Yalta Committee

Jessica Wang &

Ruiz Kamaruszaman

Table of Contents

Letter to delegates… Page 2

Guide for crisis committees… Page 3-4

How to Write a Position List… Page 5

Background Guide…

Welcome to Yalta… Page 6

Difference in Ideologies… Page 7-8

The Big 3… Page 9- 20

Liberation/ Reconstruction of Europe… Page 21-27

Position Lists… Page 28- 33

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Letter to Delegates

Dear Delegates, Welcome to HMUNC XI! It’s time to travel back in time to the end of WWII and make

decisions that will affect your daily lives today. Here to chair this amazing debate (as we know it will be) is your committee dias: Jessica Wang and Ruiz Kamaruszaman

First, a little bit about ourselves: Hi! I’m Jessica Wang and I’m a sophomore and it’s my first year in Model UN. I’ve

previously attended the HMUNC conference and have a interest in historical committees. I’m on varsity tennis and enjoy playing volleyball as well. Even though I have little experience in Model UN, I have been to multiple conferences for Herrick’s model congress club. I enjoy lively debate and hope that this conference is full of it!

Hi, I am Ruiz Kamaruszaman I am a sophomore who is currently trying to balance life between honors classes and varsity sports, not to mention the everyday social life. I am on the varsity football team as well as the wrestling team and I also play lacrosse in the spring. This is my second year in Model UN and I previously attended EagleMUNC at Boston College, representing the UAE in the UNHCR.

We are excited to be discussing the end of WWII and give you delegates a chance to rewrite history. We encourage all of our delegates to constantly be engaged and involved in the discussion. Please feel free to contact us if you need any help with research or your position papers! Delegates should be sure to finish their position papers on time, as a descriptive and thorough position paper is a key factor in becoming a power delegate. Additionally, debate practice and extensive research, such as attending Model UN club on Tuesdays in the basement for Herricks students, can be a powerful asset during debate prep and practice. Remember to bring this background guide, your position paper, and any other research that you have found to help you become a power delegate!

We hope each and every one of you utilizes the information provided below in your background guide, as well as the questions to consider in order to plan out your position papers and debate material. We look forward to seeing everyone at HMUNC, we know this is going to be a once in a lifetime debate, so be prepared to have an immense amount of material to help you be a winner!

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Guide for Crisis Committees What is a Crisis Committee? Crisis committees run very differently from tradition or regional committees, which make up the majority of MUN debate. Crisis committees give delegates the opportunity to test just how well they can respond quickly when plans go awry and how well they can push through an agenda, all the while participating in debate. Crisis committees are small and their topics change and evolve based on the actions of the committee. Crisis Procedure and Elements There are a number of different actions a delegate in a crisis committee that are not open to delegates in traditional or regional committees. These actions allow for a much more dynamic and fast-paced flow of debate, and allow for more fluid communication not only between the delegates in a single committee, but also between the delegates in different committees and between delegates and the crisis team. Delegates in crisis committees can write notes not only to other delegates, but also to crisis staff. These actions require the delegate to remain on the top of their game and to be easily adaptable. These are the actions allowed to crisis delegates:

● Communiques Communiques are essentially messages from an entire committee to another country,

organization, person, or group of people that work to facilitate dialogue and to develop debate. Communiques can include negotiations, threats, and requests for aid. Example:

A letter from Roosevelt’s Cabinet to the British ambassador requesting immediate discussion of action against a Nazi threat. It should be written out as a formal letter.

● Directives Normally in committee, delegates would solve issues and questions to consider through the creation of working papers (which would then be voted on and made to resolutions). However in crisis committees, delegates solve issues with directives, which essentially are “mini-resolutions.” Directives should be as specific as possible, due to the fact that vague directives can result in a number of problems. Directives will need to be approved by the committee. Example: Install temporary military governments in nearly liberate countries.While military government is in place, US, UK, and Soviet Union will determine future leader.

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● Press Releases Press releases can be submitted to chairs by the entire committee, a bloc of positions, or

by individual delegates. They are addressed to the public and, if approved by crisis and the chairs, will be read aloud to the committee. Press releases can be used to sway public opinion, to release pertinent information, or to change the course of debate. Example:

The president of the United States made a speech to the liberated country, France, about the need for a military government. The speech addressed the president’s work on a temporary response to provide those at the Yalta conference with more time to find a peaceful permanent solution.

● Portfolio Powers

Portfolio powers can get a little confusing. To put it simply, a portfolio power is an ability that is unique to one delegate; for example, the President of the United States is the only person who can command the US’s armed forces. Portfolio powers can be used when writing personal directives; they DO NOT need to be approved by the rest of the committee. Personal directives simply go from you to Crisis and you are the only delegate aware of your own personal directives. Crisis will respond to your request. Portfolio powers and personal directives follow the same format as the aforementioned directives; the greater the detail, the better the result. How to Write a Position Paper NOTE: All Herricks students attending HMUNC XI for Extra Credit MUST write and submit (1) Position Paper to yalta.hmunc@gmail.com by May 21st You will be required to write a 1-page position paper about your given character from their point of view. Throughout the paper, you will be writing in first perspective (AKA use “I”). 3 paragraphs will make up this paper: Paragraph 1: Give a description about your assigned position/character. Who is your character? Why is your character important? What is your character’s personal agenda? What was your character’s experience in World War II? Statistics about the war that support your view. What is your view on communism? Paragraph 2: Write about what your character plans to do for this committee. What is your character’s countries agenda/ opinion? How does your character feel about their countries agenda? How specifically does your character propose your solutions will be supported? Does your character want to compromise, or do they have a specific view?

