second world war conferences

The Conferences of World War Two

References:

• Handbook, pages: 114 - 116

• Text, pages: 134-35, 137, 146-47, 154-55

Note: There were more conferences than those listed in your references - these are just some of the most significant ones.

The leaders:

The Big 3

Time Line

1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Nfld Conf. (Atlantic Charter)

Que Conf. #1

Casablanca Conf.

Cairo C

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Yalta Conf.

Potsdam Conf.

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Que Conf. #2

1. NEWFOUNDLAND: Aug, 1941

Sometimes called the Atlantic Conference

• Churchill and FDR

• Discuss common war aims

• Create the Atlantic Charter

The U.S. recognizes the threat to Britain (the Battle of the Atlantic is NOT going well),

sooooo…

• The “14 points” of WW2 (actually only 8)

• Model for UN

• Start of the GRAND ALLIANCE

Churchill’s rough draft

Charter’s 8 Points:

•The USA and Britain agreed to seek no territorial gains as a result of the outcome of World War II.•Any territorial adjustments would be made with the wishes of the affected people taken into consideration.•Self-determination was a right of all people.•A concerted effort would be made to lower trade barriers.•The importance of the advancement of social welfare and global economic cooperation were recognized as important.•They would work to establish freedom from fear and want.•The importance of freedom of the seas was stated.•They would work towards postwar disarmament and the mutual disarmament of aggressor nations.

I’m not going to kiss you, if that’s what you want!

The Charter was a natural progression…

2. CASABLANCA: Jan, 1943

Churchill and FDR agree thatChurchill and FDR agree that

• Germany must surrender UNCONDITIONALLY.

• Did not want to repeat the errors of WW1 (ie. stab in the back).

• Published the Casablanca Declaration = outlines the requirement for surrender.

How could this prolong the war?

How would Germany react?

3. QUEBEC (One): Aug, 1943

Why is he always moving into

my space?

• D-Day (the AlliesD-Day (the Allies’’ Priority!) is set for Priority!) is set for May 1, 1944 May 1, 1944 (a date not realized).(a date not realized).

• Pacific theatre is reorganized.Pacific theatre is reorganized.• Discuss A-Bomb progress + share info Discuss A-Bomb progress + share info

(Stalin not in on the secret - or so they think…).(Stalin not in on the secret - or so they think…).

4. CAIRO: Nov, 1943

Zones of Occupation?

FDR’s musings of

post-war Europe while on the ship to

Cairo…

UUSSA A ZoneZone

Brit Brit Zone Zone

USSR USSR ZoneZone

Later this came out at Yalta

A bunch of other guys…

Chiang FDR Churchill Madam Chiang

WHO WAS WHO WAS ABSENT?ABSENT?

• Planned operations for China.

• Post-war: a) Manchuria to China;

b) Korea to be free (who had

controlled Korea since 1910?).

5. Quebec (Two): Sep, 1944

• Churchill presses for Mediterranean

• Phase 2 Lend-lease $ to UK

• FDR still won’t recognize DeGaulle

• Morgenthau Plan given tentative approval:

• Hyde Park Agreement

6. TEHRAN: Nov-Dec, 1943

BEST FRIENDS?

• FIRSTFIRST MEETING OF THE BIG 3.

• Churchill ensures cordiality.• USA/UK agree to open 2nd front (vs.

Churchill’s Med. Strategy - Balkans Greece).

• USSR agrees to fight in Pacific (for a price…after Germany is defeated)

• Post-war Poland buffer is planned.

FDR’S NOTES

Curzon Line in the East

USSR regains land lost to Poland in Treaty of Riga 1921.

(Remember the UK Foreign Secretary from 1919?)

Oder-Niesse Line in the West: Poland’s Compensation

Not finalized + the plan for Germany is deferred to another meeting.

7. YALTA: Feb, 1945

Livadia Palace:Fit for a Tsar

MostMost important of important of

all the all the

conferences?conferences?

• Zones vs 1944 Morgenthau Plan to break apart Germany

• Nuremburg• USSR in Pacific 3 months after V.E.• Disarm Germany (details later)• USSR to allow elections in East (FDR soft on

guarantees - needs Stalin)• Poland still not finalized - leave that for the

peace treaty (Potsdam).

Churchill’s Plan

Roosevelt’s Paln

Morgenthau Plan:

Final Decision

• Approved 1944 Dumbarton Oaks re: U.N. (also 1944 Bretton Woods - IMF/World Bank).

• Plan 1945 San Fran. in April to draft Charter.

8. Potsdam: Jul-Aug 1945

The Reichstag: fall of Berlin 02 May, 1945

Local time

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Potsdam Declaration

• Truman, Chiang and Churchill define terms for Japanese surrender with threat of “prompt and utter destruction” (w/o mention of the Bomb).

How would new leaders from the democracies change the treaty negotiations?

I beat that Tory, Churchill.

FDR died; I was VP.

I “man of steel;” l always be here!

Generally, who rule the conquered right after a war?

E

B

C

Germany had divided: what goes around…

Remember FDR’s Map?

11

22

44

33

55

66

77

88

Who appears to get the best zone?

Spheres of Influence?

• Which two countries switched spots?

• Which country now has zones?

• What about the capital, Berlin?

• Note: Austria was similarly divided

Potsdam was not intended to be the peace treaty;

it can be divided into two parts:

CHANGE GERMANY

• Dismantle her war industries - split up navy + destroy most subs (some kept for research)- rocket program moved to USA

• Reparations (more to USSR)• Denazification

- no Nazi groups, symbols, leaders

• and

TrialsTrials for war criminals for war criminals

G

Only 35,000 of the estimated 150-200,000 responsible were tried and convicted. The Brits had only 3 investigators; the Americans 320 - all work was suspended in 1948; trouble with the Allies was brewing.

Saying you were ORDERED to commit a war crime is no defense!Remember Henry V: “Every subject’s duty is the King’s, but every subject’s soul is his own.” IV, i, 161-162

Dealing with the USSR

• At the start of the conference the

A-Bomb was unproven; how would its success affect the way the US dealt with the USSR? What about Truman’s hatred for Stalin?

Allied Control Council

• What would happen if denazification created a leadership void?

• What are the types of things the Council would have to administer?

Making Sense How can the conferences be divided:• Who attended the first ones - what did they

concern?• When did the Big 3 get together - what stage

in the war was this?• When did the focus change from war to post-

war?• How important were personalities and

relationships?• Were compromises necessary?• How do the decisions of 1945 compare to

1919?

Remember

Understanding the outcome of WW2 and the reasons for the decisions made will help you to grasp the later outcomes in the bi-polar world of the Cold War.

end