50% each
Bulgaria: 75% Soviet influence, 25% British
Yugoslavia: 50% each
Purpose: The agreement aimed to avoid conflict between the Allies over the post-war arrangement and establish a framework for cooperation in Eastern Europe.
Secrecy: The arrangement was kept confidential and was never formally ratified. It was more of a pragmatic understanding than a legal document.
Impact: The Percentages Agreement influenced the political landscape of Eastern Europe after the war, as the Soviet Union extended its influence over many of the countries involved, leading to the establishment of communist regimes in several nations.
This agreement highlighted the realpolitik of the time, as both leaders prioritized their strategic interests over ideological concerns.
tehran conference explanation from BBC bitesize
Given that the war had been on-going since 1939 it’s interesting that the leaders, known as the Big Three, didn’t actually meet until the Conference in Tehran, Persia in November 1943.
Objectives: To discuss the group’s planned invasion of Nazi occupied France. Stalin, the leader of the USSR, was keen to see this happen, as at this point the Soviet Red Army was the only army fighting the Nazis on land.
Outcomes: the USA and Britain would invade France by May 1944
the USSR would join the USA and Britain in the war against Japan, once
Nazi Germany
was defeated
