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Yalta Conference 1945 - Stalin I.V. Roosevelt F.D. Churchill W.
The Yalta or Crimean Conference was another meeting of the leaders of Great Britain, the USSR, and the USA during the Second World War. The meeting took place in 1945 in February. The city of Yalta on the Crimean Peninsula was chosen as the location. The conference took place over 8 days, which resulted in the signing of a number of acts that predetermined the system of the future world order and in Europe in particular.
Conference participants
The conference participants were representatives of three member states of the anti-Hitler coalition: Winston Churchill from Great Britain, Joseph Stalin from the USSR, Franklin Roosevelt from the USA. Accordingly, all three delegates were leaders and leaders of their states.
Separate palaces were allocated for each representative. So, Stalin and delegates from the USSR were located in the Yusupov Palace, located in the small village of Koreiz, near Yalta. The palace was built back in the 19th century.
Roosevelt and representatives of the American delegation were accommodated in the Livadia Palace, located in the village of Livadia, 3 km away. from Yalta itself. It is worth noting that it was in the Livadia Palace that all significant meetings of the participants of the Yalta Conference took place.
The British delegation led by Prime Minister Churchill settled in the Vorontsov Palace in the city of Alupka, located at the foot of the famous Ai-Petri Mountain.
Conference location
Meeting of Foreign Ministers - Crimean (Yalta) Conference 1945
Some sources indicate that the initiative to hold the conference in Yalta came personally from Stalin, who sought to demonstrate the decisive role of the USSR in the fight against Nazi Germany. Other sources refer to the fact that the American president chose Yalta because of his health. As you know, Crimea is a resort and health resort, and Roosevelt at that time was experiencing serious health problems.
In February 1945, it was 9 months since Crimea was liberated from the occupation of German troops. Yalta itself was not in the best condition. For this purpose, in preparation for the meeting of coalition leaders, about 1,500 carloads of construction materials, equipment, and furniture were delivered to the city over several months.
All meetings of delegations within the framework of the conference were held in the largest hall of the Livadia Palace - the White Hall. For this purpose, a large round negotiating table was equipped in its very center.
Agreements reached during the conference
At the Yalta Conference, many agreements were reached concerning the interests of each of the participating parties.
- The leaders decided to divide Germany into occupation zones. It was assumed that each side would receive a certain section of the country's territory on which military bases would be created. A decision was made to completely disarm Germany and completely eliminate the Nazi regime in it.
- It was at the Yalta Conference that the first agreements were reached on the creation of the United Nations, which would regulate international problems peacefully. At the same time, the date was set for the first conference within the framework of the creation of the UN.
- The parties signed the “Declaration of a Liberated Europe,” which emphasized that the liberated peoples of Eastern Europe would be restored to their rights, but at the same time indicated the possibility of the victorious countries to “help” them in this.
- The issue of the structure of Poland was actually resolved. At the initiative of the USSR, an alternative government was formed there, consisting of both communists and democrats. In fact, the USSR secured for itself in the future the opportunity to establish a regime convenient for itself in Poland.
- Agreements have been reached regarding future borders between the countries. This question was fundamental and meant the division of spheres of influence in the future Europe.
- A compromise was found regarding compensation to the victorious countries for the damage caused by Germany. Thus, the USSR received the right to claim half of all compensation paid by Germany to Great Britain and the USA.
- As a result of the Yalta Conference, the USSR expanded its territory by returning in the future Kuril Islands, South Sakhalin. The Soviet military had the opportunity to rent a base in the city of Port Arthur, as well as the Chinese Eastern Railway.
- At the conference, the leaders of the three states agreed on the return to the USSR of people liberated or captured in those areas that were captured by US and British troops.
- Finally, during the conference, the leaders of the so-called “Big Three” resolved the issue regarding the future structure of Yugoslavia and Greece.
The significance of the Yalta Conference for history
The conference in Yalta became a world-class event. Decisions that were fateful for millions of people were made there. The meeting of the leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition itself showed that states with different ideologies can cooperate with each other and jointly solve common world problems. The Yalta Conference was the last meeting of the leaders of the three countries in such a composition, as well as the last conference of the pre-nuclear world era.
It was the Yalta Conference that predetermined and actually formalized the division of the world into two camps, which in the future will compete with each other for spheres of influence in the world.
Such a system was able to exist for half a century until the collapse of the USSR, but many of the decisions that were made at meetings within the conference are still in effect. Thus, the UN still exists, the borders of European states have remained practically unchanged, the only exception being the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 90s. XX century. The agreements of the conference are still in force regarding the integrity of China and the independence of the two Koreas - South and North.