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Paragraph 3: Write about what you will do in order to address the agenda and solve the crises. Include possible policies, resolutions, and goals. Remember to represent your character! Try your best to stay “in character”. It can both be a general solution and specific solutions for specific problems. Position Paper to yalta.hmunc@gmail.com by May 21st How to Prepare and use the Guide Prior research is always the most important factor in preparing for debate, regardless if it is for a traditional, regional, or crisis committee. Go through the background guide and focus on information pertaining to the questions to consider. The guide examines relations between positions and committees and provides an initial introduction as well as basic information for delegates. It would also be wise to do a little of your own research as well as to look into the suggested sources and cited source to obtain a better understanding of the issue. Next, focus on your position/character. Read the position blurb and continue your research with online sources. It is also a good idea to first read the blurb then read the background guide to see what information mostly applies to you.A good strategy is to research the position of other delegates in advance to see who you could possibly reach out to to form alliances with during committee. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the crisis team, the chairs, or to speak with Ms.Graef.

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Welcome to Yalta!

It is February 1945 and World War II is almost over. Allied victory is inevitable. You

delegates come as representatives of the Big 3 Allied world powers ( the US, the UK, and the

Soviet Union) to a meeting in Yalta, Crimea. Originally united against a common fascist enemy

during World War II, now that their defeat is guaranteed, old issues have arisen and the agendas

of The Big 3 will clash.

Your goals:

The goal of this committee is to come together and create a plan for post-Nazi Europe.

Each party comes with a different agenda as a result of conflicting attitudes about how Europe

should be structured in terms of territories and government ideology. Get to know your agenda

and your general viewpoints as it will be important when it comes to debating specific topics.

Use the position descriptions at the end of the guide to help you.

What we need you to know:

In the background guide you will find the key events of World War II along with the

history of the Communist Soviet Union along with how each power became involved in the war.

Specifically to your position, it is important to immerse yourself in how your country either

joined the war voluntarily or how it was forced to. Remember that you as a delegate will be part

of a bigger delegation (US, UK, Soviet Union, or liberated country), so you must represent their

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views and speak on their behalf. Another key is getting to know your allies and enemies. Be

careful of those around you, just because they are your allies does not necessarily mean they

won’t go against you ( My enemy’s enemy is my friend). While writing your position paper,

remember what your country has endured during the war. You’ve each been affected in a

different way so it’s important you bring up your concerns and propose how you want to

organize Europe. It is also extremely important that you remember the war isn’t over yet and the

Yalta Conference was held in FEBRUARY 1945.

Difference in Ideologies

Communism vs. Capitalism

After Axis Powers are defeated in Europe,

existing conflict between capitalist and communist

ideologies is likely to re-emerge. Capitalism

represents the free market and individual owned

businesses. It is also the belief that businesses should

compete with each other and government should interfere as little as possible. On the other hand,

Communists believe that economic class struggles lead to all issues in society and workers are

taken advantage of by their employers. Under a communist government, all land and businesses

are government owned and workers receive equal pay, resources, and treatment . During WWII, 1

Great Britain and the US were both capitalist and the Soviet Union was Communist. This led to

stronger trust between Britain and the US, but a tense relationship with the Soviet Union.

1 ushistory.org. “Comparing Economic Systems.” Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, www.ushistory.org/gov/13b.asp.

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Prominence in committee and the world

In the committee, agendas of the Big Three will have a correlation with their political

ideologies. The United States and the United Kingdom represent the strongest democratic and

capitalist powers in the world. On the other hand, though the Soviet Union is the only

Communist power in the world, they have proved themselves to be a strong society that can

support themselves without a capitalistic economy. As these ideologies are polar opposites, they

will clash and powers in committee will have try to work together to restructure Europe.

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The Big 3: Personal/National agendas and experiences

United States: FDR

Roosevelt’s Agenda

Even before WWII began, FDR disapproved of the US’s

isolationist foreign policy. However, because WWI had a

lasting negative impact on

Americans, many Americans

did not support a more active

US foreign policy. So, FDR did not act to involve the US in

foreign affairs until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in

December 1941, over 2 years into the war. FDR also sought to 2

create a new version of the failed League of Nations. Once war 3

broke out he saw that the League of Nations was necessary, and

made it one of his top priorities to discuss at the Yalta conference.

Government Structure

2 Jones, Steve. “The U.S. and Great Britain: The Special Relationship Forged In War.” ThoughtCo , www.thoughtco.com/us-and-great-britain-the-special-relationship-p2-3310125. 3 “Why Didn't America Join the War Sooner?” Visit Pearl Harbor , 24 Jan. 2017, visitpearlharbor.org/didnt-american-initially-join-war/.

