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