Question

The final meeting of the “Big 3” occurred in Yalta in February 1945. Concessions made to Stalin by FDR and Churchill would cause problems for Europe in the future. First, what were those concessions and what did Stalin

promise in return? Secondly, when Stalin went back on that promise, how did the Truman administration deal with the soviets over the next eight (8) years?

Answer 1

Concessions made to stalin:

1. Postwar economic assistance to USSR were promised by the allies that is USA and British empire.

2. USA and Britain agreed that the nations bordering soviet union would be friendly to the Soviet Regime. This was done to satisfy Stalin's desire to have a zone of influence in its neighbourhood which would act as a buffer in any future conflicts in Europe.

Stalins promise in return:

1. Stalin agreed to one of the key objective of Churchill by agreeing to allow representatives from the political parties of Poland in the provisional government installed in Poland and also promised free elections there.

2. Stalin also agreed on Soviet's participation in the United Nations after all the members agreed that the organisations Security Council will hold veto power.

Truman and the Soviets

He adopted a policy of containment, in which the US would try its best to attempt to prevent any spread of communism and will not seek to regain the territories that have been lost to communism. The North Atlantic Treay organisation was established to counter the threats posed by the Soviets in the Cold war era. It was the global military alliances that was directed against the Soviet Union.