Yalta Twenty Years After

The Yalta decisions have rightly been considered the symbol of a certain type of peace-making which made the Sovietization of eastern Europe inevitable. But they were obviously not the sole cause of the turn events were to take. The inter-Allied agreements giving the Soviets a practical monopoly of military operations in the area to the east of the Stettin-Trieste line; the progress of the war in Europe at the beginning of 1945; and previous exercises in summitry—all were certainly weightier factors. And yet, Yalta alone made the completion of the process inevitable.

For Yalta set a pattern for yielding on specifics while proclaiming unassailable aims and lofty principles; for recognizing Soviet stooges against a vague promise of eventual free elections; for drowning embarrassing deeds in high-sounding words.

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Brutus Coste

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The Yalta decisions have rightly been considered the symbol of a certain type of peace-making which made the Sovietization of eastern Europe inevitable. But they were obviously not the sole cause of the turn events were to take. The inter-Allied agreements giving the Soviets a practical monopoly of military operations in the area to the east of the Stettin-Trieste line; the progress of the war in Europe at the beginning of 1945; and previous exercises in summitry—all were certainly weightier factors. And yet, Yalta alone made the completion of the process inevitable.

For Yalta set a pattern for yielding on specifics while proclaiming unassailable aims and lofty principles; for recognizing Soviet stooges against a vague promise of eventual free elections; for drowning embarrassing deeds in high-sounding words.