Yalta ConferenceIn February 1945, Roosevelt had met with Churchill and Stalin at the Soviet city of Yalta on the Black Sea. At this Yalta Conference, the three leaders made a number of important decisions about the future. They agreed to move ahead in creating a new international peacemaking body, the UN, based on the principles of Atlantic charter. Stalin promised to enter the war against Japan after the surrender of Germany. He also promised free and unfettered elections in Poland and in other Soviet occupied Eastern European countries. They agreed on a charter. The charter created the general assembly, which was made up of all member nations and was expected to function as a town meeting of the world. The charter also set up administrative, judicial, and economic governing bodies.

The Yalta Conference also displayed the deterioration in relations between the big powers. Roosevelt of America had died, to be replaced by strongly anti-communist Truman. Stalin felt that America were traitors for not telling the USSR about the invention of the Atomic Bomb, and in combination with Truman's strong dislike, this set the conference off to a shaky start. The British representative was Clement Atlee (I believe), and was weak in resolve and character, in comparison to Churchill who had been at the Potsdam Conference. This lack of strength allowed the Yalta conference to be dominated by Truman and Stalin, and arguments were common

Where the 'Big Three' at Potsdam had suceeded, the new representatives failed to maintain healthy working relationships and as a result the Yalta Conference was not as successful as the Potsdam Conference and it gave an insight into the friction that was to come between the Soviet Union and the US.

More Information: Between February 4-11, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and General Secretary Joseph Stalin met in then-Soviet Ukraine to discuss post-war European reorganization. Stalin refused to break up his dynasty, causing friction which is believed to have led to the bloodless stalemate known as the Cold War

• Agreement to the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.

• Germany. After the war, Germany and Berlin would be split into four occupied zones.

• Stalin agreed that France might have a fourth occupation zone in Germany and in Austria but it would have to be formed out of the American and British zones.

• Germany would undergo demilitarization and denazification.

• German reparations were partly to be in the form of forced labor. (see also Forced labor of Germans in the Soviet Union). The forced labor was to be used to repair damage Germany inflicted on its victims.

• Creation of a reparation council which would be located in the Soviet Union.

• The status of Poland was discussed. It was agreed to reorganize the communist Provisional Government of the Republic of Polandthat had been installed by the Soviet Union "on a broader democratic basis."

• The Polish eastern border would follow the Curzon Line, and Poland would receive territorial compensation in the West from Germany.

• Churchill alone pushed for free elections in Poland. The British leader pointed out that the UK "could never be content with any solution that did not leave Poland a free and independent state". Stalin pledged to permit free elections in Poland, but forestalled ever honoring his promise.

• Citizens of the Soviet Union and of Yugoslavia were to be handed over to their respective countries, regardless of their consent.

• Roosevelt obtained a commitment by Stalin to participate in the UN.

• Stalin requested that all of the 16 Soviet Socialist Republics would be granted UN membership. This was taken into consideration, but 14 republics were denied.

• Stalin agreed to enter the fight against the Empire of Japan within 90 days after the defeat of Germany.

• Nazi war criminals were to be hunted down and brought to justice.

• A "Committee on Dismemberment of Germany" was to be set up. Its purpose was to decide whether Germany was to be divided into six nations.