The agreement between the USSR, USA, and Great Britain, reached at the conference regarding the border between the USSR and Japan, still remains in force and has not changed for 70 years.
The results of the conference are still the subject of political disputes and mutual accusations. The decisions taken by the leaders of the participating states are currently being interpreted and used by the warring parties as propaganda policies.
The code word for all meetings concerning the organization of the conference and meetings at it was the word “Argonaut”. This idea was proposed by British Prime Minister Churchill. The word was not taken by chance, since it is a reference to ancient Greek myth about the Argonauts searching for the Golden Fleece. Churchill associated Crimea with the city of Colchis, which the Argonauts were looking for. Churchill and Roosevelt called themselves Argonauts. Stalin reluctantly agreed to this version of the code word.
It is known that Churchill was the one who did not want to go to Yalta the most, calling the Crimean climate and conditions in the city terrible.
There were no reporters at the conference itself. Churchill took the initiative to make the meeting informal. Only a few military photographers were invited from each side and took a small number of photographs. It is known that the leaders of the USA and the USSR welcomed this initiative.
The Yalta Conference could well have been held in Odessa and called the Odessa Conference. Odessa was considered as a backup option in case there was bad weather in Crimea.
The most recent leader to leave Yalta was Winston Churchill. The conference itself ended on February 11, and the British Prime Minister left Crimea only on February 14, having visited Balaklava. It was in this place in 1854-1855. British troops fought on the side of the Crimean War Ottoman Empire against troops Russian Empire.
Monument dedicated to the conference
The idea of installing a monument dedicated to the Yalta Conference arose many years later. The sculptor Zurab Tsereteli began to implement the idea. In 2005, a monument was prepared depicting the leaders of the USSR, USA and Great Britain sitting on chairs. The weight of the composition was within 10 tons, and bronze was chosen as the material. It was assumed that the monument would be erected in Livadia in the same year, 2005, on the anniversary of the conference. The event did not take place due to protests from a number of Ukrainian parties. Only in 2014 the monument was transferred to Crimea, and on February 5, 2015 it was inaugurated as part of the 70th anniversary of the conference itself.
The Crimean (Yalta) Conference (February 4-11, 1945) was held with the participation of the heads of government of the three allied powers, F. Roosevelt and W. Churchill, in the Livadia Palace - the former summer residence of Emperor Nicholas II. At the conference, fundamental issues related to the end of World War II were discussed, including the conditions of Germany’s surrender, zones of its occupation, and reparations. The most fierce disputes unfolded around Poland - the composition of its future government and the western borders of the state. The issue of creating international organization security. The negotiators agreed to convene a conference on April 25, 1945 in San Francisco to establish the United Nations. Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill signed a secret agreement in Yalta, confirming Stalin’s earlier promise that the USSR would enter the war with Japan on the side of the Allies 2-3 months after Germany’s surrender.
EXTRACT FROM THE DECISIONS OF THE YALTA (CRIMEA) CONFERENCE
Defeat of Germany
We have reviewed and determined the military plans of the three allied powers with a view to the final defeat of the common enemy. The military headquarters of the three allied nations met daily in conferences throughout the conference. These conferences were highly satisfactory from all points of view and resulted in closer coordination of the military efforts of the three Allies than had ever been seen before. A mutual exchange was made complete information. The timing, size and coordination of new and even more powerful blows that would be delivered into the heart of Germany by our armies and air forces from the east, west, north and south were fully agreed upon and planned in detail...
Occupation and control of Germany
We have agreed upon a common policy and plans for the enforcement of the terms of unconditional surrender which we will jointly impose on Nazi Germany after German armed resistance has been finally crushed. These terms will not be published until the complete defeat of Germany has been achieved. In accordance with the agreed plan, the armed forces of the three powers will occupy special zones in Germany. The plan provided for coordinated administration and control, carried out through a Central Control Commission, consisting of the commanders-in-chief of the three powers, with its seat in Berlin. It was decided that France would be invited by the three powers, if she so desired, to take over the zone of occupation and participate as a fourth member in the Control Commission. The extent of the French zone will be agreed upon by the four governments concerned through their representatives in the European Advisory Commission.
