The Yalta Conference

The Yalta Conference

February, 1945

Washington, March 24 - The text of the agreements reached at the Crimea (Yalta) Conference between

President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Generalissimo Stalin, as released by the State

Department today, follows:

PROTOCOL OF PROCEEDINGS OF CRIMEA CONFERENCE

The Crimea Conference of the heads of the Governments of the United States of America, the United

Kingdom, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which took place from Feb. 4 to 11, came to the

following conclusions:

I. WORLD ORGANIZATION

It was decided:

1. That a United Nations conference on the proposed world organization should be summoned for

Wednesday, 25 April, 1945, and should be held in the United States of America.

2. The nations to be invited to this conference should be:

(a) the United Nations as they existed on 8 Feb., 1945; and

(b) Such of the Associated Nations as have declared war on the common enemy by 1 March, 1945. (For

this purpose, by the term "Associated Nations" was meant the eight Associated Nations and Turkey.)

When the conference on world organization is held, the delegates of the United Kingdom and United State

of America will support a proposal to admit to original membership two Soviet Socialist Republics, i.e.,

the Ukraine and White Russia.

3. That the United States Government, on behalf of the three powers, should consult the Government of

China and the French Provisional Government in regard to decisions taken at the present conference

concerning the proposed world organization.

4. That the text of the invitation to be issued to all the nations which would take part in the United

Nations conference should be as follows:

"The Government of the United States of America, on behalf of itself and of the Governments of the

United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics and the Republic of China and of the

Provisional Government of the French Republic invite the Government of -------- to send representatives

to a conference to be held on 25 April, 1945, or soon thereafter , at San Francisco, in the United States of

America, to prepare a charter for a general international organization for the maintenance of international

peace and security.

"The above-named Governments suggest that the conference consider as affording a basis for such a

Charter the proposals for the establishment of a general international organization which were made public

last October as a result of the Dumbarton Oaks conference and which have now been supplemented by

the following provisions for Section C of Chapter VI:

C. Voting

"1. Each member of the Security Council should have one vote.

"2. Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters should be made by an affirmative vote of

seven members.

"3. Decisions of the Security Council on all matters should be made by an affirmative vote of seven

members, including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under

Chapter VIII, Section A and under the second sentence of Paragraph 1 of Chapter VIII, Section C, a

party to a dispute should abstain from voting.'

"Further information as to arrangements will be transmitted subsequently.

"In the event that the Government of -------- desires in advance of the conference to present views or

comments concerning the proposals, the Government of the United States of America will be pleased to

transmit such views and comments to the other participating Governments."

Territorial trusteeship:

It was agreed that the five nations which will have permanent seats on the Security Council should consult

each other prior to the United Nations conference on the question of territorial trusteeship.

The acceptance of this recommendation is subject to its being made clear that territorial trusteeship will

only apply to

(a) existing mandates of the League of Nations;

(b) territories detached from the enemy as a result of the present war;

(d) no discussion of actual territories is contemplated at the forthcoming United Nations

conference or in the preliminary consultations, and it will be a matter for subsequent agreement

which territories within the above categories will be place under trusteeship.

[Begin first section published Feb., 13, 1945.]

II. DECLARATION OF LIBERATED EUROPE

The following declaration has been approved:

The Premier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and

the President of the United States of America have consulted with each other in the common interests of

the people of their countries and those of liberated Europe. They jointly declare their mutual agreement to

concert during the temporary period of instability in liberated Europe the policies of their three

Governments in assisting the peoples liberated from the domination of Nazi Germany and the peoples of

the former Axis satellite states of Europe to solve by democratic means their pressing political and

economic problems.

The establishment of order in Europe and the rebuilding of national economic life must be achieved by

processes which will enable the liberated peoples to destroy the last vestiges of nazism and fascism and to

create democratic institutions of their own choice. This is a principle of the Atlantic Charter - the right of

all people to choose the form of government under which they will live - the restoration of sovereign

rights and self-government to those peoples who have been forcibly deprived to them by the aggressor

nations.

To foster the conditions in which the liberated people may exercise these rights, the three governments

will jointly assist the people in any European liberated state or former Axis state in Europe where, in their

judgment conditions require,

(a) to establish conditions of internal peace;

(b) to carry out emergency relief measures for the relief of distressed peoples;

in the population and pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections of

Governments responsive to the will of the people; and

(d) to facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections.

The three Governments will consult the other United Nations and provisional authorities or other

Governments in Europe when matters of direct interest to them are under consideration.

When, in the opinion of the three Governments, conditions in any European liberated state or former Axis

satellite in Europe make such action necessary, they will immediately consult together on the measure

necessary to discharge the joint responsibilities set forth in this declaration.