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US delegates will represent a recently re-elected, Democrat-controlled government. In

addition, it is important to understand the limits of democracy during a long, foreign war.

Because of this, Roosevelt and US delegates will have to think about public opinion to stay in

office. FDR and US delegates will have to act in accordance with what the American citizens

want.

According to the US constitution (the highest law of the land), there are three branches of

government: Judicial, Executive, and Legislative. Together the three form a system of checks and

balance which keep each other from overpowering one another. In the case of war, the President

commands the army, but Congress (aka the Legislative Branch) is the only branch that can

declare war.

The Current State of US

After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor (December

1941) and Congress’s approval of the US declaring war on all three

Axis powers (Japan, Germany and Italy), the number of supporters

for war skyrocketed. The US dedicated soldiers, weapons, and

resources into fighting the Axis Powers. By 1945 however, the time of the Yalta conference, the

US had been in the war for over 3 years. Even though public support for the war was still high,

the costs of the war were adding up in blood and treasure. During the war, about a half a million

soldier and civilian lives were lost. 4

US flourishing economy

4 “Why Didn't America Join the War Sooner?” Visit Pearl Harbor , 24 Jan. 2017, visitpearlharbor.org/didnt-american-initially-join-war/.

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Before the start of the war, the US was slowly emerging from the Great Depression and

employment rates were at an all time low. However, during the US’s time of neutrality (1939-

1941), the economy flourished. The US profited from selling weapons and ammunition to the

Allied Forces through the Lend-Lease Act and the policy of Cash and Carry. Since their

economy was doing so well, US citizens were afraid that entering the war would harm the

American economy. But, initially after the US entered the war, the economy was not negatively

affected. But by 1945, the costs had become so great that the Government was issuing war

bonds to help fund the war.

US relations with the Soviet Union

Relations between the US and the Soviet Union have

always been tense due to their contrasting ideologies.

The Soviets were communist and the US believed in

the free market and democracy. Since the Russian

Revolution of 1917, many Americans were afraid of

the spread of communism (known as the first Red

Scare after World War I), and this fear returned during WWII, when the Soviets were liberating

countries from Nazi control and furthering communist influence.

The US was also reluctant to trust the Soviets due to their signing of the

Non-Aggression Pact with the Nazis at the beginning of the war. This

pact stated that the Germans and Soviets would not take military action

against each other for the next ten years. A secret part of the pact also

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included splitting Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence (areas of Europe

that would be essentially colonized by the respective parties). The Soviets also sold the Germans

resources such as oil and grain. With the signing of the pact the Soviets also denounced the

Allied forces in the West that had declared war on Germany. However, after Germany invaded

the Soviet Union in 1941, the Non-Aggression Pact was broken, and the Soviet Union joined the

Allied Forces.

US Relations with Great Britain

During the war, the US sold the Allied Forces, including the British,

ammunition and weapons. Even though the French had been defeated and the

Nazis were attacking Britain, the US didn’t officially declare war in order to

remain isolationist, but the country pledged to help the Britain to the best of

their ability. When the US did enter the war, Churchill traveled to the US to

discuss strategy and addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress. Many US soldiers were 5

stationed in the UK because it was an important base for

American operations during the war. While planning

D-Day, Britain was a training ground for British and

American soldiers. There were 1, 600, 000 American

service men and women in Great Britain when the D- Day

invasion was launched.

United Kingdom: Churchill

5 Jones, Steve. “The U.S. and Great Britain: The Special Relationship Forged In War.” ThoughtCo , www.thoughtco.com/us-and-great-britain-the-special-relationship-p2-3310125.

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Churchill and His Agenda for the War

In the first phase of the war, Churchill prioritized defending the British front from Nazi

Germany’s push in Europe while the British naval fleet was left to protect

the British colonies in Asia . Following the defeat of France in April 6

1940, the UK withdrew their forces from continental Europe at Dunkirk

and would not return until June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord. In

the meantime, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was able to hold off the

German Luftwaffe attack (known as the Blitz) between 1940 and 1941.

This defeat convinced Germany to abandon their plans to invade Britain

and is seen as their first major defeat. However, while Britain’s main forces were busy defending

the homefront, the Japanese empire took advantage and invaded the Malayan peninsula, taking

over the military stronghold of Singapore and Malaysia from British control. After pushing the

Germans back from the English Channel, Churchill set his priority to liberating Europe from

Nazi Germany and re-establishing the empire in Asia from Japanese occupation.

Government Structure

Britain is a constitutional monarchy/parliamentary democracy.

The current head of state is King George VI. He is a symbol of

the British empire and represents patriotism to the country. The

prime minister (and true political leader) is Winston Churchill . 7

6 National Churchill Museum staff. “Churchill's Finest Hour- World War II 1939-1945.” National Churchill Museum | World War II - Winston Churchill's Finest Hour , www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org/world-war-ii-churchills-finest-hour.html. 7 Overview of the UK system of government : Directgov – Government, citizens and rights . Archived direct.gov.uk webpage. Retrieved on 29 August 2014.

