Yalta Agreement

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Leaders Allies at the conference. From left to right: Winston Churchill , Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin.

Held from 4 to 11 February 1945 in the Livadia Palace located near the seaside resort of Yalta on the coast of the Black Sea in Crimea , Yalta Conference held in great secrecy Heads of Government of the Union Soviet ( Joseph Stalin ), the United Kingdom ( Winston Churchill ), United States ( Franklin D. Roosevelt ) for the following purposes:

• adopt a common strategy to hasten the end of the war,
• settle the fate of Europe after the defeat ^of the Third Reich and
• guarantee the stability of the world beyond the victory.

The main purpose of Stalin was probably to preserve his country from future attacks, as in 1914 and 1941, protected by a glaze and territorial politics. The best solution for him was the creation of a Poland that would be run by a friendly government of the Soviet Union.

Churchill and Roosevelt, in turn, were prepared to obtain a promise from Stalin that the USSR would enter into war against Japan within three months after Germany surrendered. It is true that Stalin was negotiating a position of strength, the Soviet armies were only a hundred kilometers from Berlin. Moreover, Roosevelt, whose health was deteriorating more and more, was shown a total disregard of the moral values of the speaker

The balance of power

In February 1945, the balance of power is clearly in favor of Stalin. Soviet forces are by far the first in number and armament. They reach Warsaw and Budapest, and are just a few steps from Berlin, while the Anglo-Americans are still wondering how they will cross the Rhine. However, Stalin is prudent. His priority is the acquisition of Berlin, both as a symbol of his victory and for the scientific and political advantages it would confer. It takes up to seize the German industrial regions, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Dahlem, where he hopes to find elements of manufacturing the atomic bomb. He feared a German surrender, or even a reversal of alliances, which frustrate his victory. Skillfully, he made his allies believe that Berlin was not a priority, and that the main offensive of the Red Army would be to Bohemia and the Danube valley: it invites them to seek the junction in southern Germany.

For Roosevelt, Eisenhower and U.S. officials in general, the priority is to finish the war with minimum loss of American lives. U.S. President agrees to let the USSR's war effort provided the heaviest, even if it means abandoning a broader zone of occupation. Unsuspecting, he announces at the outset of the conference that U.S. troops leave Europe two years after the end of the war.

Churchill would restore a balance in Europe and avoid Soviet hegemony over the continent, but representative of an empire weakened economically and demographically, it has little weight on the decisions of its allies.

Agreements

Livadia Palace near Yalta, where agreements were signed at Yalta in 1945

The agreements concluded following meetings planned:

• free elections in the liberated European States, the Big Three pledging to "provide interim governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements of the population and which undertake to establish, as soon as possible, through free elections, government which are the expression of the will of the people "(see attached Final Communiqu: Declaration on Liberated Europe);
• the organization in April 1945 of the San Francisco Conference ;
• entry into the war against the Soviet Union Japan within 3 months after the defeat of Germany, the USSR in exchange for receiving the southern island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands ;
• the destruction of German militarism and Nazism ;
• the division of Germany into three zones occupied by the three winners: U.S., USSR, United Kingdom (later, Churchill will support a division of Germany into four occupation zones: the fourth then returning to France: this proposal will lead shortly after the Yalta Conference);
• travel from Poland to the west: it would cede territory to the USSR and would receive as compensation for territories taken from Germany;
• the establishment of the Soviet-Polish border on the line of the Nazi-Soviet pact of 1939 (in part corresponding to the Curzon Line );
• the reorganization of the "Lublin Committee" pro-Soviet government established in liberated Poland, "according to broader democratic basis with the inclusion of democratic leaders who are abroad, that is to say members Polish government in exile in London (see attached Final Communique: Poland);
• some modalities for the operation of the United Nations , whose creation was decided in 1944 to the conference at Dumbarton Oaks : the right of veto for permanent members of the Security Council will in all cases except for procedural matters, the USSR request as many seats it has provinces and regions (16), but gets "only" 3 (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), the UN will have a say on the organization of Europe.

A conference to end the war

Germany: defeat, occupation, repairs

At the first plenary session, the main issue is the defeat of Germany by an analysis of the military situation. This will lead to the first article of the press release available to the public . As can be read in the last sentence of the article: "There was an exchange of complete and mutual information." General Marshall said that a massive offensive will be possible on the western front but the allies will not cross the Rhine before the month of March. Stalin takes its decision, the Red Army liberate Czechoslovakia and Hungary , pushing the taking of Berlin. Thus, Stalin avoids tension with the Western allies. However, this first plenary session is important because it sets out the broad framework for negotiations that will follow: the West are at a disadvantage compared to the Soviets.

