The Yalta Conference: A Historic Agreement with Lasting Effects

The Yalta Conference, held in February 1945, was a meeting between the leaders of the Allied Powers to discuss the post-World War II reorganization of Europe. The conference was attended by the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union – Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin, respectively. The agreement reached at the conference had an immense impact on global politics for decades to come.

The Yalta Conference was held towards the end of World War II, and the Allied Powers were looking towards the post-war era. They wanted to establish a plan for Europe`s reorganization so that the continent could rebuild itself. The main topics discussed at the conference were the division of Germany, the creation of the United Nations, and the fate of Eastern Europe.

One of the most significant outcomes of the Yalta Conference was the division of Germany into four zones of occupation, controlled by the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. This division would later lead to the creation of two separate German states with the construction of the Berlin Wall. The division would last until the reunification of Germany in 1990.

Another important agreement made at the conference was the creation of the United Nations. The founding members of the UN, the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, were all present at Yalta. The creation of the UN was a crucial step towards international cooperation, and the organization has been instrumental in resolving conflicts and promoting peace ever since.

However, the Yalta Conference`s most controversial outcome was the fate of Eastern Europe. Stalin had promised to hold free elections in the countries liberated from Nazi occupation. But in reality, Soviet forces installed governments that were loyal to Moscow and Communist. This resulted in the spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe and set the stage for the Cold War.

The Yalta Conference was an essential event in the history of the 20th century. The decisions taken at the conference would shape the international order for decades to come. The creation of the United Nations, the division of Germany, and the establishment of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe all had significant implications on global politics. Although the Yalta Conference`s outcomes were controversial, it remains a crucial milestone in international diplomacy and cooperation.