Our unyielding goal is to destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world. We are determined to disarm and disband all German armed forces, to destroy once and for all the German General Staff, which has repeatedly contributed to the revival of German militarism, to confiscate or destroy all German military equipment, to liquidate or take control of all German industry that could be used for military purposes. production; subject all war criminals to fair and speedy punishment and exact compensation in kind for the destruction caused by the Germans; wipe out the Nazi Party, Nazi laws, organizations and institutions from the face of the earth; remove all Nazi and militaristic influence from public institutions, from the cultural and economic life of the German people, and jointly take such other measures against Germany as may prove necessary for the future peace and security of the whole world. Our goals do not include the destruction of the German people. Only when Nazism and militarism are eradicated will there be hope for a dignified existence for the German people and a place for them in the community of nations.
Reparations from Germany
We discussed the question of the damage caused by Germany to the allied countries in this war, and considered it fair to oblige Germany to compensate for this damage in kind to the maximum extent possible.
A compensation commission will be created, which will also be tasked with considering the amount and methods of compensation for damage caused by Germany to the allied countries. The commission will work in Moscow.
United Nations Conference
We have decided in the near future to establish, together with our allies, a general international organization to maintain peace and security. We believe that this is essential both for preventing aggression and for eliminating the political, economic and social causes of war through close and constant cooperation of all peace-loving peoples.
The foundations were laid at Dumbarton Oaks. However, no agreement was reached on the important issue of the voting procedure. This conference succeeded in resolving this difficulty. We have agreed that a United Nations conference will be convened at San Francisco in the United States on April 25, 1945, to prepare a charter for such an organization in accordance with the provisions worked out during the informal negotiations at Dumbarton Oaks.
The Government of China and the Provisional Government of France will be immediately consulted and asked to participate jointly with the Governments of the United States, Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in inviting other countries to the conference.
As soon as consultations with China and France are completed, the text of the proposals on the voting procedure will be published.
Declaration of a Liberated Europe
The Prime Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States of America consulted among themselves in the common interests of the peoples of their countries and the peoples of liberated Europe. They jointly declare that they have agreed among themselves to coordinate, during the period of temporary instability in liberated Europe, the policies of their three governments in assisting the peoples liberated from the rule of Nazi Germany and the peoples of the former Axis satellite states in Europe as they resolve them by democratic means. pressing political and economic problems...
About Poland
We gathered at the Crimean Conference to resolve our differences on the Polish issue. We have fully discussed all aspects of the Polish question. We reaffirmed our common desire to see the establishment of a strong, free, independent and democratic Poland, and as a result of our negotiations we agreed on the terms on which a new Provisional Polish Government of National Unity would be formed in such a way as to gain recognition from the three major powers.
The following agreement has been reached:
A new situation was created in Poland as a result of its complete liberation by the Red Army. This requires the creation of a Provisional Polish Government that would have a broader base than was previously possible before the recent liberation of western Poland. The Provisional Government currently in force in Poland must therefore be reorganized on a broader democratic basis, with the inclusion of democratic figures from Poland itself and Poles from abroad. This new government should then be called the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity...
The heads of the three governments believe that the eastern border of Poland should go along the Curzon line with a retreat from it in some areas of five to eight kilometers in favor of Poland. The heads of the three governments recognize that Poland should receive a significant increase in territory in the north and west. They believe that on the question of the size of these increments the opinion of the new Polish Government of National Unity will be sought in due course and that thereafter the final determination of the western border of Poland will be postponed until the peace conference...
Unity in the organization of peace as in the conduct of war
Our meeting in Crimea reaffirmed our common determination to preserve and strengthen in the coming period of peace that unity of purpose and action that has made victory in modern war possible and certain for the United Nations. We believe that this is a sacred commitment of our governments to their people, as well as to the people of the world.
Only with continued and growing cooperation and understanding between our three countries and among all peace-loving peoples can the highest aspiration of mankind be realized - a lasting and lasting peace, which should, as the Atlantic Charter says, “secure a situation in which all people in all countries could live their whole lives without knowing either fear or want.”
Victory in this war and the formation of the proposed international organization will provide the greatest opportunity in all human history for creating in the coming years the most important conditions for such a peace.
Preparations for the Yalta Conference, which lasted from February 4 to 11, 1945, began at the end of 1944. Not only the leaders of the anti-Hitler “Big Three” took part in it (the preparation), but also their closest advisers, assistants, and foreign ministers. Among the main participants on our side we can name, naturally, Stalin himself, Molotov, as well as Vyshinsky, Maisky, Gromyko, Berezhkov. The latter, by the way, left very interesting memoirs, which were published during his lifetime and were republished after his death.
