Yalta and Potsdam conferences

how did these conferences affect Asia?

Yalta: most pressing issue was limiting Japan’s expansive conquests + Russia still involved in fighting in the pacific so pressure was on to help defeat Japan

when and who was at Yalta?

• 4th-12th of February 1945

• Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt

events of Yalta

• proposed trusteeships for former European colonies, supervising their progression towards independence

• Stalin in power in Asia → US + UK needed his involvement
  ^ conditions promised to Stalin: FDR promised easier Soviet naval access to Pacific; USSR would get territory from Japan (Sakhalin + Kuril Islands) + a lease of Port Arthur

  ^ strategic foothold in NE Asia, Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan once Germany had surrendered and to support JJ’s government against Mao

• FDR and Stalin agreed to a Soviet-American-British-Chinese trusteeship of Korea to lead it to independence from Japan

• Germany to be divided into 4 zones

• overall = success, yet disagreements on Poland + ideologies continued to oppose each other

when and who was at Potsdam?

• 17th July - 2nd August 1945

• Stalin, Truman, Churchill (for 1st half, Atlee for 2nd half)

events of Potsdam

• Stalin reaffirmed his intention to enter the war against Japan

• unlikely that USSR could mobilise its far east troops before the war against Japan was over

• future of Korea undecided