How did the Yalta Conference decisions affect China and Korea?

The Yalta Conference decisions led to Soviet involvement in the Pacific War, affecting China's civil war and Korea's division.

The Yalta Conference, held in February 1945, was a meeting between the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. One of the key decisions made during this conference was the Soviet Union's agreement to enter the Pacific War against Japan within three months of Germany's surrender. This decision had significant implications for both China and Korea.

In China, the Soviet Union's entry into the war against Japan helped to hasten the end of Japanese occupation. However, it also complicated the ongoing Chinese Civil War between the Nationalists and the Communists. The Soviet Union, having established a presence in Manchuria following Japan's surrender, was able to provide support to the Chinese Communists. This support, both in terms of military equipment and strategic advice, played a crucial role in the eventual Communist victory in 1949. Thus, the Yalta Conference indirectly influenced the outcome of the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

In Korea, the Yalta Conference's decisions led to the division of the country. At the conference, it was agreed that Korea would become independent "in due course" after a four-power trusteeship involving the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and China. However, disagreements between the Soviet Union and the United States over the nature of this trusteeship and the future of Korea led to the establishment of separate zones of occupation along the 38th parallel. This division, initially intended to be temporary, became permanent as Cold War tensions escalated, leading to the establishment of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north and the Republic of Korea in the south. The division of Korea and the subsequent Korean War can thus be traced back to the decisions made at the Yalta Conference.

In conclusion, the Yalta Conference had significant implications for both China and Korea. In China, it indirectly influenced the outcome of the Chinese Civil War, while in Korea, it led to the country's division and the onset of the Korean War.