Why is yalta conference important

At Yalta, U. President Franklin D. Roosevelt , British Prime Minister Winston Churchill , and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin made important decisions regarding the future progress of the war and the postwar world. The Allied leaders came to Yalta knowing that an Allied victory in Europe was practically inevitable but less convinced that the Pacific war was nearing an end.

Recognizing that a victory over Japan might require a protracted fight, the United States and Great Britain saw a major strategic advantage to Soviet participation in the Pacific theater.

For Stalin, postwar economic assistance for Russia, and U. Churchill had the protection of the British Empire foremost in his mind, but also wanted to clarify the postwar status of Germany. None of them left Yalta completely satisfied. There was no definite determination of financial aid for Russia.

Many issues pertaining to Germany were deferred for further discussion. It was over the issue of the postwar status of Poland, however, that the animosity and mistrust between the United States and the Soviet Union that would characterize the Cold War were most readily apparent. The United States and Great Britain believed that the London-based noncommunist Polish government-in-exile was most representative of the Polish people.

Many U. Roosevelt, however, felt that he could do no more at the moment, since the Soviet army was occupying Poland. It seems doubtful, however, that Roosevelt had much choice. For example, Stalin had originally demanded the complete dismemberment of Germany into mini-states and for it to pay ruinous reparations, as it had done in Had he got his way, the powerful Germany that has been the engine of postwar Europe would not have materialized. But in the end, Stalin backed down.

The U. In , it is curious and poignant to read how a Francophile British prime minister advanced the interests of Western Europe and France in particular. And to be reminded that in the biggest champion of multilateralism and the United Nations was the president of the United States. Yalta was not just a feast of the big powers. It was a moment for some smaller ones as well. Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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This commitment was released as an official joint statement, the Declaration on Liberated Europe. However, Stalin was offered a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe where communist ideals would dominate. Again, Stalin committed to joining the war against Japan, once Germany had been defeated.

This was important to the Americans who were suffering heavy losses in the Pacific, despite the fact they were gradually pushing back the Japanese.