By this declaration we reaffirm our faith in the principles of the Atlantic Charter, our pledge in the

Declaration by the United Nations and our determination to build in cooperation with other peace-loving

nations world order, under law, dedicated to peace, security, freedom and general well-being of all

mankind.

In issuing this declaration, the three powers express the hope that the Provisional Government of the

French Republic may be associated with them in the procedure suggested.

[End first section published Feb., 13, 1945.]

III. DISMEMBERMENT OF GERMANY

It was agreed that Article 12 (a) of the Surrender terms for Germany should be amended to read as

follows:

"The United Kingdom, the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist

Republics shall possess supreme authority with respect to Germany. In the exercise of such

authority they will take such steps, including the complete dismemberment of Germany as they

deem requisite for future peace and security."

The study of the procedure of the dismemberment of Germany was referred to a committee consisting of

Mr. Anthony Eden, Mr. John Winant, and Mr. Fedor T. Gusev. This body would consider the desirability

of associating with it a French representative.

IV. ZONE OF OCCUPATION FOR THE FRENCH AND CONTROL COUNCIL FOR GERMANY.

It was agreed that a zone in Germany, to be occupied by the French forces, should be allocated France.

This zone would be formed out of the British and American zones and its extent would be settled by the

British and Americans in consultation with the French Provisional Government.

It was also agreed that the French Provisional Government should be invited to become a member of the

Allied Control Council for Germany.

V. REPARATION

The following protocol has been approved:

Protocol

On the Talks Between the Heads of Three Governments at the Crimean Conference on the Question of

the German Reparations in Kind

1. Germany must pay in kind for the losses caused by her to the Allied nations in the course of the war.

Reparations are to be received in the first instance by those countries which have borne the main burden

of the war, have suffered the heaviest losses and have organized victory over the enemy.

2. Reparation in kind is to be exacted from Germany in three following forms:

(a) Removals within two years from the surrender of Germany or the cessation of organized

resistance from the national wealth of Germany located on the territory of Germany herself as

well as outside her territory (equipment, machine tools, ships, rolling stock, German

investments abroad, shares of industrial, transport and other enterprises in Germany, etc.),

these removals to be carried out chiefly for the purpose of destroying the war potential of

Germany.

(b) Annual deliveries of goods from current production for a period to be fixed.

3. For the working out on the above principles of a detailed plan for exaction of reparation from Germany

an Allied reparation commission will be set up in Moscow. It will consist of three representatives - one

from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, one from the United Kingdom and one from the United

States of America.

4. With regard to the fixing of the total sum of the reparation as well as the distribution of it among the

countries which suffered from the German aggression, the Soviet and American delegations agreed as

follows:

"The Moscow reparation commission should take in its initial studies as a basis for discussion

the suggestion of the Soviet Government that the total sum of the reparation in accordance

with the points (a) and (b) of the Paragraph 2 should be 22 billion dollars and that 50 per cent

should go to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics."

The British delegation was of the opinion that, pending consideration of the reparation question by the

Moscow reparation commission, no figures of reparation should be mentioned.

The above Soviet-American proposal has been passed to the Moscow reparation commission as one of

the proposals to be considered by the commission.

VI. MAJOR WAR CRIMINALS

The conference agreed that the question of the major war criminals should be the subject of inquiry by

the three Foreign Secretaries for report in due course after the close of the conference.

[Begin second section published Feb. 13, 1945.]

VII. POLAND

The following declaration on Poland was agreed by the conference:

"A new situation has been created in Poland as a result of her complete liberation by the Red

Army. This calls for the establishment of a Polish Provisional Government which can be more

broadly based than was possible before the recent liberation of the western part of Poland. The

Provisional Government which is now functioning in Poland should therefore be reorganized

on a broader democratic basis with the inclusion of democratic leaders from Poland itself and

from Poles abroad. This new Government should then be called the Polish Provisional

Government of National Unity.

"M. Molotov, Mr. Harriman and Sir A. Clark Kerr are authorized as a commission to consult

in the first instance in Moscow with members of the present Provisional Government and with

other Polish democratic leaders from within Poland and from abroad, with a view to the

reorganization of the present Government along the above lines. This Polish Provisional

Government of National Unity shall be pledged to the holding of free and unfettered elections

as soon as possible on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot. In these elections all

democratic and anti-Nazi parties shall have the right to take part and to put forward candidates.

"When a Polish Provisional of Government National Unity has been properly formed in

conformity with the above, the Government of the U.S.S.R., which now maintains diplomatic

relations with the present Provisional Government of Poland, and the Government of the

United Kingdom and the Government of the United States of America will establish diplomatic

relations with the new Polish Provisional Government National Unity, and will exchange

Ambassadors by whose reports the respective Governments will be kept informed about the

situation in Poland.

