What was a key outcome of the Yalta Conference in 1945?

The Yalta Conference, held in February 1945, was pivotal in shaping the post-war landscape of Europe, particularly with regard to Germany. One of the key outcomes of the conference was the agreement among the leaders of the Allied powers—Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin—on the post-war division and administration of Germany. They decided that Germany would be divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the Allies: the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and France. This decision laid the groundwork for the future political landscape of Europe and marked the beginning of the tensions that would lead to the Cold War. It was a strategic agreement aimed at ensuring security and preventing future conflict in the region, demonstrating the collaborative efforts of the Allies while also foreshadowing divisions that would emerge in the subsequent years.