- Background
- The Yalta conference takes place in February of 1945 at a Crimean resort in Russia. This resort is the "myrtle beach of Russia."
- The Big 3 attend the meeting: Churchill, FDR, and Stalin.
- The Allies are reeling from the Battle of the Bulge, while Georgi Zhukov Red Army is 65 miles from Berlin. Stalin has a positive advantage in military position. We "give" Stalin the "honor" of taking Berlin.
- It is also decided at Yalta what Post war Europe World is going to look like.
- British Perspective
- Churchill is very concerned about a self-determined Poland which has free elections.
- Churchill is also concerned about the Balkans and E. Mediterranean with its proximity to Suez. Also Greek and Yugoslavian independence issues are combined with the fact that Greece is undergoing a civil war: Communists vs. Pro-Westerners. Churchill and FDR met in Malta before Yalta.
- FDR refused to talk about common interests, which would be unfair to Stalin.
- US Perspective
- FDR had a four term presidency. He is old, dying, and wanting to cement his legacy to end the war on the positive note.
- FDR has 3 desires for the US listed in increasing importance:
- Free Poland with free elections, but he was willing to compromise
- Wants to gain Soviet membership into the United Nations. Stalin wants 17 seats, one for each SSR. FDR rejects and compromises by giving the Soviets membership on the Security Council, which gives them veto power.
- FDR wants Soviet aid in War with Japan. Stalin says they will help within 90 days of German surrender, but he also wants extended presence in Manchuria (Russo-Japanese War) and Mongolia.
- USSR perspective
- Stalin wants Poland to be a friendly Government/buffer for Soviet security. He also wants territory acquired in 1939 in the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
- Stalin also wants reparations from Axis powers. He says he will also accept forced labor and capital goods.
- There is general concern for Soviet post-war security and economic viability and territory in the Balkans and E. Europe.
- Stalin lastly wants the legitimate Polish Government to be the Soviet-backed Lublin government, not the London-based government-in-exile.
- FDR acquiesces as long as Lublin government accepts elements of London group for a "broader-based" government with Free Elections.
- Post War Germany
- 3 occupation zones for US, British, and Soviets. At Yalta the US and British request a zone for France. Stalin agrees but comse out our share. Ditto for capital of Berlin (and Austria).
- Berlin is entirely inside the Soviet Zone, which leads to all kinds of problems.
- German Terms
- Dismemberment
- Demilitarization
- Denazification
- Deindustrialization
- Decartelize (demonopolize)
- Democratize
- Yalta with a Cold War perspective
- Document 8
- Djilas on Stalin: Milovan Djilas is a Polithuro-communist and a Yugoslav. He has an interesting perspective because he is a Communist, but Yugoslavia is independent of Russia's influence.
- Stalin thinks that Army occupation implies the imposition of your "social system."
- He has the idea of Slavic Unity; pretty much panslavism with Soviet leadership.
- He predicts a German Recovery 12-15 years later and new war in 15-20 years against Soviets, so he wants security, buffer states, and friendly governments.
- Djilas notes that Stalin's foreign policy mirrors his domestic totalitarianism, which hardens Stalin's outlook.
- Stalin dislikes foreign centers of revolution (communist) outside his control. This is essentially Pan-Communist.
- Document 11
- FDR's letter to Stalin on April 1st. This is after Yalta, just before his death.
- He anxiously notes Stalin's failures to live up to his promises at Yalta in Poland.
- FDR notes US disapproval of Yalta, which Stalin doesn't even care about.
- Nazi Denouément
- After the Battle of the Bulge, the Nazis will denude the Western Front of troops and send them east to battle the Red Armies converging on Berlin.
- US Army advances to Elbe River and stops in conjunction with Yalta. The US "allow" the Soviets to take Berlin.
- There is a huge mass of refugees which precede the Red Army, causing a huge refugee crisis.
- Hitler and the Nazi leadership have developed a Hitler bunker mentality. The Führerbunker is outside Reich's Chancellery in Berlin. It's 50 ft deep with 20ft of reinforced steel, concrete roof with multiple rooms for hundreds of people.
- The fear of bombing lead Hitler and his entourage to live the last six weeks of the war in the Bunker. It is a surreal setting with faint hopes of Nazi victory/miracle.
- Document 8
Hey guys its Frances! I graduated from Grimsley in 2016 and I'm not posting new notes anymore, but I hope this helps some of you out! Good luck in high school. Just know that it eventually does pay off, I promise! Stay golden :)
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
"Today is Yalta day!"
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