Thus, by the time all three participants in the anti-Hitler coalition gathered in Yalta, the agenda had already been agreed upon and some positions had been clarified. That is, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt arrived in Crimea with an understanding of which issues their positions more or less coincided with, and which they still had to argue about.
The location of the conference was not immediately chosen. Initially it was proposed to hold the meeting in Malta. Even the following expression appeared: “from Malta to Yalta”. But ultimately, Stalin, citing the need to be in the country, insisted on Yalta. Hand on heart, we must admit that the “father of nations” was afraid to fly. History has not preserved a single flight of Stalin on an airplane.
Among the issues that were subject to discussion in Yalta, there were three main ones. Although, without a doubt, the conference touched upon a much wider range of problems, and agreements were reached on many positions. But the main ones, of course, were: the UN, Poland and Germany. These three issues took up most of the Big Three's time. And, in principle, agreements were reached on them, although, frankly speaking, with great difficulties (especially regarding Poland).
Diplomats during the Yalta Conference. (pinterest.com)
Regarding Greece, we had no objections - influence remained with Great Britain, but regarding Poland, Stalin was stubborn: he did not want to give it up, citing the fact that the country borders the USSR and it was through it that the war came to us (and not for the first time, By the way, in history we were threatened from there). Therefore, Stalin had a very firm position. However, despite Churchill’s categorical resistance and reluctance to cooperate, the Soviet leader achieved his goal.
What other options did the Allies have regarding Poland? In those days there (in Poland) there were two governments: Lublin and Mikolajczyk in London. Churchill, naturally, insisted on the latter and tried to win Roosevelt over to his side. But the American president made it very clear to the British prime minister that he did not intend to spoil relations with Stalin on this issue. Why? The explanation was simple: there was still a war with Japan, which was not of particular interest to Churchill, and Roosevelt did not want to argue with the Soviet leader in anticipation of a future alliance to defeat Japan.
As already mentioned, preparations for the conference began at the end of 1944, almost immediately after the opening of the Second Front. The war was drawing to a close, and it was clear to everyone that Hitler's Germany would not last long. Consequently, it was necessary to resolve, firstly, the issue of the future and, secondly, to divide Germany. Of course, after Yalta there was also Potsdam, but it was in Crimea that the idea arose (it belonged to Stalin) to give the zone to France (for which, we note, de Gaulle was always grateful to the USSR).
Also in Livadia, a decision was made to grant UN membership to Belarus and Ukraine. At first the conversation was about all the republics of the USSR, Stalin gently insisted on this for some time. Then he abandoned this idea and named only three republics: Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania (later very easily abandoning the latter). Thus, two republics remained. To smooth out the impression and soften his insistence, the leader of the Soviet state suggested that the Americans also include two or three states in the UN. Roosevelt did not agree to this matter, most likely foreseeing complications in Congress. Moreover, it is interesting that Stalin had a rather convincing reference: India, Australia, New Zealand are all the British Empire, that is, the UK will have plenty of votes in the UN - we need to equalize the chances. That's why the idea of additional USSR votes arose.
Stalin in negotiations with Roosevelt. (pinterest.com)
Compared to Poland, the discussion of the “German question” did not take much time. They talked about reparations, in particular, about the use of the labor of German prisoners of war to repay all the damage caused by the German army during the occupation of Soviet territory. Other issues were also discussed, but there were no objections on them from our allies, England or the United States. Apparently all the energy was focused on discussing the future of Poland.
An interesting detail: when zones of influence in Europe were distributed between the participants (in this case we are talking about Great Britain and the USSR), when Stalin agreed to leave Greece to Great Britain, but did not agree to Poland in any way, our troops were already in Hungary and Bulgaria. Churchill sketched out the distribution on a piece of paper: 90% of Soviet influence in Poland, 90% of British influence in Greece, Hungary or Romania (one of these countries) and Yugoslavia - 50% each. Having written this on a piece of paper, the English Prime Minister pushed the note to Stalin. He looked, and, according to the memoirs of Berezhkov, Stalin’s personal translator, “he returned it to Churchill with a click.” They say there are no objections. According to Churchill himself, Stalin put a tick on the document, right in the middle, and pushed it back to Churchill. He asked: “Shall we burn the piece of paper?” Stalin: “As you wish. You can save it." Churchill folded this note, put it in his pocket and then showed it off. True, the British minister did not fail to remark: “How quickly and not very decently we decide the future of European countries.”
