At Yalta Conference, What Agreement Did the Big Three Make?

The Yalta Conference was a significant event in the history of the Second World War. It was held from February 4 to 11, 1945, in the Crimean town of Yalta. The leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, known as the “Big Three,” met to discuss how they would divide Europe after the war.

At the conference, the Big Three agreed to several key points that would shape the post-war world. Here are some of the most vital agreements they made:

1. Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation: The Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United States, and France would each occupy a portion of Germany. Berlin would be divided into four zones as well, even though it was located in the Soviet zone.

2. Free elections in Eastern Europe: The Soviet Union agreed to ensure that free elections would take place in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. However, the Soviet Union wanted to have a say in who would be elected in those countries.

3. Establish the United Nations: The Big Three agreed to create the United Nations, which would replace the ineffective League of Nations. The United Nations was designed to promote international cooperation and prevent future wars.

4. Aid to the Soviet Union: In exchange for the Soviet Union`s support in the war against Japan, the United States agreed to provide the Soviet Union with military and economic assistance.

5. Stalin`s demand for a “buffer zone:” Stalin requested that the Soviet Union have a “buffer zone” of friendly states along its western border, which would protect it from potential future attacks. The Big Three agreed to this demand, and as a result, Eastern Europe became dominated by Soviet-backed communist governments.

The Yalta Conference marked the beginning of the Soviet Union`s expansion into Eastern Europe, which would lead to the Cold War. While the agreements made at Yalta had positive intentions, they ultimately had mixed results.

In conclusion, the Yalta Conference saw the Big Three agree on several key issues, including the division of Germany, free elections in Eastern Europe, the establishment of the United Nations, aid to the Soviet Union, and Stalin`s demand for a “buffer zone.” While these agreements had good intentions, they ultimately led to the domination of Eastern Europe by Soviet-backed communist governments and the beginning of the Cold War.