"The three heads of Government consider that the eastern frontier of Poland should follow the

Curzon Line with digressions from it in some regions of five to eight kilometers in favor of

Poland. They recognize that Poland must receive substantial accessions in territory in the north

and west. They feel that the opinion of the new Polish Provisional Government of National

Unity should be sought in due course of the extent of these accessions and that the final

delimitation of the western frontier of Poland should thereafter await the peace conference."

VIII. YUGOSLAVIA

It was agreed to recommend to Marshal Tito and to Dr. Ivan Subasitch:

(a) That the Tito-Subasitch agreement should immediately be put into effect and a new government

formed on the basis of the agreement.

(b) That as soon as the new Government has been formed it should declare:

(I) That the Anti-Fascist Assembly of the National Liberation (AVNOJ) will be extended to include

members of the last Yugoslav Skupstina who have not compromised themselves by collaboration

with the enemy, thus forming a body to be known as a temporary Parliament and

(II) That legislative acts passed by the Anti-Fascist Assembly of the National Liberation (AVNOJ)

will be subject to subsequent ratification by a Constituent Assembly; and that this statement should

be published in the communiqué of the conference.

IX. ITALO-YOGOSLAV FRONTIER - ITALO-ASUTRIAN FRONTIER

Notes on these subjects were put in by the British delegation and the American and Soviet delegations

agreed to consider them and give their views later.

X. YUGOSLAV-BULGARIAN RELATIONS

There was an exchange of views between the Foreign Secretaries on the question of the desirability of a

Yugoslav-Bulgarian pact of alliance. The question at issue was whether a state still under an armistice

regime could be allowed to enter into a treaty with another state. Mr. Eden suggested that the Bulgarian

and Yugoslav Governments should be informed that this could not be approved. Mr. Stettinius suggested

that the British and American Ambassadors should discuss the matter further with Mr. Molotov in

Moscow. Mr. Molotov agreed with the proposal of Mr. Stettinius.

XI. SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

The British delegation put in notes for the consideration of their colleagues on the following subjects:

(a) The Control Commission in Bulgaria.

(b) Greek claims upon Bulgaria, more particularly with reference to reparations.

XII. IRAN

Mr. Eden, Mr. Stettinius and Mr. Molotov exchanged views on the situation in Iran. It was agreed that

this matter should be pursued through the diplomatic channel.

[Begin third section published Feb. 13, 1945.]

XIII. MEETINGS OF THE THREE FOREIGN SECRETARIES

The conference agreed that permanent machinery should be set up for consultation between the three

Foreign Secretaries; they should meet as often as necessary, probably about every three or four months.

These meetings will be held in rotation in the three capitals, the first meeting being held in London.

[End third section published Feb. 13, 1945.]

XIV. THE MONTREAUX CONVENTION AND THE STRAITS

It was agreed that at the next meeting of the three Foreign Secretaries to be held in London, they should

consider proposals which it was understood the Soviet Government would put forward in relation to the

Montreaux Convention, and report to their Governments. The Turkish Government should be informed

at the appropriate moment.

The forgoing protocol was approved and signed by the three Foreign Secretaries at the Crimean

Conference Feb. 11, 1945.

E. R. Stettinius Jr.

M. Molotov

Anthony Eden

AGREEMENT REGARDING JAPAN

The leaders of the three great powers - the Soviet Union, the United States of America and Great Britain -

have agreed that in two or three months after Germany has surrendered and the war in Europe is

terminated, the Soviet Union shall enter into war against Japan on the side of the Allies on condition that:

1. The status quo in Outer Mongolia (the Mongolian People's Republic) shall be preserved.

2. The former rights of Russia violated by the treacherous attack of Japan in 1904 shall be

restored, viz.:

(a) The southern part of Sakhalin as well as the islands adjacent to it shall be

returned to the Soviet Union;

(b) The commercial port of Dairen shall be internationalized, the pre-eminent

interests of the Soviet Union in this port being safeguarded, and the lease of Port

Arthur as a naval base of the U.S.S.R. restored;

provide an outlet to Dairen, shall be jointly operated by the establishment of a joint

Soviet-Chinese company, it being understood that the pre-eminent interests of the

Soviet Union shall be safeguarded and that China shall retain sovereignty in

Manchuria;

3. The Kurile Islands shall be handed over to the Soviet Union.

It is understood that the agreement concerning Outer Mongolia and the ports and railroads referred to

above will require concurrence of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. The President will take measures in

order to maintain this concurrence on advice from Marshal Stalin.

The heads of the three great powers have agreed that these claims of the Soviet Union shall be

unquestionably fulfilled after Japan has been defeated.

For its part, the Soviet Union expresses it readiness to conclude with the National Government of China a

pact of friendship and alliance between the U.S.S.R. and China in order to render assistance to China with

its armed forces for the purpose of liberating China from the Japanese yoke.

Joseph Stalin

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Winston S. Churchill

February 11, 1945.