The “Iranian issue” was also touched upon at the Yalta Conference. In particular, he was associated with Iranian Azerbaijan. We were going to create another republic, but the allies, the USA and Great Britain, simply reared up and forced us to abandon this idea.
Big Three leaders at the negotiating table. (pinterest.com)
Now let's talk about the main participants of the conference. Let's start with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Before the meeting in Yalta, the personal physician of the American president, Dr. Howard Bruen, examined Roosevelt to understand him physical state: will he be able to bear the flight, and indeed the conference itself. It was discovered that the president's heart and lungs were fine. True, things were worse with blood pressure - 211 to 113, which probably should have raised alarm bells. But Roosevelt had an enviable character trait: he knew how to get his act together. And the president pulled himself together, showing extraordinary energy, joked, used irony, quickly responded to all the questions that arose, and thereby somewhat reassured his relatives and advisers that everything was in order. But the pallor, yellowness, blue lips - all this attracted attention and gave Roosevelt’s critics grounds to argue that, in fact, the physical condition of the American president explained all his inexplicable concessions to Stalin.
Roosevelt's closest advisers, who were still close to him and bore a certain degree of responsibility for the agreements that were reached, argued that the president was in complete control of himself, aware of everything he said, agreed to and agreed to. “I have succeeded in everything where I could succeed,” Roosevelt said after Yalta in Washington. But this by no means cleared him of the charges.
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt returned home, he spent all his time at his Warm Springs residence. And so on April 12, almost exactly two months after the end of the Yalta meeting, Roosevelt, signing government documents, while the artist Elizaveta Shumatova, invited by the president’s friend, Mrs. Lucy Rutherfurd, was painting his portrait, he suddenly raised his hand to the back of his head and said: “I have a terrible headache.” These were the last words of Franklin Roosevelt's life.
It is worth noting that on the eve of April 12, the American president sent his last telegram to Stalin. The fact is that the Soviet leader received information about the meetings of Allen Dulles, the OSS resident in Bern, with General Wolf. Stalin, having learned about this, did not fail to turn to Roosevelt with such, one might say, an unusual letter, expressing protest, even amazement, surprise. How so? We are such friends, we are open all the time in relationships, but here you let us down? Roosevelt responded. Firstly, he said that he was not conducting any negotiations, that this was a continuation of what had been started with Stalin’s consent. But the USSR was not invited to these negotiations, which is why the Soviet leader was indignant. And Roosevelt wrote to Stalin that he really did not want such a minor event to spoil their relationship. And he sent this telegram to Harriman, the US Ambassador to the USSR.
Harriman, on his own initiative, delayed the transmission of the letter to Stalin and sent an urgent coded telegram to Roosevelt that it was not necessary to call this a “minor misunderstanding” - this was a very serious situation. And Roosevelt replied: “I am not inclined to consider this a serious event and continue to consider it simply a misunderstanding.” Thus, the telegram was transmitted to Stalin. And when he received it, the next day Roosevelt was no longer there.
Russian postage stamp 1995. (pinterest.com)
Returning to the Yalta Conference, it is worth saying that Stalin, in principle, was pleased with its results. Nowhere and never did he express any dissatisfaction about the fact that he failed in something (this was not in the spirit of the Soviet leader). The meeting in Crimea received an extremely positive assessment: “achieved”, “preserved”, “secured”, “advanced”.
And finally, a few words about ensuring the security of the Yalta Conference. The security of state representatives during the meeting was, of course, the responsibility of the USSR, on whose territory it was held. It is worth noting that all possible forces were involved in protecting and escorting the leaders of the Big Three. Interesting fact: on the way to Livadia, from the car windows, Churchill and Roosevelt observed not only signs of the war that had just subsided, but also a large number of women in military uniform.
The article is based on material from the program “The Price of Victory” of the radio station “Echo of Moscow”. Guest of the program - doctor historical sciences, guest of the “Price of Victory” program of the radio station “Echo of Moscow” Eduard Ivanyan, hosts Dmitry Zakharov and Vitaly Dymarsky. You can read and listen to the original interview in full at
From February 4 to February 12, 1945, a conference of the leaders of the three allied powers - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain - took place in Crimea. The Soviet delegation was headed by I.V. Stalin, American - F. Roosevelt, English - W. Churchill. People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR V.M. took part. Molotov, US Secretary of State E. Stettinius, British Foreign Secretary A. Eden, as well as the chiefs of general staff and advisers of the countries participating in the conference.
