The Atlantic Conference
Over time, a tenuous bond formed between the Allied leaders based on their need for mutual assistance. The Soviet Union was desperate for the Western Allies to open a second front in Europe, the fate of Great Britain depended on the Soviet Union's ability to occupy the Nazis on the eastern front, and the United States wanted allies in its war against Japan. A declaration released on December 1, 1943, after the three major leaders (Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin) had met in Teheran, stated:
"We leave here, friends in fact, in spirit and in purpose."
Although they needed to rely on one another for mutual assistance their goals for the postwar world were vastly different. Compromises would be required and so they engaged in a number of meetings or conferences in order to reach a mutual understanding of how to shape and guide a post war world.
The purpose of this section is to give the student a broad overview of the individuals who shaped post-war policy and how communication between the leaders was an essential key in developing this policy.
There were many conferences but we will only focus on three: The conferences of the Atlantic, Teheran, and Yalta which took place between the years 1941 and 1945.
The first conference The Atlantic Conference took place from August 9th - 12th of 1941 onboard the USS Augusta and the HMS Prince of Wales. This conference was between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill.
The objectives of this conference were to draw the United States into World War II and to secure more help for the war weary British who had been at war with Germany since 1939. This was Churchill's goal, Roosevelt's goal was to cement relations with Churchill, discuss terms for the Lend-Lease assistance program and strengthen domestic support for ties in Great Britain. One of the by products of this conference was the joint issuance of the Atlantic Charter which expressed a commitment to the principles of self governance and freedom for every country and called for "the destruction of the Nazi tyranny."
"We leave here, friends in fact, in spirit and in purpose."
Although they needed to rely on one another for mutual assistance their goals for the postwar world were vastly different. Compromises would be required and so they engaged in a number of meetings or conferences in order to reach a mutual understanding of how to shape and guide a post war world.
The purpose of this section is to give the student a broad overview of the individuals who shaped post-war policy and how communication between the leaders was an essential key in developing this policy.
There were many conferences but we will only focus on three: The conferences of the Atlantic, Teheran, and Yalta which took place between the years 1941 and 1945.
The first conference The Atlantic Conference took place from August 9th - 12th of 1941 onboard the USS Augusta and the HMS Prince of Wales. This conference was between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill.
The objectives of this conference were to draw the United States into World War II and to secure more help for the war weary British who had been at war with Germany since 1939. This was Churchill's goal, Roosevelt's goal was to cement relations with Churchill, discuss terms for the Lend-Lease assistance program and strengthen domestic support for ties in Great Britain. One of the by products of this conference was the joint issuance of the Atlantic Charter which expressed a commitment to the principles of self governance and freedom for every country and called for "the destruction of the Nazi tyranny."
The Conference of Teheran
The Conference of Teheran took place between November 28th - December 1st, 1943 between the big three (Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin) and was the first time all three would sit down together to talk about their views for a post war world face-to-face.
Each participant had their own objectives. Churchill wished to argue the necessity of the Mediterranean offensive, Roosevelt to meet with Stalin in person and build a cooperative relationship as well as to gain Soviet support for the primacy of the Normandy invasion over the Mediterranean operations and to get Stalin to promise to fight Japan once the war in Europe was over. Stalin's goals was to discuss opening a second Allied front in France (Operation Overlord) to take the pressure off the Soviet Union forces fighting Hitler on the eastern front and to gain more postwar territory.
The conference accomplished most of the goals for each participant. They settled on the timing of Operation Overlord and Stalin committed to both a launch on the eastern front against Germany that coincided with the Normandy invasion and his pledge to assist in the war against Japan once Germany was defeated.
Each participant had their own objectives. Churchill wished to argue the necessity of the Mediterranean offensive, Roosevelt to meet with Stalin in person and build a cooperative relationship as well as to gain Soviet support for the primacy of the Normandy invasion over the Mediterranean operations and to get Stalin to promise to fight Japan once the war in Europe was over. Stalin's goals was to discuss opening a second Allied front in France (Operation Overlord) to take the pressure off the Soviet Union forces fighting Hitler on the eastern front and to gain more postwar territory.
The conference accomplished most of the goals for each participant. They settled on the timing of Operation Overlord and Stalin committed to both a launch on the eastern front against Germany that coincided with the Normandy invasion and his pledge to assist in the war against Japan once Germany was defeated.
The Conference of Yalta
The Conference of Yalta was held between February 4th - 11th 1945 between the "Big Three" (Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin).
The primary goal of this conference was not so much military strategy as it was geared towards post war goals.
Roosevelt wished to promote democracy in Europe (same as Churchill did) and settle unresolved issues related to the forming of the United Nations. The issue of the Soviet Union entering the war against Japan was brought up again with the similar concerns voiced as at the Teheran Conference. Churchill wish to approve France as one of the occupying powers and Stalin wished to ensure that the Soviet Union would gain more territory for his country and collect reparations from Germany after the war ended.
The Allied Control Commission was created at this conference to oversee the postwar division of Germany and confirmed that Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones of occupation which would be overseen by France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States. Poland was discussed and agreed upon the Soviet Union would be given a part of Poland in exchange for Stalin's promise that poswar Poland would have free election without the Soviet Union's influence.
Additionally the three men signed the Declaration on Liberated Europe affirming the right of all people "to create democratic institutions of their own choice."
Roosevelt's concern over the war with Japan prompted him to sign a secret agreement with Stalin that would give the Soviet Union Japanese territory and economic rights in Manchuria in exchange for a Soviet declaration of war against Japan. Churchill was not informed of this agreement.
The primary goal of this conference was not so much military strategy as it was geared towards post war goals.
Roosevelt wished to promote democracy in Europe (same as Churchill did) and settle unresolved issues related to the forming of the United Nations. The issue of the Soviet Union entering the war against Japan was brought up again with the similar concerns voiced as at the Teheran Conference. Churchill wish to approve France as one of the occupying powers and Stalin wished to ensure that the Soviet Union would gain more territory for his country and collect reparations from Germany after the war ended.
The Allied Control Commission was created at this conference to oversee the postwar division of Germany and confirmed that Germany and Berlin would be divided into four zones of occupation which would be overseen by France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States. Poland was discussed and agreed upon the Soviet Union would be given a part of Poland in exchange for Stalin's promise that poswar Poland would have free election without the Soviet Union's influence.
Additionally the three men signed the Declaration on Liberated Europe affirming the right of all people "to create democratic institutions of their own choice."
Roosevelt's concern over the war with Japan prompted him to sign a secret agreement with Stalin that would give the Soviet Union Japanese territory and economic rights in Manchuria in exchange for a Soviet declaration of war against Japan. Churchill was not informed of this agreement.