The conference took place from February 4-11, 1945, at the Livadia Palace in Yalta, Crimea, near the Black Sea, and involved the leaders of the four principal Allied Powers:
- Joseph Stalin (Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union)
- Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (President of the United States)
Key Outcomes and Agreements:
1. Postwar Division of Germany: The Big Four agreed that Germany should be divided into four zones of occupation after its unconditional surrender. The United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union would control their designated zones. Berlin, despite being located within the Soviet zone, would also be divided into four sectors.
2. Demilitarization and Denazification of Germany: The Allies intended to demilitarize and denazify Germany to prevent the country from starting another war. This included dismantling military industries, dissolving Nazi organizations, removing and punishing Nazi leaders, and purging any Nazi elements from German society.
3. Creation of the United Nations: The meeting laid the groundwork for the establishment of the United Nations (UN) as an international body responsible for maintaining peace and preventing future conflicts. This organization would be headquartered in the United States.
4. Establishment of New Eastern European Governments: The Allies discussed the future political systems of Eastern European countries liberated from German occupation. Although no specific agreements were reached, the Soviet Union was interested in establishing pro-Soviet governments in these regions, which concerned Churchill and Roosevelt.
5. Reparations and War Crimes Trials: It was agreed that Germany should pay reparations for the damage caused during the war. Additionally, the Allies established the International Military Tribunal to prosecute senior Nazi officials for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during WWII.
6. Declaration on Liberated Europe: The conference led to the declaration that free elections would be held in liberated European countries, and their territorial integrity would be restored.
7. Agreements on Poland and Yugoslavia: The Allies agreed on the borders of Poland, including acquiring formerly German territories in the west but losing some eastern areas to the Soviet Union. Discussions also occurred on the future of Yugoslavia.
Overall, the Meeting of the Big Four served as a crucial forum for the Allied leaders to address substantial issues related to the postwar world, including shaping Europe's political landscape, ensuring collective security, and bringing accountability for Nazi atrocities.