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He is the head of the Conservative Party and was elected when Neville Chamberlain resigned at

the start of the war in 1939. His role as prime minister is not always secure; Churchill can be

voted out of office by his party without a general election. As a result, all of his actions are under

scrutiny and he must balance the interests of the party and the nation. Churchill spent the 1930’s

warning his party of the dangers of both Communism and Fascism as totalitarian ideologies; as a

result he is almost as mistrustful of Stalin as is Hitler.

Military Capabilities Pre-War

When Winston Churchill came into office, he made it

his goal to increase spending for the British military.

After two decades of disarmament and the impact of the

Great Depression, the British Army was weaker than the

powerful German army . However, the British navy was 8

unmatched and has played a big role in the defense effort of the British mainland.

The British Empire/Commonwealth in Asia

The British Empire stretches all the way from the English Channel to the Pacific Ocean. British

colonies exist in almost every continent and include Australia, New Zealand, India, Egypt,

Nigeria, South Africa, Hong Kong and Malaysia . These colonies are an important priority for 9

8 Fraser, Rebecca. “History - British History in Depth: Overview: Britain, 1918 - 1945.” BBC, BBC, 17 Feb. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwtwo/overview_britain_1918_1945_01.shtml. 9 Frederick, William H. “History of Southeast Asia.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Dec. 2008, www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Southeast-Asia/Patterns-of-a-colonial-age.

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the British as they are an essential part of the British economy. Both current and former colonies

are providing soldiers and supplies to the war effort.

● 2.3 million Indian soldiers are currently serving under the commonwealth.

● The Fourteenth Army which consists of a multinational force of British, Indian and

African units are currently in Burma, fighting for liberation against the Japanese . 10

Pre-war Foreign Policy

In the late 1930s, as Germany was building up its military

power, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (the previous

P.M.) and the British government’s response to German

armament was appeasement policies . Appeasement is the policy of making concessions to 11

aggression by a warlike nation or dictatorial powers in order to maintain peace. An example of

British appeasement policy is the Munich Agreement, in which Germany was allowed to annex

the Sudetenland, a territory that belonged to Czechoslovakia. Nazi Germany only saw these

appeasement policies as opportunities to take over Europe. By the time Chamberlain realized that

appeasement was not enough to secure peace in Europe, it was already too late; the Nazis were

preparing to take over Poland. He dropped appeasement policies and agreed to defend Poland.

Since that time, with Churchill in office, Britain as taken an active role in defending against

German invasion of Europe.

Relationship with the United States

10 Khan, Yasmin. “Has India's Contribution to WW2 Been Ignored?” BBC News, BBC, 17 June 2015, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33105898. 11 History.com Staff. “Hitler Appeased at Munich.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-appeased-at-munich.

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The United States and the United Kingdom represent the world’s largest free market economies

and democratic societies. They have a “special relationship” that can be seen in the American

Lend-Lease Act, which provided the United Kingdom with vital resources, such as money and

production materials, that Britain was lacking during war. When the United States joined the 12

war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, they became even more of an important ally to Britain

and was an important key in many military operations, the most notable being D-Day, the Allied

Forces invasion of German-controlled Normandy. Throughout the course of the war, Churchill

and Roosevelt have maintained a close personal relationship. They’ve met on several occasions

regarding the planning of war strategy with Churchill having came to the U.S. four times and

meeting Roosevelt in his house in some meetings.

Foreign Relation with the Soviet Union

Similar to the Soviet relationship with the United States, the United Kingdom’s relationship with

the Soviets is strained and complicated. The two countries’ political ideologies are complete 13

opposites, as the Soviet Union is a communist and Great Britain is non-Communist. In the years

leading up to the war, Britain saw communism as a larger threat to British society than fascism.

The Soviet Union and Great Britain do, however, have a united goal of defeating Nazi Germany

and liberating Europe. Both of these powers had to put their differences aside as they were faced

with the looming fascist takeover of the world. Despite their natural mistrust of each other, Stalin

and Churchill have had a number of successful meetings since their Alliance began in 1941. In

12 Roosevelt Institute. “The ‘Special Relationship’ between Great Britain and the United States Began with FDR.” Roosevelt Institute, 22 July 2010, rooseveltinstitute.org/special-relationship-between-great-britain-and-united-states-began-fdr/. 13 Office of the Historian. “U.S.-Soviet Alliance, 1941–1945.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/us-soviet.

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1942, Stalin and Churchill had their first face-to-face meeting at the Kremlin. This was a

particularly important meeting as Churchill had to inform Stalin that a second front in the west

could not be created at the time. Though this wasn’t the best of news, report has it that the

meeting was a success in terms of cooperation.

The Soviet Union: Stalin

Stalin’s Agenda

Stalin’s agenda for Yalta is to protect the Soviet Union which

means creating a sphere of influence in the Eastern portion of

Europe. He wanted to use these countries as buffer zones (zones 14

of separation between his country and invading forces), in case

any other European country wanted to attack. Stalin was aware

that capitalist countries saw the Soviet Union as a potential

supporter for their own Communist movements and wanted to wipe communism out completely.