For the first time, a question about a meeting at top level was raised by F. Roosevelt and W. Churchill in July 1944. The final date and place of the meeting were determined in further correspondence between the leaders of the three powers. F. Roosevelt's nomination of his candidacy for a new presidential term, his participation in the election campaign and taking office made it impossible to open the conference before the beginning of February 1945.
The US President suggested Northern Scotland, Cyprus, Athens or Malta as a meeting place, the British Prime Minister - Alexandria or Jerusalem. I.V. Stalin vigorously defended his proposal: the southern coast of Crimea, and in the end he managed to convince the allies that the Soviet government was able to ensure complete security for the conference.
The meeting of the “Big Three” took place at the final stage of the Second World War. As a result of the successful offensive actions of the Red Army, the territory of our country, most of Poland, was completely liberated, our divisions entered German territory. On June 6, 1944, they landed in northern France allied forces, the long-awaited second front opened, the anti-fascist movement in the occupied countries gained strength, and the situation in the Pacific theater of military operations changed for the better.
At the Crimean Conference, the Allied powers agreed on joint military measures for the final defeat of the armed forces of Nazi Germany, determined their attitude towards Germany after its unconditional surrender and outlined the basic principles of a common policy regarding the post-war organization of the world.
The leaders of the Allied Powers solemnly declared: “It is our unyielding goal to destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world. We are determined to disarm and disband all German armed forces, to destroy once and for all the German General Staff, which has repeatedly contributed to the revival of German militarism, to confiscate or destroy all German military equipment, to liquidate or take control of all German industry that could be used for military purposes. production; to subject all war criminals to just and speedy punishment... to wipe out the Nazi Party, Nazi laws, organizations and institutions from the face of the earth; eliminate all Nazi and militaristic influence from public institutions, from the cultural and economic life of the German people...”
It was emphasized that after the eradication of Nazism and militarism, the German people would be able to take their rightful place in the community of nations.
The most important issue at the Crimean Conference was the creation of the United Nations. The agreement on the voting procedure in the Security Council (the “Yalta Formula”) took into account the principle of unanimity of the permanent members of the Council, defended by the Soviet delegation, when making decisions on all issues related to ensuring peace and security. The communiqué adopted at Yalta emphasized that the United Nations would play an important role “both in preventing aggression and in eliminating the political, economic and social causes of war through close and constant cooperation of all peace-loving peoples.”
In the context of discussing UN issues, the Soviet delegation achieved the agreement of the United States and Great Britain that the Ukrainian SSR and Byelorussian SSR became founding members of the international organization being created.
The “Declaration of a Liberated Europe” emphasized the desire of the Allied powers to coordinate their actions in solving the political and economic problems of a liberated Europe. The declaration stated: “The establishment of order in Europe and the reconstruction of national economic life must be achieved in such a way as will enable the liberated peoples to destroy the last traces of Nazism and fascism and to create democratic institutions of their own choice.” It was stated that, in accordance with the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they would live, the restoration of sovereign rights and self-government should be ensured to those peoples who had been deprived of this by aggressive states through violence. The determination, together with other peace-loving countries, to create an international legal order consistent with peace, security, freedom and the general welfare of mankind was confirmed.
At Yalta, the Allied Powers reaffirmed their desire to see Poland strong, free, independent and democratic and to guarantee its security. As a result of decisions taken in Yalta and later in Potsdam, Poland received a significant increase in its territory in the north and west.
At the Crimea Conference, the Soviet Union committed itself to entering the war against Japan two to three months after the end of the war in Europe. At the same time, the following conditions were set: maintaining the status of Outer Mongolia (Mongolian People's Republic); recovery belonging to Russia rights violated by Japan's treacherous attack in 1904, including the return Soviet Union the southern part of Sakhalin Island and all adjacent islands; transfer of the Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union. The leaders of the three great powers agreed that these conditions of the Soviet Union "must be unconditionally satisfied after the victory over Japan."
The conference communique noted “the determination to preserve and strengthen in the coming period of peace that unity of purpose and action which has made victory in modern war possible and certain for the United Nations.”
The Crimean Conference, along with the Potsdam Conference, marked the end of the largest historical geopolitical conflict and determined the political appearance of the world in the second half of the 20th century. A system of international relations emerged, which, based on a new balance of forces, predetermined the need to take into account the interests of the two superpowers, which, in turn, gave international processes a high degree of controllability.
The decisions of the Crimean Conference reflected the reasonable and realistic policy of statesmen of the three powers. They showed high negotiability, made compromises without hiding political differences, agreed on rules of conduct and achieved a relative balance that kept the world in relative stability for almost fifty years.
