The Big Three Conferencesof WWII
Purposes and Results…
Purpose of the Meetings
• Civilian leaders of the Allies meet to discuss “grand strategy” for the war.
• A time to “size up” each other and the intentions of each country going forward.
• An opportunity to further your specific goals by making them part of the overall strategy of the alliance.
• To plan the post war world and how it will be contolled.
Major “Big 3” Meetings
• Teheran (1943) held in the capital of Iran close to the Soviet border.
• Yalta (Feb. 1945) held in the Soviet Union.
• Potsdam (July 1945) held in a suburb of Berlin.
• First opportunity for the three leaders to meet “face to face”
• Churchill and FDR have met numerous times adding fuel to Stalin’s fear of collusion between the western leaders.
Teheran
Results of Teheran
• Allied leaders agree to a ‘second front’ in Europe by the spring of 1944.
• Stalin meets with FDR and gets his assurance of a ‘cross channel’ invasion in 1944.
• Stalin needs to have pressure taken off the eastern front as soon as possible.
Yalta Conference
• Big 3 meet in Stalin’s Soviet Union to discuss the final defeat of Germany.
• Maps that indicate the areas of Allied control are drawn up.
• Soviets gain E. Europe• Germany will be divided • Berlin will be divided
A failing FDR at Yalta
The Division of Europe
Potsdam Conference
• Allies meet in a suburb of Berlin to finalize the division of Europe
• Discuss the surrender of Japan
• A shake up of the Big 3• Growing mistrust
amongst the Allies• Truman’s secret…
Results of the Conferences
• Allies made strategic plans for the defeat of the Axis.
• The “seeds of the Cold War” were planted at Yalta.
• The division of Europe agreed upon at Yalta and Potsdam would remain for decades…
• Opened the door to the atomic age.• Ushered in an era of tension between the
‘superpowers’.
Hiroshima
Nagasaki
Top Related