At the second plenary session on 5 February, Stalin began to question the occupation of Germany he considers most important. At the conference in Tehran , the Allies agreed on a complete dismemberment of Germany. But approaching the certainty of victory is less clear. Westerners feel breaking the Reich Nazi, but he must destroy the Germany and its people? It can be seen in the second article of the press release available to the public: "It is our inflexible purpose to destroy German militarism and Nazism," but the allies have the German people as victims of Nazism and decided that "It is not our intention to annihilate the German people. " Churchill considered the Germany as a future ally against Soviet expansionism. However, the dismemberment of Germany was concluded with a "supreme authority" of the occupants, meant to guarantee the future peace in Europe. Each of the allies will occupy a separate area, and France is invited to participate in this project. However, the Soviets from a position of strength, the French zone will be taken in the area and American English. The France is also invited to sit on the Allied Control Council for Germany. Furthermore it is concluded that Germany will be fully demilitarized and disarmed. This measure is even more severe than anticipated by the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, which determined the number of German soldiers to a maximum of one hundred thousand.

The issue of reparations is also committed by Stalin. He asked the German pledge repair, 20 billion in total, of which 50% of this sum should go to the USSR. On this point, it is also Churchill who opposes such inordinate amount, insisting that the German economy should not be destroyed. It is also written in the third section of press release available to the public that the damage to Germany was to be calculated "to the greatest extent possible." This question has not been fully resolved. It is defined different ways of repairing the damage which would be forced to Germany, that is to say, transfers of property and moneys, goods deliveries, and use of labor German. The two points on which the conference has not fixed is the implementation of this plan and especially the amount of compensation. For this, the Allies decided to create a commission whose seat is in Moscow. This committee will meet representatives of the three allied nations and will determine the total cost of repairs based on the proposal by the Soviet government. If the Soviet demand is half accepted, for the simple reason that Roosevelt believes that the Soviets have already made many concessions, and therefore does not take sides with the British.

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  The division of Germany into zones of Allied occupation: Zone French (two exclaves ) and, since 1947 the Saar Area English Area U.S. area Soviet , later the GDR box attached to Poland

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  The partition plan in three of Winston Churchill : The State North German Protestant majority The state-Bavarian Austro-Hungarian Catholic majority (the Danube), including the current Austria and Hungary The West German state mixed Protestant and Catholic (the Rhine)

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  The partition plan in seven of Franklin Delano Roosevelt : The Hanover The Prussian The Hessian The Saxony The Bavarian The International Zone (two exclaves ) The Austria

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  The Morgenthau Plan : The Niederlande Hochland International Zone Territories lost by Germany: the ( Saar attached to France , Upper Silesia attached to Poland , and East Prussia shared between it and the USSR )

Japan: an entry into the war the USSR?

The conference addresses the issue of the Japanese defeat. It is said that: "The heads of governments of the three great powers A conference to lay the groundwork for a new world

Roosevelt for a world political organization

For Roosevelt, the main issue of Yalta is the future United Nations. He heard succeed where Wilson had failed after the first world war with the League of Nations , and become the arbiter between the British and the Soviets. It shows not too demanding with Stalin, particularly on the question of Poland. All stakeholders are agreed on this project but a question is being debated: who will be a member of the Security Council, and which countries make up the Assembly? Americans support the accession of China and the British that of France , within the Security Council. Although Stalin objected that it would be at a disadvantage, he relented. The real problem arises when the composition of the assembly. The Soviets fear a takeover Anglo American (supporting countries Commonwealth and Latin America). The USSR thus requires that each of the sixteen Soviet republics federated states of siege. In the excerpt from the conference not publicly available, it appears that the Soviet Union obtained the endorsement of two republics: Russia White ( Belarus ) and Ukraine. After discussion and negotiations, Stalin was no longer asking that the accession of the two republics as well as Lithuania. The latter refused, but Roosevelt is defeated by Stalin to preserve the success of his project ( UN ).

A future conference is scheduled for April 25, 1945 in San Francisco. The organization of this conference is due to the fact that the big three have been able to agree on the voting system of the future meeting of the UN , and on obtaining the right to veto or not. They have also not agreed on the states that can get to this organization. It is stated in a sample not available to the public, "The Associated Nations as have declared war against the common enemy by 1 March 1945" will be invited to the conference in San Francisco and will be part of the UN.

The Polish question

The theme of Poland is the subject of considerable tension in Yalta. Indeed, toward the Soviet Union, Poland is the country where he obtained a part of the territory after the Germano-Soviet pact , and the western side, Poland is an ally who had guaranteed assistance in case of German aggression, which led into the war allies. At the conference, the two main issues concerning Poland were: what are its borders, and what the nature of its political system?

The eastern border of Poland is not a problem, as can be seen in Article VI: "The eastern border of Poland in the east should follow the Curzon Line , with deviations in favor of Poland on depth of 5 to 8 km in places. " The real problem is the western border, the one with Germany. Stalin then moved to the river Neisse. This displacement of the western border to the west is a recoupment East. The question then focuses on the selection of the Neisse: The river splits in two, and the Eastern Neisse Neisse. All three agree on a formula ambiguous: "Poland will get substantial increases in territory north and west." Churchill is skeptical: the annexation of this part of German territory, to the Oder and Neisse signifies the presence of six million Germans under Polish sovereignty. But then Stalin said: "The nationality issue is a transportation problem 'in the following year, 11.5 million Germans will be" moved "out of these territories, replaced by 4.5 million Poles themselves "displaced" out of eastern Poland became a Soviet .

