Yalta Conference

War criminals

As Allied soldiers advanced through Germany, they were revealing the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. The Big Three agreed to hunt down and punish war criminals who were responsible for the genocide.

Poland (Churchill)

Churchill did not approve of Stalin's plans for Poland, but he also knew that there was not very much he could do about it because Stalins's Red Army was in total control of both Poland an eastern Germany.

What was Yalta?

In February 1945, it was clear that Germany was losing the war, so the Allied leaders met at Yalta in Ukraine to plan what would happen to Europe after Germany's defeat. The Yalta was a success. Despite their differences, The Big Three - Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed on some important matters.

DISAGREEMENT - Poland (Stalin)

The only real disagreement was about Poland. Stalin wanted the border of the USSR to move westwards into Poland. Stalin argued that Poland, in turn, could move its border westwards into German territory.

Germany

They agreed that Germany would be divided into four zones: American, French, British and Soviet.

Elections

They agreed that as countries were liberated from occupation by the German army, they would be allowed to hold free elections to choose the governments they wanted.

Poland (Roosevelt)

Roosevelt was also unhappy about Stalin's plan, but Churchill persuaded Roosevelt to accept it, as long as the USSR agreed not to interfere in Greece where the British were attempting to prevent the Communists taking over. Stalin accepted this.

Japan

Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan once Germany had surrendered.

United Nations

The Big Three all agreed to join the new United Nations Organisation, which would aim to keep peace after the war.

Eastern Europe

The Soviet Union had suffered terribly in the war. An estimated 20 million Soviet people had died. Stalin was therefore concerned about the future security of the USSR and specifically the risk of another invasion from Europe. The Big Three agreed that Eastern Europe should be seen as a 'Soviet sphere of influence.'