The 1945 Summit Conferences

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The Yalta Conference

The Yalta Conference was the second conference between the USA, Britain and the Soviet Union. The Yalta Conference happened in February 1945.

Agreements about Nazi Germany

At Yalta, the superpowers agreed on the Declaration of Liberated Europe. This was designed to aid the people who the Grand Alliance had liberated from Nazi control.
Germany would be forced to pay reparations (payments to the victors after a war).
- Stalin thought that Germany should pay $20bn in reparations.
- However, it was agreed that no monetary reparations would be paid - instead, the Alliance would each run parts of Germany.
Germany would have its army banned - something called demilitarisation.
Nazi war criminals would be tried in courts of law.

Agreements about Eastern Europe

Britain and America pushed hard for there to be free and democratic elections in Eastern Europe.
The Soviet Union was less keen on this.
As a compromise, the Grand Alliance agreed that Poland could exist in a 'Soviet sphere of influence'.
- Poland could have elections, but the USSR would have major influence over its government and economy.
- Stalin promised free elections in Poland (a promise he later broke).
This compromise caused tension that lasted throughout the Cold War.

Agreements about international organisations

After the discussions at the Tehran Conference, the United Nations was finally set up at the Yalta Conference of February 1945.
The United Nations was created to maintain peace and prevent future global conflicts, replacing the failed League of Nations.

Germany was defeated in May 1945. Then in August, Japan was defeated on 'VJ' Day. The Potsdam Conference happened between July and August 1945. It was the third and final meeting between the USA, Britain and the Soviet Union.

Leadership changes since the Yalta conference

Franklin D. Roosevelt died in April 1945 and was replaced by Harry S. Truman. Truman was more reluctant to compromise with the USSR.
After the UK General Election in July 1945, Clement Attlee replaced Churchill during the conference.
The leaders met at the Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam.

Agreements on Nazi Germany

The Nazi Party was banned in Germany.
War criminals would be tried in court (prosecuted) during the Nuremberg trials.

The rebuilding of Europe

Something called the 'Council of Foreign Ministers' was created. It held its first session in London in September 1945. Its aim was to accelerate the recovery of Europe and to settle peace treaties with the Nazi allies (like Italy, Bulgaria, and Finland).
Berlin and Germany were divided between the Grand Alliance powers. The Soviets would receive 1/4 of all the output produced in the British, American and French zones. This seemed to compensate the Soviet Union for not getting reparations.

Eastern Europe

Truman wanted free, democratic elections to happen in the Eastern European countries ‘liberated’ by the Soviet Union but Stalin was not keen on this idea.
The UK and USA considered Stalin's installation of an entirely pro-communist government in Poland to be a violation of the Yalta agreement. 2 Polish Communists, Gomułka and Bierut, were very influential and were being supported by the Soviet Union.