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As World War II drew to an end, Japan and Germany kept fighting long after their defeat was certain. The protracted fighting ga e the Allies time to make plans for a postwar world. In !e"r#ary $%&', (oose elt, Ch#rchill, and )talin met at *alta on the +lack )ea. At the Yalta Conference, they disc#ssed final strategy and cr#cial ,#estions concerning postwar Germany, -astern -#rope, and Asia. A few months later, the +ig Three, now composed of )talin, Tr#man, and Atlee, met at .otsdam to formali/e the decision to di ide Germany into fo#r /ones of occ#pation. The war ended Western -#ropean domination of the world. Two superpowers0the 1nited )tates and the )o iet 1nion0"ecame the predominant nations of the postwar world. Not all the changes that took place after the war ended were what the Allies had en isioned at *alta and .otsdam. Comm#nist and noncomm#nist interests clashed in -astern -#rope. Ci il war res#med in China. 1nder American military occ#pation, Japan gained a new constit#tion that a"olished the armed forces and enacted democratic reforms. The 1nited )tates, where ind#stry had "oomed d#ring the war, helped to shape the postwar world economy. The 1nited )tates also led the charge to esta"lish the United Nations (UN). While it was organi/ed on the "asis of the Great .owers, all mem"er nations sat on the General Assem"ly. In $%&2, the 1N iss#ed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which condemns sla ery and tort#re, #pholds freedom of speech and religion, and affirms the right to an ade,#ate standard of li ing. D#ring the war, the A3is .owers had repeatedly iolated the eneva Convention, which go erns the h#mane treatment of wo#nded soldiers and prisoners of war. 4ore than a tho#sand Japanese were tried for war crimes, and at the Nurem!erg "rials key leaders of Na/i Germany were "ro#ght to 5#stice for their crimes against h#manity. Americans had closely followed the war and learned to think in glo"al terms. They defined themsel es as democratic, tolerant, and peacef#l. The war ga e renewed igor to the fight for ci il rights at home. It also #shered in a period of economic growth and prosperity.

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$. What happened at the *alta Conference6

%. What long7term changes were "ro#ght a"o#t "y World War II6

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