After World War I, the US and the UK sent troops to defend the anti-Communist White forces in

the Russian civil war. Stalin knows that Great Britain was only aligned with the Soviets to defeat

the Nazis. These buffer countries would need to become communist to remain Soviet allies in the

long term.

Communism in the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union has only existed since the Bolshevik revolution in 1917. Joseph Stalin has

been in charge since he succeeded in defeating his rivals following the

14 “Yalta Conference February 4-11,1945- Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt in Attendance.” TomKnuppel.com , 4 Feb. 2016, www.tomknuppel.com/714-2/.

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death of the first Soviet Premier, Vladimir Lenin. He has complete control over all aspects of the

Soviet Union in his position as General Secretary of the Communist Party and this includes the

military, the economy and all information,. He did have a group of men that helped him make 15

decisions called the Politburo. The Politburo is similar to the President’s cabinet, except that

Stalin could fire or kill any of them at any time. Stalin also has control of the press, which

allowed him to control public opinion. Because of the nature of the Soviet Union’s totalitarian

government, Stalin was able to join the war and make all final decisions without public approval.

The USSR was made up of 20 republics that every year sent 2 representatives to the

Supreme soviet in Moscow. In Moscow they would meet with Stalin and basically work under

him. After, they would be sent back to their republic and control their republic based on Stalin’s

orders. If anyone one of the representatives spoke against Stalin they would be removed from

their position and might be assassinated. Stalin was extremely paranoid about disloyalty and

would not accept opposition under any circumstance.

The Soviet Economy and the War Effort - the success of the Five Year Plans

During Stalin’s reign, he was determined to advance the Soviet economy to the same level as

countries like Britain and the US. He decided to industrialize the Soviet Union by creating the 5

year plan. The 5 year plan was a goal to increase growth of heavy industry and collectivization of

agriculture. Stalin demanded unrealistic goals and threatened his civilians if they weren't

reached. But the plans seemed to work because the Soviet Union industrialized at such a quick

rate. Collectivization was also part of the 5 year plans because he believed it would be a more

productive way of farming and needed enough produce to feed the labor force.

15 “Life in USSR under Stalin.” History Learning Site , www.historylearningsite.co.uk/modern-world-history-1918-to-1980/russia-1900-to-1939/life-in-ussr-under-stalin/.

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Foreign Relations

When it comes to the Soviet Union’s foreign relations, Stalin controls Vyacheslav Molotov, the

Soviet Union’s foreign minister . Before the war, the Soviet Union did not have allies as they 16

were the only communist state in the world. The Soviets

had a largely isolationist policy for their first two decades,

but they did assist the Republican Socialist government in

the Spanish Civil War unlike the UK or the US. However,

their assistance could not be in the form of munitions as

they were still industrializing. Many believe that Stalin

agreed to the Non-Aggression pact with Hitler in August of 1939, which allowed Hitler to invade

Poland without any opposition in return for Stalin’s gaining of land in eastern Europe because

they were unprepared for war. The Soviets would also supply Germany with oil and munitions

until Hitler invaded the USSR in 1941, breaking the pact and creating an eastern front to the war.

Stalin then joined the Allied forces.

Soviet Relations with the US

In 1939, FDR publicly condemned the Soviet Union for their

Non-Aggression Pact with Germany and their occupation of

Eastern Poland and Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia . Despite 17

this, the United States organized a meeting between US and

Soviet representatives in 1940. Soviet ambassadors were

warned of the highly likely possibility of a German invasion of the USSR, but they did not heed

16 Robert Service, Stalin: A Biography (2004) 17 Office of the Historian. “U.S.-Soviet Alliance, 1941–1945.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/us-soviet.

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the warnings. Once the USSR was invaded, FDR allowed the Soviets to be included in the

Lend-Lease Act which provided them with supplies.

Soviet Relations with the UK

The Soviet Union knew the United Kingdom was opposed to its

communist regime. The Soviet Union and the United Kingdom

were natural enemies due to their polar societal ideologies . 18

However, when the USSR was invaded by the Nazis in 1941,

these two countries came together and formed an alliance to

defeat Nazi Germany. Through the United States’ Lend-Lease

Act, the USSR and the UK were able to exchange resources and aid one another in the war

effort. In addition, Stalin had his first face-to-face meeting with Churchill in August of 1942 at

the Kremlin. Churchill came over to the Soviet Union to inform Stalin that the creation of a

second front in the west had to be delayed. Even though the news being presented was not

pleasant, both parties cooperated well and had a successful meeting.

18 Fraser, Rebecca. “History - British History in Depth: Overview: Britain, 1918 - 1945.” BBC, BBC, 17 Feb. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwtwo/overview_britain_1918_1945_01.shtml.

