Post on 11-Jul-2020
transcript
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.
25
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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