Friday's lecture was on the beginning of the Cold War. In February 1945 the Allied leaders (the Big Three) Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met in Yalta (in the Soviet Union) to discuss what needs to happen in the world. Remember that WWII has not ended yet, but the Allies were very close to getting Hitler/Germany to surrender. The Yalta Agreement states:
- Soviets would declare war against Japan and in return get territories in Asia
- they would divide Germany into four zones until free elections could take place (France, Great Britain, US and USSR would each control a zone)
- Stalin agreed to allow free elections would be held in the Eastern European countries that Germany took prior to and during the war, but the Soviets controlled now during the end of the war
- Stalin would cooperate in developing the new international peace keeping organization, The United Nations
Stalin did not do as he said he would...so the Cold War begins.....
For something extra, you may go to http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/wwii/yalta.htm and read the official agreement. What is the date it is signed? By whom?
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