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Liberation/Reconstruction of Europe This is the main concern of the committee and your position paper

Background on Nazi Occupation of Europe Before WWII officially started, Nazi-Germany had already gained control of

Austria through annexation and Czechoslovakia through invasion, which ended

the period of appeasement by other European countries. They invaded Western

Poland September 1, 1939 and officially conquered it on the 28th. The British and

French declared war on Germany starting WWII. The invasion of France and the

Netherlands began on the 10th of May, 1940. The

French surrendered on the 22nd of June, 1940, and the

Dutch surrendered just 4 days later . 19

In the east, the Soviets had initially gained Eastern

Poland through the non-aggression pact (Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact)

agreed upon by Stalin and Hitler on August 23rd, 1939. On

September 17th of 1939, the Soviets invaded Western Poland .

They also had a number of other Eastern European countries

under their sphere of influence. It didn’t last long as Hitler

turned on the Soviets by invading the USSR on 22nd of June,

1941. In the process, they also took control of Eastern Europe.20

Liberation of Europe by Allied forces

Italy - The liberation of Italy first commenced with the invasion

of Sicily on the 10th of July in 1943. By the 17th of August, all German and Italian forces had

retreated to the mainland. On September 3rd, Allied forces landed

on the “toe” of mainland Italy and the Italian government offered

19 The Wiener Library. “Nazi Occupation.” Nazi Occupation Case Studies – The Holocaust Explained: Designed for Schools, www.theholocaustexplained.org/life-in-nazi-occupied-europe/jews-in-occupied-countries/nazi-occupation-case-studies/. 20 Rich, Norman (1973). Hitler's War Aims: Ideology, the Nazi State, and the Course of Expansion. W.W. Norton. ISBN 978-0233964768.

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an armistice to the Allies. The Germans, however, were prepared to defend Italy by themselves.

By February of 1945, the Allies had gained control of most of Italy besides a small part of Italian

territory up north, which was defended by the Germans.

Western Front - Following the largest land invasion in history known as

D-Day, in which 175,000 British, American and other soldiers stormed the

beaches at Normandy under heavy enemy fire, the Allied Forces began

liberating Western Europe. At this point, it was clear to many German

soldiers that they would not win the war. The Allies liberated France in

August 1944 and quickly liberated Belgium and the

Netherlands in their urgency to reach Berlin, thus

putting an end to Hitler and Nazi Germany and ending

the war in Europe. . 21

Eastern Front - Following their dramatic victory in Stalingrad, in the winter

of 1943 where the Soviets pushed back Nazi forces from an invasion of their

homeland, the Soviets began driving the Nazis back towards Berlin. By the start of February

1945, the Soviets had managed to liberate most of Eastern Europe from the Nazis and were

advancing towards Germany rapidly. Earlier in January, the Soviets captured Warsaw, Poland’s

capital. All territory East of Poland except for the Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -

as these countries became Soviet states due to the Non-Aggression Pact - is now under Soviet

control, land that was the Soviet Union’s originally. Stalin does not intend on allowing the 22

Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania re-gain their independence.

How will liberated nations be controlled/governed?

Many of these newly liberated countries had been under the occupation of Nazi Germany for the

past four years or longer. The war cost most of these countries everything, leaving cities in ruins,

21 History.com staff. “Paris Liberated.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-liberated. 22 Beevor, Antony. “The Liberation of Europe at the End of the Second World War.” The Guardian , Guardian News and Media, 10 Sept. 2009, www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/10/second-world-war-liberation-europe.

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no form of government, no economy, and essentially a small chance of survival for any war

survivors.

Since you have liberated these nations, how will you control these territories and restore

order, peace and prosperity?

Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories (AMGOT)

Right after the Allied Forces liberated France, Roosevelt intended to install an Allied

Military Government for Occupied Territories (AMGOT) in France. Under AMGOT, Allied

powers would have control over currency, transport,

appointment of civil servants and war tribunals in

former occupied territory. Though AMGOT was

established in liberated parts of Belgium and the

Netherlands, Charles De Gaulle, leader of the French

resistance, refused the program, as France was able

enough to re-establish their own government . 23

AMGOT was first established in Europe

during 1943, when Sicily was liberated by the Allies. An elected military governor was

essentially given full jurisdiction over the state of Sicily. AMGOT represents military occupation

and usually puts the state under the control of a general, suspending any civilian government.

Remember, AMGOT serves as a temporary solution for

countries who cannot support themselves, it is in no way

designed for permanent occupation. It is designed to help

create enough stability for elections to be conducted.

23 Jean-BenoîT Nadeau, Julie Barlow and International Herald Tribune. “Occupations: Why the French Back Sovereignty for Iraqis.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 14 Oct. 2003, www.nytimes.com/2003/10/14/opinion/occupations-why-the-french-back-sovereignty-for-iraqis.html.

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What happens when the Nazis surrender?

The war itself could be considered a war crime as Nazi Germany invaded and occupied

almost all of Europe without cause. Beyond that, as territories are being liberated by the Allied

Forces, German-built killing centers known as extermination camps are being discovered on the

Eastern Front, the most infamous camp being Auschwitz- Birkenau, located in Poland. Survivors

of the camps have reported to what will become known as the Holocaust. At this point in time, it

is not clear as to how many people have died due to the Holocaust, but it will become apparent

very soon. It is also clear that this blatant disregard of human life extended to other non-German

people and resulted in forced migration and death across the Nazi Empire. As countries and

camps are liberated, traumatized and homeless refugees are now in the responsibility of the

liberating armies.

