At the Yalta Conference, held at the picturesque Livadia Palace in Crimea, the three major Allied leaders of World War II—Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin—engaged in intricate discussions about the future of Europe after the anticipated defeat of Nazi Germany. They addressed a multitude of issues, including the reorganization of nations in Central and Eastern Europe, reparations, and how to ensure lasting peace through a new international organization, which would become the United Nations.

One of the key points of negotiation was the need for the Soviet Union to join the war against Japan once Germany was defeated. In return, this participation promised territorial gains for the Soviets in Asia, which further heightened tensions between the Allied nations and foreshadowed the forthcoming Cold War dynamics. The leaders considered how to reconcile differing ideologies while recognizing the necessity of cooperation to defeat the Axis powers.

The Soviet Union's influence in Eastern Europe became a significant topic, as the allies discussed the future political frameworks in the liberated territories. The conferees aimed for a collective approach, yet the diverging visions of democracy versus communism would soon sow the seeds of division that characterized the subsequent decades. The negotiations drew a clearer line in the post-war map, though the implications of their agreements would lead to long-term conflicts and controversies.