Yalta Conference Dbq

As World War Ⅱ came to a close in early 1945, the president of the United States, the prime minister of Great Britain, and the leader of the Soviet Union met in the USSR to discuss post-war efforts that would be made regarding the “Big Three” and other European countries. The conference made many deals and promises amongst each country. Specifically, Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union leader, urged for a sphere of political influence in Eastern and Central Europe. He also wanted the Polish land they had lost during the Russo-Japanese war (Kent & Stettinius 403). In concern to the USSR, Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States pushed for the Soviet Union to declare war on Japan and to join the United Nations (Leahy 70). In addition, the prime minister Great Britain, Winston Churchill, pushed for free elections and democratic governments in Eastern and Central Europe (The Yalta Conference 3). Lastly, the Soviet Union was given a territorial zone in Germany along with the United States, Great Britain, and France (Again Yalta 199). These agreements made by each country were influenced by the various factors going on with each leader at the time. Roosevelt was dying due to polio and Stalin was a communist ruler, which questions the other two countries choice in including them in the conference.
The Soviet’s were able to acquire more land and establish the government they wanted in Europe, despite Stalin’s promise made to America and Great Britain. In addition, the USSR “won” the war because they sacrificed more than the United States and Great Britain. Furthermore, their main enemy, Germany, surrendered in in the USSR, and the USSR agreed to declare war on Japan even though they were not involved in the Pacific