The world wants justice for those who have lost their lives at the hands of those

responsible. The structure of Nazi Germany has meant that many of the lower ranking soldiers

who carried out the atrocities claim “they were just following orders.” At Yalta, you will need to

decide not only who should be tried for this crimes, but what form the trial and punishment will

take.

Treatment of Nazi POWs

Western Front - Nazi soldiers who were

captured are held in Allied POW camps.

Prisoners are usually treated well and are

accommodated with food and care according to

the Geneva Conventions where it was

established in 1929 that POWs shall be given relief that is needed and that the judicial

proceedings instituted against them are fair. The Red Cross inspects these camps and and are

responsible for communication between families and prisoners. Nazi soldiers who are enlisted

and not found guilty for any war crimes are bound to be released as soon as Nazi Germany is

dismantled . 24

24 Trueman, C N. “German Prisoners of War.” History Learning Site , www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/prisoners-of-war-in-ww2/german-prisoners-of-war/.

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Eastern Front - The Soviets showed no mercy towards captured Nazis. POWs were forced to do

hard labor and many have died doing so. Their brutal treatment of Nazis did not compare

however to the mistreatment of Soviet POWs by Germany. The Nazis view Soviet POWs as

“subhuman,” treating them as badly as they did with the Jewish people. In January 1945, the

German army reported that, out of the total 5.7 million Soviet POWs, 930,000 remained alive . 25

To the Nazis, being captured by the Red Army was “a fate worse than death.” The Soviets have

refused to cooperate with the Red Cross when it came to inspections and camp reports. Most

German POWs were subjected to poor accommodation and harsh conditions.

Once Germany has been conquered - then what?

At this point in time, the conquest of Nazi Germany is inevitable. Once it has been

captured, you, as the liberators, have to decide on how the territory of former-Nazi Germany will

be occupied. It is vital that Germany be broken up in some way so the country is not unified, as it

could lead to the rise of fascism again. As mentioned above, AMGOT could be installed in

occupied territories. The Soviets are coming in from the east, closing in on Berlin, the capital of

Germany. The U.K and U.S. are moving in to the west of Germany followed by western liberated

fighters such as the French. In addition, the Germans also had expanded excessively beyond its

original borders. You must decide whether the land that had been taken over by Nazi Germany

should be returned to its former countries or remain as German territory.

Denazification of Germany and Europe

In order to prevent another rise of fascism in Germany and Europe in the future, remnants

of the Nazi party and Nazi ideology should be erased from Nazi Germany at all costs. Though

we all know the idea of fascism and followings can never truly be erased from the world and its

future, an attempt must be made at keeping it to a vestige. You must make policies that take

25 United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Nazi Persecution of Soviet Prisoners of War.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007178.

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down any signs, property, or miscellaneous, that have relation to the Nazi party and also polices

which forbid the formation of any fascist party.

Proposals for the United Nations

After WWI, the victorious Allied powers met at Versailles to discuss what to do with Germany

and figure out ways to avoid another world war. They came up with the Treaty of Versailles and

the creation of the League of Nations. The Treaty of Versailles put all war reparations on

Germany which triggered a growth of fascism upon German people as their government fell

apart because they struggled to pay it. The League of Nations was formed from the idea of a

forum for resolving international disputes by US president Woodrow Wilson. The League proved

to be quite ineffective as the U.S. ended up not joining and other member states were busy

recovering from the war. They also took no action in stopping the build-up of Nazi Germany as

military power or stopping the expansion of the Japanese empire. The League was seen as a

complete and utter failure in terms of preventing another world war.

Now that you are close to stopping the second world war, it is time to consider a creation

of an international committee that sets out to maintain worldwide peace and security, developing

relations among nations, fostering cooperation between nations in order to solve economic,

social, cultural, or humanitarian international problems.

How will you know when it is time to leave?

Eventually, your forces will have to leave liberated territories. That being said there are a lot of

things that need to be taken care of first.

In liberated Europe, you need to;

1) Form self-sufficient free governments (democratic)

2) Stable economy

3) Denazification!!!-Removal of all Nazi paraphernalia

4) Prevent the rise of fascism in Europe and the rise of Germany as a military power again.

(Remember the last two world wars have been caused by GERMANY!!!)

How will you achieve these goals????

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor…

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Position List Franklin Roosevelt - You are the President of the United States and currently in your fourth

term of presidency. You supported the US decision to join the war before

the bombing of pearl harbor. As president you developed many pro-war

programs, including the lend- lease program and cash and carry. You grew

very close to Churchill during the war because of your history as allies and

the constant discussion of war tactics. You are also weary of of the Soviets

because of their communist beliefs.