The question of the political system is more acute. Indeed, for Churchill, it has a strong symbolic meaning because the UK has welcomed the Polish government in exile during the war. For Roosevelt, it touches on the American electorate, as has just been reelected, he's just making promises to millions of Americans of Polish descent. But Stalin set up a Polish communist government, has moved to Lublin after the liberation of Eastern Poland was officially recognized in July 1944 and entrusted the administration of the Polish territory behind the lines of Soviet military. Westerners refuse to recognize this government as they believe there is a problem of representativeness. To overcome this problem, there is agreement at Yalta on the establishment of "free elections and without constraints." Yet Stalin had no intention to dissolve the government of Lublin or submit to genuine free elections, it will redevelop the only team in the Lublin Polish adding a few additional members.

The Declaration on Liberated Europe

This statement was given by Roosevelt and bountiful principles intended to allow the establishment of "a world order governed by the law." It says in this article that each of the liberated countries, provisional governments will be formed in the shape and the policy that each state wants. It is also said that free elections will be held in each country. This article is a great naive on the part of Roosevelt who was pleased to have provided a moral tone to the Yalta agreements. Moreover, by cynicism or weariness, Stalin approved without any protest.

However, this declaration on liberated Europe does not mention a trivial convention on the release of prisoners. It does not appear in the official nor the protocol works. It provides that all prisoners of the Germans will be grouped by nationality and headed back to their countries of origin. In reality many Russian prisoners do not want to leave the USSR, especially as the Rules of the Red Army treats the capture by the enemy to treason. An estimated two million Soviets repatriated against their will and deported to the Gulag as "traitors."

Conclusion

Stored at the Bildarchiv der sterreichischen Nationalbibliothek in Vienna , the famous percentage agreement countersigned by Churchill and Stalin in Moscow on 9 October 1944.

In the official communique of 11 February 1945, there is no mention of the three seats granted to the USSR at the UN General Assembly, nor the assessment of German reparations, or advantages granted to the territorial USSR in Asia. This release therefore produces a deep impression on the press and in parliamentary circles. Spontaneous or organized, the United States and the USSR enthusiasm is very evident. In Western Europe, satisfaction is more nuanced, the British evoke the chaos after German Versailles as an example not to follow. In France, although Charles de Gaulle has highlighted the lack of precision in the Polish case and perfectly perceived naivety of the Declaration on Liberated Europe, the Conference and its conclusions are generally welcomed, especially as she admits France among the "Big Four" and he made substantial concessions over the status as the Anglo-Americans were initially willing to give it.

The results of Yalta are approximate. The Anglo-Americans get little substantial concrete commitments on the future European-cons of what they offer to Stalin, the latter being more determined to make best use its strong position in Eastern Europe. The three heads of government or state have negotiated any point on the issue of deportees (the Soviets liberated Auschwitz on January 27, but nothing is revealed until early May).

Contrary to legend, it is not at Yalta was decided that the "division of Europe" into "rate of influence" but in Moscow on 9 October 1944. Countersigned by Churchill and Stalin, the agreement provides for the "rate effect" following, respectively, for the Western Allies and the USSR, Hungary and Yugoslavia: 50-50%, Romania: 10% -90%, Bulgaria: 25% -75% and Greece 90% -10%, notwithstanding the relative weight of non-Communists and Communists in the resistance movements and opinions (for example, the Communists were in a minority in Romania and Bulgaria, but the majority in Greece the head of the main resistance movement). Some historians have estimated that the influence of this agreement has been exaggerated: for example, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia saw the Communists monopolize power, although the agreements do not mention the first and have provided an equality of influences in the other two ...

This agreement was prepared in spring 1943 when Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden had gone to Moscow to confer with Joseph Stalin and Vyacheslav Molotov .

According to Churchill, these agreements had a litter provisional time of war. It is unlikely that he did not perceive the risk, even if it has underestimated the violence that was exercised over the Soviets left the country. Its main objective was to obtain a waiver from Stalin to Greece , where the Greek civil war would result from the clash between the Greek resistance to communist majority and the will to maintain English Greece into the Western sphere of influence. The establishment of Soviet control in Eastern Europe would lead to decades of dictatorship in the Eastern bloc , while in Greece, unrest and dictatorship of the colonels reflected the tutelage of the Anglo-Americans.

Almost immediately after Yalta, Stalin violated the agreements. In Romania, the communist noyautent institutions, repress the protests so bloody and require the king to appoint a Communist government by the coup of 6 March 1945 , when the Romanian army fighting against the Wehrmacht in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The case of Bulgaria follows the same rules. In Poland, the Soviets favor politicians they have placed procrastinate discussions with allies to stifle dissent, beset members of the non-Communist resistance. Throughout this time, Roosevelt seeks to change Stalin by playing the appeasement card .

The next conference bringing together the three allies is that of Potsdam in August 1945, which attempts to clarify some points considered too vague to Yalta, but the Soviet Union and the Allies made the bed of the Cold War. The agreement also stipulated the dismissal of the USSR who had joined the Wehrmacht to fight communism and Soviet prisoners of all: be captured gold at the front was taken up by the Soviet military code to treason, punishable death (for those who went) or deportation to the Gulag (for those who had been captured) .

Notes

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