Download World War II Conferences Where When Who What was decided

World War II Conferences
Where
Atlantic
Conf
When
Aug
1941
Who
US
(FDR)
and
Britain
(Churchil
l)
What was decided
discuss common goals of both nations (before the US was
technically involved).
Rio De
Janeiro
Conf
Casablanca
Conf
Jan
1942
21 PanAmer.
states
FDR and
Churchill
agreed to break diplomatic relations with the Axis powers
Chile waited until 1943 and Argentina 1944.
Jan
1943
Sec. of
State –
Cordell
Hull
FDR and
Chang
kai-shek
a. agreed to a joint military operation against Italy starting
in Sicily.
b. Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower was made Allied commander of
the North African Theatre.
c. Doctrine of Unconditional Surrender - not an armistice.
a. obtained Soviet agreement to enter the war
against Japan after Germany was defeated
b. to participate in a world organization (UN) after the war
Implications/significance
Atlantic Charter - Eight general
statements
a. Disavowing any territorial
ambitions;
b. Freedom of the seas;
c. Establishing a permanent
system of general security;
d. Guaranteeing equal access to
the world's resources for all;
e. Supporting selfdetermination (people's right to
choose their own form of
government).
(1) A united Allied policy
toward Axis Powers was
announced to ease Soviet fears
against the West, remove postwar peace terms from US
domestic policies and lessen
possible separate treaty
negotiations between members
of either side.
(2) It was criticized as an Axis
propaganda tool that may have
prolonged the war
USSR becomes a major power
in the UN – including a
permanent member of the
security council
Moscow
Oct
1943
Cairo
Nov.
1943
Teheran
Conf
28
Nov-2 Dec
1943
FDR,
Churchill
, Stalin
for the
1st time
met
Several issues were raised:
(1) UN organization
(2) Disposition of post-war Germany
(3) Soviet interests in Eastern Europe
(4) Far Eastern front agreement against Japan
Although nothing definite
came out of this conference, a
spirit of cordiality permeated
the meeting which led FDR to
believe that a new friendly
post-war alliance was possible.
Yalta Conf
4-11
Feb
45
FDR,
Stalin
and
Churchill
Specific Issues Resolved
(1) Germany
(a) Unconditional Surrender
(b) Demilitarized and Denazified
(c) Split into four occupation Zones - GB/US/USSR/FR
(d) While occupied, Germany would be administered as a unit
by the Allied Control Council, composed of representatives
from each occupying nation.
(1) This most important and
controversial conference
revealed severe divisions
which later plagued East/West
postwar relations.
(2) A significant
accomplishment nonetheless -most successful wartime
a. demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender.
b. All Chinese territories occupied by Japan would be returned
to China;
c .Korea would be free and independent.
Potsdam
17
July-2 Aug
1945
Stalin,
Truman,
Clement
Attlee .
(2) Poland -- most difficult issue for the conference
(a) It allowed the Soviets to keep the territory seized in 1939
(previously part of Tsarist Russia) while compensating Poland
with territory to the West in Germany, establishing the eastern
boundary of Poland at the Curzon line
(b) Interim Government - Because two governments established
in WW II claimed to represent Poland, the Lublin government
(Polish communists put in power as Soviets advanced on the
east) would be broadened to include members of the London
government (Polish leaders government-in-exile) with fitire
free elections to choose a new government.
(3) Declaration of Eastern Europe - Interim governments would
be established with all democratic elements represented in them
(Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Rumania) and free
elections to be held at a later date.
(4) Far East
(a) FDR, Stalin and Churchill (reluctantly) agreed secretly that
the Soviets would enter the war against Japan within three
months after Germany surrendered, because the Allies planned
to invade the Japanese Islands in the Fall 1945.
(b) In exchange for Soviet participation, the USSR would get
i) trade and territorial concessions in East Asia;
ii) recognition of Soviet control over Outer Mongolia;
iii) Special interests in Manchuria;
iv) Lease of Port Arthur as a naval base;
v) Complete control of Sakhalin Island
(c) Soviets also agreed to work with Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang
Jieshi) in China instead of "margarine communists" of Mao
Tse-tung
Germany having surrendered unconditionally on 7 May 45 was
discussed.
a. Disarmed, demilitarized, denazified.
b. Wartime leaders to be tried as criminals (Nuremburg Trials
Nov 45 to Oct 46).
c. Divided into 4 occupation zones, with each to get reparations
from its own zone (Because the Western zones had the richest,
most industrialized area of Germany, 10% of their capital
equipment was transferred to the Eastern (or Russian) zone who
transferred food, coal and raw materials to the Western zones).
Council of Foreign Ministers - beginning 25 April 46, regular
meetings of the foreign ministers from the US, USSR, Britain,
France and China were to meet to negotiate separate treaties with
the other Axis Powers (Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Rumania,
Finland)
Potsdam Declaration - publicized 26 July 45
a. Truman, Attlee and Chiang Kai-shek (U.S.S.R. had not yet
declared war on Japan) discussed the disposition of Japan after
the war.
(1) The Allies would occupy Japan after Japan's surrender;
(2) Japanese sovereignty reduced to the main islands only;
(3) Japan would be disarmed;
(4) Japan was told to surrender unconditionally or face "prompt
destruction" from a new weapon.
meeting and accurately
foreshadowing the new postwar global balance of power to
emerge
(3) Big Three called a meeting
of the United Nations in San
Francisco on April 25 to
establish international peace.
(81% of U.S. population
favored this action).
(4) The debate raged after the
war over concessions made to
the Soviets: Did FDR give the
Soviets too much with too little
in return? Could he give away
what he did not have such as
Eastern Europe? Could the US
have prevented the Soviets
from establishing spheres of
influence over Eastern Europe
short of war?
Truman's diplomacy was
shaped by several things:
- His background and personal
views esp. his distrust of the
Soviet system and its leaders
- Before the US entered the
War, Truman commented
publicly about the German
invasion of Russia, saying that
it was essentially a good thing,
that we should let the dictators
beat each other up and then
jump in to help whichever side
was losing.
- His lack of close involvement
with FDR's foreign policy
during the war; and,
- As a result he did not
appreciate the tremendous
sacrifices made and physical
devastation suffered by leading
US Allies, England and Russia.
- He believed that the war had
been won by the application of
American military strength,
failing to note that the Soviets
had done the lion's share of
b. Japan surrendered within two weeks after the Americans
dropped two atomic bombs although it is known today that the
Soviet declaration of war against Japan had a greater affect on
their surrender than the US bombs.
**********Conclusion - Although the Soviets and the
Americans worked well together to overcome a common enemy,
Nazi Germany, the Allied unity quickly broke down after the war
and the world became again two armed camps -- East led by the
Soviet Union vs West led by the US.***********
fighting against Nazi armies for
two years before D-Day in
1944.
- Because of his inexperience
his need to relay extensively
upon State Department
specialists , who were typically
"hardliners" toward the Soviet
Union.
- Roosevelt had conducted his
foreign policy through a worldwide network of military and
civilian envoys, virtually
ignoring the State Department
in all foreign policy decisions
- State Department advisers
generally agreed with Truman
about the untrustworthy nature
of the Soviets and were
"chafing at the bits" to be heard
when Truman became
president.