The Yalta agreements are an invaluable methodological experience from the point of view of harmonizing the current and future international order. The decisions adopted in Yalta in concentrated form embodied the many years of experience of peoples in their struggle against fascism and militarism. The success of the conference was greatly facilitated by the measures taken by the Soviet leadership aimed at intensifying international relations, which contributed to the strengthening of the anti-Hitler coalition, the growth of trust in the Soviet Union and its international authority.
A major role in this process was played by the Soviet diplomatic service, whose activities during the war, according to the well-known expression of I.V. Stalin, was equal to the efforts of 20 divisions at the front. The struggle for the comprehensive and complete implementation of the decisions of the Crimean Conference became one of the main tasks of Soviet diplomacy not only in wartime, but also in post-war years.
In conditions where the controversy surrounding the Yalta agreements remains part of the modern political struggle on cardinal issues of war and peace, Russian diplomacy makes full use of its resources, rebuffing fabrications about alleged Soviet and Russian “violations” of the Yalta agreements or about the “unilateral benefit” of the Yalta decisions for our country. She is actively promoting a course to strengthen international peace, general security and stability in order to establish a fair and democratic international system based on collective principles in solving international problems, on the supremacy international law, first of all, on the provisions of the UN Charter, as well as on equal and partnership relations between states with the central coordinating role of the UN as the main organization regulating international relations.
Letter from the US Ambassador to the USSR W.A. Harriman to the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR V.M. Molotov with a proposal to J.V. Stalin to designate the upcoming meeting of the leaders of the three allied powers - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain in Yalta with the code name "Argonaut".
January 8, 1945
Letter from the USSR People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs V.M. Molotov to the US Ambassador to the USSR W.A. Harriman about J.V. Stalin's agreement with the choice code name"Argonaut" for the upcoming meeting of the leaders of the three allied powers.
January 10, 1945
List of persons accompanying I.V. Stalin at the Crimean Conference.
January 1945
List of people who attended dinner with I.V. Stalin in the Yusupov Palace.
February 8, 1945
Lunch menu at the Vorontsov Palace with autographs of J.V. Stalin, W. Churchill and F.D. Roosevelt.
February 10, 1945
Protocol of the Crimean Conference" with signatures - E.R. Stettinius, V.M. Molotov and A. Eden (first and last pages).
February 11, 1945
Reading time: 4 min
Yalta Conference 1945 - Stalin I.V. Roosevelt F.D. Churchill W.
The Yalta or Crimean Conference was another meeting of the leaders of Great Britain, the USSR, and the USA during the Second World War. The meeting took place in 1945 in February. The city of Yalta on the Crimean Peninsula was chosen as the location. The conference took place over 8 days, which resulted in the signing of a number of acts that predetermined the system of the future world order and in Europe in particular.
Conference participants
The conference participants were representatives of three member states of the anti-Hitler coalition: Winston Churchill from Great Britain, Joseph Stalin from the USSR, Franklin Roosevelt from the USA. Accordingly, all three delegates were leaders and leaders of their states.
Separate palaces were allocated for each representative. So, Stalin and delegates from the USSR were located in a small village near Yalta. The palace was built back in the 19th century.
Roosevelt and representatives of the American delegation were accommodated in 3 km away. from Yalta itself. It is worth noting that it was in the Livadia Palace that all significant meetings of the participants of the Yalta Conference took place.
The British delegation led by Prime Minister Churchill settled in the city located at the foot of the famous.
Conference location
Meeting of Foreign Ministers - Crimean (Yalta) Conference 1945
Some sources indicate that the initiative to hold the conference in Yalta came personally from Stalin, who sought to demonstrate the decisive role of the USSR in the fight against Nazi Germany. Other sources refer to the fact that the American president chose Yalta because of his health. As you know, Crimea is a resort and health resort, and Roosevelt at that time was experiencing serious health problems.
In February 1945, it was 9 months since Crimea was liberated from the occupation of German troops. Yalta itself was not in the best condition. For this purpose, in preparation for the meeting of coalition leaders, about 1,500 carloads of construction materials, equipment, and furniture were delivered to the city over several months.
All meetings of delegations within the framework of the conference were held in the largest hall of the Livadia Palace - the White Hall. For this purpose, a large round negotiating table was equipped in its very center.
Agreements reached during the conference
At the Yalta Conference, many agreements were reached concerning the interests of each of the participating parties.
