In Their Words - Post-War Balance of Power

The World Ware II conflict ended in an Allied victory. As a result, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the world's two leading superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War for the next 45 years.

Ww2_allied_axis
Animation of alliances and territories controlled during the Second World War from Sept. 1939 to Sept. 1945.
Axis are noted in black, Allies in blue and the Soviet Union in red.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Secretary Joseph Stalin made arrangements for post-war Europe at the Yalta Conference in February 1945. Their meeting resulted in many important resolutions such as the formation of the United Nations, democratic elections in Poland, borders of Poland moved westwards at the expense of Germany and Soviet nationals were to be repatriated. It was also agreed that the Soviet Union would attack Japan within three months of Germany's surrender.