4. The Yalta Conference

When was the Yalta Conference?

4th-11th February 1945

Where was Yalta?

In Crimea

What did the Yalta Conference represent?

A high point in Grand Alliance cooperation, and a commitment to good international relations in a post-war world

(Objectives- US/UK) What did Roosevelt and Churchill want in terms of international relations?

Collective security (where all states would cooperate) through the UN

(Objectives- US/UK) What did Roosevelt and Churchill want in terms of cooperation with the USSR?

Long term cooperation

(Objectives- US/UK) What did Roosevelt and Churchill want in terms of the political structure of Europe (2 things)?

- All countries to have free elections and leaders
- No outside spheres of influence

(Objectives- US/UK) What did Roosevelt and Churchill want in terms of Germany?

Its reconstruction and re-education as a democracy

(Objectives- US/UK) What did Roosevelt and Churchill want in terms of economic reconstruction?

World economic reconstruction through the newly created IMF and World Bank

(Objectives- USSR) What did Stalin want in terms of international relations?

For the USSR to control its own destiny

(Objectives- USSR) What did Stalin want in terms of cooperation with Britain and the USA?

Cooperation

(Objectives- USSR) What did Stalin want in terms of the political structure of Europe?

Security for the USSR created by controlled spheres of influence

(Objectives- USSR) What did Stalin want in terms of Germany?

For it to remain weak in the indefinite future

(Objectives- USSR) What did Stalin want in terms of economic reconstruction?

Economic reconstruction for the USSR (mainly at Germany's expense)

(Agreements) What was agreed about Germany?

It would be divided into 4 zones which would be administered by the USA, USSR, UK and France

(Agreements) What was agreed about Berlin?

That it would be divided in the same way as Germany

(Agreements) What was agreed about the UN?

That it would be formally ratified

(Agreements) What was agreed about USSR gaining land (2 things)?

- The USSR would gain land from Poland
- Poland would be expanded to the North and West

(Agreements) What did Stalin agree about politics in Poland?

That it would have free electrons

(Agreements) What was agreed about Europe?

That a Declaration of Liberated Europe should be created (this involved free elections in all states)

(Overall) What did Yalta appear to be?

A great success with clear East-West agreements

(Overall) What was the reality of relations?

That some of the agreements and relations were already fracturing

(Overall) What was the one of the main disagreements over?

Poland

(Overall) What did Stalin want in terms of Poland (3 things)?

- The communist Lublin government to stay in place
- Full Soviet control over Poland
- No free elections (which could go against him)

(Overall) Who opposed this view?

Roosevelt

(Overall) What is an example of this opposition?

Roosevelts letter in April 1945 which addressed the 'Polish Question' and opposed Stalin keeping his regime and favouring the Lublin government

(Overall) Where else had tensions rose after Yalta?

In Germany because of the dismemberment agreement