- The leaders decided to divide Germany into occupation zones. It was assumed that each side would receive a certain section of the country's territory on which military bases would be created. A decision was made to completely disarm Germany and completely eliminate the Nazi regime in it.
- It was at the Yalta Conference that the first agreements were reached on the creation of the United Nations, which would regulate international problems peacefully. At the same time, the date was set for the first conference within the framework of the creation of the UN.
- The parties signed the “Declaration of a Liberated Europe,” which emphasized that the liberated peoples of Eastern Europe would be restored to their rights, but at the same time indicated the possibility of the victorious countries to “help” them in this.
- The issue of the structure of Poland was actually resolved. At the initiative of the USSR, an alternative government was formed there, consisting of both communists and democrats. In fact, the USSR secured for itself in the future the opportunity to establish a regime convenient for itself in Poland.
- Agreements have been reached regarding future borders between the countries. This question was fundamental and meant the division of spheres of influence in the future Europe.
- A compromise was found regarding compensation to the victorious countries for the damage caused by Germany. Thus, the USSR received the right to claim half of all compensation paid by Germany to Great Britain and the USA.
- As a result of the Yalta Conference, the USSR expanded its territory by returning the Kuril Islands and South Sakhalin in the future. The Soviet military had the opportunity to rent a base in the city of Port Arthur, as well as the Chinese Eastern Railway.
- At the conference, the leaders of the three states agreed on the return to the USSR of people liberated or captured in those areas that were captured by US and British troops.
- Finally, during the conference, the leaders of the so-called “Big Three” resolved the issue regarding the future structure of Yugoslavia and Greece.
The significance of the Yalta Conference for history
The conference in Yalta became a world-class event. Decisions that were fateful for millions of people were made there. The meeting of the leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition itself showed that states with different ideologies can cooperate with each other and jointly solve common world problems. The Yalta Conference was the last meeting of the leaders of the three countries in such a composition, as well as the last conference of the pre-nuclear world era.
It was the Yalta Conference that predetermined and actually formalized the division of the world into two camps, which in the future will compete with each other for spheres of influence in the world.
Such a system was able to exist for half a century until the collapse of the USSR, but many of the decisions that were made at meetings within the conference are still in effect. Thus, the UN still exists, the borders of European states have remained practically unchanged, the only exception being the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 90s. XX century. The agreements of the conference are still in force regarding the integrity of China and the independence of the two Koreas - South and North.
The agreement between the USSR, USA, and Great Britain, reached at the conference regarding the border between the USSR and Japan, still remains in force and has not changed for 70 years.
The results of the conference are still the subject of political disputes and mutual accusations. The decisions taken by the leaders of the participating states are currently being interpreted and used by the warring parties as propaganda policies.
The code word for all meetings concerning the organization of the conference and meetings at it was the word “Argonaut”. This idea was proposed by British Prime Minister Churchill. The word was not taken by chance, since it is a reference to the ancient Greek myth about the Argonauts who were looking for the Golden Fleece. Churchill associated Crimea with the city of Colchis, which the Argonauts were looking for. Churchill and Roosevelt called themselves Argonauts. Stalin reluctantly agreed to this version of the code word.
It is known that Churchill was the one who did not want to go to Yalta the most, calling the Crimean climate and conditions in the city terrible.
There were no reporters at the conference itself. Churchill took the initiative to make the meeting informal. Only a few military photographers were invited from each side and took a small number of photographs. It is known that the leaders of the USA and the USSR welcomed this initiative.
The Yalta Conference could well have been held in Odessa and called the Odessa Conference. Odessa was considered as a backup option in case there was bad weather in Crimea.
The most recent leader to leave Yalta was Winston Churchill. The conference itself ended on February 11, and the British Prime Minister left Crimea only on February 14, having visited. It was in this place in 1854-1855. As part of the Crimean War, British troops fought on the side of the Ottoman Empire against the troops of the Russian Empire.
Monument dedicated to the conference
The idea of installing a monument dedicated to the Yalta Conference arose many years later. The sculptor Zurab Tsereteli began to implement the idea. In 2005, a monument was prepared depicting the leaders of the USSR, USA and Great Britain sitting on chairs. The weight of the composition was within 10 tons, and bronze was chosen as the material. It was assumed that the monument would be erected in Livadia in the same year, 2005, on the anniversary of the conference. The event did not take place due to protests from a number of Ukrainian parties. Only in 2014 the monument was transferred to Crimea, and on February 5, 2015 it was inaugurated as part of the 70th anniversary of the conference itself.
