The Yalta Percentage Agreement: A Historical Overview

The Yalta Conference was a meeting between the leaders of the Allied powers during WWII that took place in February 1945. The conference was held in the Crimean resort town of Yalta and was attended by Franklin D. Roosevelt (President of the United States), Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), and Joseph Stalin (Premier of the Soviet Union).

During the conference, a number of important decisions were made regarding the post-war world, particularly in regards to the occupation and reconstruction of Germany. One of the most significant agreements to emerge from the conference was the so-called “Yalta Percentage Agreement.”

The Yalta Percentage Agreement was a plan for the division of Germany into occupation zones, with each of the Allied powers (the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union) receiving a percentage of control. Under the terms of the agreement, the Soviet Union would receive 50%, while the United States and the United Kingdom would each receive 25%. France was later added to the plan and would receive a 10% share.

The agreement was significant in that it marked the beginning of the Cold War and the division of Europe into two spheres of influence. The Soviet Union`s control of East Germany, which had the largest concentration of Soviet troops outside of the USSR, allowed for the spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe and heightened tensions between the Soviet Union and the West.

In addition to the division of Germany, the Yalta Conference also resulted in a number of other important agreements. These included plans for the establishment of the United Nations, the opening of a second front in Europe, and the prosecution of war criminals.

Despite its significance, the Yalta Conference and the Percentage Agreement have been the subject of controversy and criticism. Some historians argue that the conference represented a betrayal of Eastern Europe by the Western powers, while others maintain that the agreements made at Yalta were necessary to ensure peace and stability in post-war Europe.

Regardless of one`s opinions on the matter, it cannot be denied that the Yalta Conference and the Percentage Agreement were of great historical significance and continue to shape the political and economic landscape of Europe and the world today.