Joseph Stalin - You are the leader of the communist party of the Soviet Union. You serve as the

supreme leader of the Soviet union. As the leader you have complete

control over the media, the military, and your citizens. As the leader of

the Soviet Union you originally allied with Germany, this ended when the

Germans invaded the country. As a result the Soviets under you decided to

join the allied forces. You are aware of the distrust the US and Britain

have towards you, but you also distrust them because of their fear of communism.

Winston Churchill - You are the British prime minister. As the prime

minister you are responsible for British government agencies, appointing

government positions, and government policy and decisions. So far you

have kept the British morality high. As the leader of Britain you kept your

people together during the battle of Britain. You are extremely suspicious

of Stalin and the Soviets, you have a greater fear because you are

locationally closer to the USSR.

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US Delegation

The delegates under this paragraph are all from the US and mostly agree with Roosevelt.

The fear of Communism varies per person but you can all agree that Communism is a

threat and you distrust the Soviets. You all agree with Roosevelt’s agenda, the creation of

the UN, getting the Soviets to join war against Japan, and ending fascism. You want newly

liberated countries to have democratic governments. You fear that countries will turn to

Communism after being liberated and you are trying to prevent them from expanding.

Harry Hopkins - You are the US secretary of commerce. You have served

as a close advisor to FDR.You were especially powerful during the

formation and running of the lend-lease program.You served as an

unofficial emissary in Europe during the wars you were pro-war and

against the Germans.

Harry Truman - You are the Vice President of the US. You serve as the

right hand man to FDR and you fully agree with FDR’s views on the war.

Your political career began over 20 years ago and you have prior experience

with negotiations from your Senate days.

Ernest King - You are a US fleet admiral. As a fleet admiral you

control many ships and have played an instrumental in Naval side of the war.

George Marshall - You are the General of the US army. You are

known for your skills in organization and motivation You are famous

for your role during the largest military expansions to this date.

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U.K. Delegation

All delegates after this paragraph are from Britain. You agree with Churchill about

wanting more protection for your colonies and preventing the spread of Communism. You

experience more fear about communism than the US because you are closer than they are

and would be affected if surrounding countries turned Communist. You all support

democracy and want the liberated countries to be capitalist, not communist.

Alan Brooke - You are the current field marshall for the United Kingdom.

You were originally stationed in France, where you believed the French

forces to be suspicious. You were ordered to leave France and return to

England. You were upset because your men were left in France. He later

convinced Churchill to 200,000 British troops from France and bring them

back to Britain.

Sir Andrew Cunningham : You are the Commander in Chief and a

British admiral for the navy fleet. While in charge you played an

instrumental role during the battles of Taranto, Cape and Crete.

General Sir Hastings Lionel Ismay : You are the chief of staff officer. You are

a close colleague of Churchill and gave him military advice. You were also

present for many meetings between British and accompanied Churchill on trips

to the US.

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Harold Alexander : You are a field marshall. Your involvement in the war is

closely related to your control over various groups. You controlled these

groups even though they were stationed abroad in France and Egypt.

Soviet Delegation

Delegates under this paragraph are from the Soviet Union and support Communism and

Stalin’s views. You want to expand the the Soviet borders because that would make you

more powerful. You want the newly liberated countries to be communist and want to

expand to western Europe too.

Lavrenty Pavlovich - You are the deputy head of the People's Commissariat for

Internal Affairs. You’re in charge of dealing with ethnic minorities that were

accused of anti-communism.

Aleksei Antonov - You are a Soviet general and are responsible for the Red

Army. You’ve had many victories due to your military tactics.

Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky : You are a Soviet army general. You

commanded part of the Red Guard and experienced a major win in Battles in Belarus.

Ivan Stepanovich Konev : You are the Marshall of the Soviet Union. You commanded

the 19th army in Vitebsk region. You were Stalin’s favorite generals and was

admired for your ruthlessness.

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OTHER DELEGATIONS

All the delegates after this paragraph are representatives on newly liberated countries. You

have lived under Nazi rule for years and have been freed by either the Soviets or US/ UK.

You need to decide what kind of government you want and who you want to model your

country after. You can also decide whether you want to be your own country or be a

satellite country of the USSR.

Charles de Gaulle - Leader of French resistance against Nazis- You led the

French in exile when the Nazis took over France. When allied forces took

back France, a military provisional government was placed instead of placing

you as leader.

Władysław Raczkiewicz - President of Polish government in exile- You

were originally a lawyer, but during World War I, you served in the

Russian Imperialist Army. You helped create the Polish I corps in Russia

and played a huge role in Polish independence.

Edvard Beneš - President of Czechoslovakia - You were exiled under

German pressure to London, where he started the Czechoslovak National

Liberation Committee. You regained control after the Germans were

removed from Czechoslovakia. Even though you weren’t communist,

you had good relations with Stalin.

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Hubert Marie Eugène Pierlo t- Prime Minister of Belgium - You were exiled to France, then

when France was defeated, exiled to London. You also headed tliberation government of national

unity.

Antanas Sniečkus- First Secretary of the Communist Party of Lithuania-

You commanded the Lithuanian Partisan Movement before the war and then

fled with the Red Army during the German invasion. You came back with

the Soviets when they came to liberate Lithuania from the Germans.

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