1. THE END OF WW2 THE YALTA CONFERENCE & THE POTSDAM CONFERENCE

2. THE YALTA CONFERENCE Who? -The “Big Three” The United States: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Great Britain: Winston Churchill The Soviet Union: Josef Stalin What? -A meeting to decide the outcome of the War in Europe, discussing Europe’s post-war reorganization When? -February 1945 Where? -Yalta, Crimea in Ukraine Why? –The war in Europe was coming to a close, and the soon-to-be victors had to decide the answers to post-war questions/issues.

3. TASK #1 GERMANY AND BERLIN Both Germany and Berlin were divided into 4 zones. Split influence between East (Soviet Union) and West (US, Britain, and France) This decision leads to Communist/Democratic tension in Germany and Berlin throughout the Cold War

4. TASK 2: NAZI WAR CRIMINALS Nazi war criminals were hunted down and brought to justice in what we now know as the Nuremberg Trials. Nazi Party officials and high- ranking military officers were indicted on such charges as crimes against peace and crimes against humanity.

5. TASK 3: REBUILDING EUROPE German reparations –Partly in the form of forced labor used to repair damage that Germany caused –Spread over a ten year period Allied responsibility –Allied powers took some responsibility for rebuilding Europe –Eventually leads to the Marshall Plan

6. TASK 4: GERMAN GOVERNMENT Germany would undergo demilitarization and denazification Set basic blueprint for the United Nations Roosevelt also obtained a commitment by Stalin to participate in the UN

7. TASK 5: POLAND The Big Three agreed that Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania would be kept under Soviet control, but would be able to hold free elections. This promise was made by Stalin, but was NOT kept.

8. TASK 6: WAR IN THE PACIFIC Stalin agreed to enter the fight against the Empire of Japan “2-3 months after the war in Europe is terminated…” This leads to the eventual surrender of Japan.

9. POTSDAM CONFERENCE

10. THE POTSDAM CONFERENCE OVERVIEW: A slightly altered “Big Three” met in July 1945 in the Berlin suburb of Potsdam. By this time the war in Europe was over. –Stalin (USSR) –Truman (US) –Churchill (Great Britain) At Potsdam, Truman took the reins of international leadership and began to reshape the relationship of the US with its Allies They discussed the same topics as Yalta, but without a common enemy new tensions arose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdTmrusxCag