A Great Endeavor

by Rune Soldier Dan

--Snapshot - Yalta: A Broken Peace

”When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn’t the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice.”

-Otto Von Bismarck, German Statesman

This iconic photo of “The Big Four” – Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and Celestia – was taken during the Yalta Conference of February, 1945. When it was published, many sources noted Celestia’s apparent discomfort with humor. Perhaps she had been caught in a candid moment, or perhaps she was missing the joke the other leaders were enjoying.

On the last day of the conference, Celestia wrote to her sister Luna. Her own opinion was given with uncharacteristic bluntness, saying, “Mine was the only honest face at that disaster.”

The Princess had approached the conference with far more optimism than she left it with. February 1945 was perhaps the zenith of her political might. The humans viewed her as a capable statesman and commander, and she took the invitation to Yalta as a golden chance. Her vision for postwar Europe was an optimistic one, designed to end the growing distrust between East and West. The massive armies of America and Russia would be put to rebuilding the shattered continent. To task Germany’s famed industry with replacing what was lost, and when that was done, for every soldier to return from whence they came. Military occupation would be brief, remaining only as long as was needed to rebuild victor and vanquished alike.

Celestia quickly found that the other leaders had their own visions for the postwar, ones entirely incompatible with her own. Winston Churchill was tired and surly through the meeting, suspicious of Stalin but wary of confrontation. He privately called the Soviet premier “A bloody-minded dictator,” and warned Celestia that “He will not remain inside Russia.” But Britain was exhausted from war and in tremendous debt, leaving Churchill in a weakened position. When push came to shove, he would remain on the sidelines.

The American president took a much more optimistic view than Churchill, but it was one that chilled his relationship with Celestia. Roosevelt sided with Stalin in vowing vengeance against Germany, envisioning a complete dismantling of its industry and a partition into several tiny nations. The princess and the president sparred verbally on the matter, the opposing views well-established by the following exchange on the first day:

Princess Celestia: “Germany is…reliant on heavy industry. Half of them will starve if we don’t let them have it, and their economy will never recover. Is that what you want?”

President Roosevelt: “Yes! YES, Tia. They did it to themselves, let them stew in it! Let them starve! Let their young grow up getting every meal from an Army soup kitchen, and see if they make war again!”

Although their friendship was rapidly ending, Celestia felt comfortable enough with Roosevelt to exchange ideas. No such rapport existed between her and Stalin. The two remained polite, but wary, neither quite certain what to think. Celestia felt he could not be trusted, but worried that confrontation would single her out as his enemy. For his part, Stalin wondered what ambitions this ageless, alien queen held, and resolved to tread lightly with her.

Roosevelt was very friendly with the premier, and he seemed to respond well to it. Shocking his detractors, Stalin agreed to the principle of a temporary military occupation and (grudgingly) releasing German war criminals to be tried by an international court. Churchill and Celestia pushed for free elections in Poland, and Stalin acquiesced. He insisted that the Communist provisional government be recognized, but agreed that it would only maintain order until democratic elections could take place.

Between Roosevelt’s friendliness, Churchill’s lobbying, and Celestia’s cautious diplomacy, Stalin acquiesced or compromised on most matters. Roosevelt’s vicious plan for Germany was watered down, and by the second day a solid deal seemed to be in reach.

What followed then is well-summarized by Celestia’s frustrated letter:

“…Five days of the worst sort of politics. Every sentence of the deal studied, its wording chipped at, questioned, and rewritten time and time again. Each time, it is a step away from clarity, from the intentions behind the words. Promises are becoming vague. Intentions even less clear than ever. The human powers seem more interested in dividing Germany than rebuilding even their own lands…

I have grown to be very nervous of Josef Stalin…if he intends to follow his promise [of elections in Eastern Europe], why water down the words? Why deny British observers, or refuse to talk with the Polish government-in-exile?

On Thursday, Franklin confided in me his belief that Stalin was paranoid by nature. The president believed that by being a friend, by giving freely and asking nothing back, that trust would win out over fear and Stalin would make good on his word.

I am less confident. Is it only fear that has driven Stalin to annex and conquer?

I suppose we shall find out. The Soviets and Americans are the strongest of us by far, so it is Stalin and Franklin who set the pace of the discussion. I can only try to keep the last teeth the deal has from being pulled out.”

Celestia found a glum ally in the form of James Byrnes, an older US delegate who quickly came to confide in the Princess. He tried to reconcile her with Roosevelt, noting a fact no one else seemed eager to mention: The Soviet Army outnumbered the Western Allies by 3:1, and would likely crush them if it came to blows.

“Your Highness,” he said, “I’m sorry to say it, but it’s not a question of what we’ll let the Russians do. It’s what we can convince them to do, and not a bit more.”

History would show that Stalin was well aware of his strength. By the end of the negotiations, Soviet dominance of Eastern Europe had been tacitly accepted. Stalin’s political muscle ensured that no power but his own would decide how to enforce the treaty. Perhaps it meant little either way – when his foreign minister expressed concerns about the remaining restrictions, Stalin replied, “Never mind, we can always do things our own way later.”

More immediately, Yalta would prove a propaganda coup for the Third Reich. As their enemies pledged the nation would be plundered and divided, ordinary Germans rallied to the regime. Hopes of an internal revolution or coup were dashed, and the fighting would rage on.

Celestia signed the treaty, (correctly) believing that refusal would do nothing but fracture the alliance. She wrote her letter and departed immediately, heart branded with cynicism. When the question was later asked if Equestria would return to isolationism, that cynicism would steer the course.

----------

Soarin had read the Yalta transcript one night, and he didn’t even find it interesting. Dull political language, well outside of his interests.

But it was bad news for the Poles, or at least they believed it was. He could feel it, walking through their campgrounds. No cards, or joking, or boxing matches going on. Just men looking off in the distance, black berets or bare heads. Drinking and smoking. Smoking and drinking, and staring off into the distance. Tight, unhappy frowns, or soft, resigned ones.

Halfway down the muddy path, Sosabowski’s aide matched pace with Soarin. Lieutenant Bartoz was slim for a soldier, with a blonde dusting of hair and permanent look of disapproval. They never interacted much before now – Bartoz was always in his General’s shadow.

The Lieutenant gave a wan smile. “Thank you for coming.”

“Sure…” Soarin paused as they approached Sosabowski’s guards, but the men just nodded in recognition.

Soarin swallowed as Bartoz bent to open the pavilion’s flap. “How’s he taking it?”

The sound of breaking glass exploded from inside the tent. Another smashing sound came, punctuated with Sosabowski’s voice roaring, “THOSE BASTARDS!!!”

Bartoz’ lips came up in a sarcastic little smile, eyes turning back to Soarin. “About as well as you’d expect.”

Stepping inside, Soarin was surprised the glass lasted as long as it did. General Sosabowski seemed to have already smashed all the wooden chairs. He had then turned to the desks, lifting them up with his hairy arms and swinging them to the ground without a thought for the wine glasses atop.

“THOSE HIGH AND MIGHTY BASTARDS!”

He was breathing rapidly, to the point of hyperventilation. A few staff members and guards loitered at the periphery, exchanging nervous looks. Sosabowski’s fists remained clenched, and he managed only the barest nod to the newcomers.

“Soarin,” the general strained out through grit teeth. “Talk fast.”

Soarin gulped. Bartoz had requested his presence, but what was he supposed to do?

Maybe this? Soarin took a sharp breath in, and exhaled. “General…let me talk to my princess. I think…I think if you can’t go home, maybe there could be a home for you in Equestria. Your families, too. I think if I explained the situation to Princess Celestia she’d understand and bend the rules for-“

That was exactly as far as he got. A granite fist connected with his jaw, sending Soarin to the grass.

Sosabowski stood above him, only incensed further. “Do I look like a man who wants pity from you?!”

He raised the first to strike again, but an arm from behind seized it. Two guards and three aides tackled their superior, hauling his struggling form to the ground. The paratroopers were rough sorts – he could fire any of them, but none were too gentle as they wrestled him down.

Bartoz offered a hand to help Soarin up, forgetting for a moment that ponies rose on all four limbs. He gestured outside and the two quickly departed, leaving six swearing forms on the ground.

Soarin took another sharp breath and wiped his mouth – blood, and a loose tooth. He’d had worse.

A tight, embarrassed frown marked Bartoz’ face. “Sorry. He’s not himself.”

The pegasus nodded, glancing back. “Yeah…maybe I can stick around until he calms down?”

Bartoz shook his head quickly. “You came. He’ll recognize that. The war won’t wait for this.”

Soarin chewed his tongue, trying to knead out the taste of blood. “Hm…ugh, I don’t get it. I read the transcript, I really don’t see what’s wrong. It makes sense that the Soviets would help rebuild, they’re the ones there now. It said that Stalin agreed to everyone’s self-rule, and he would withdraw when possible. Seems okay to me.”

“Good.” That mean, sarcastic little smile came back to Bartoz’ face. “I’ll tell General Sosabowski we don’t have anything to worry about. Stalin signed a paper.”

Author's Note:

”Human progress is neither inevitable nor automatic.”

-Martin Luther King, Civil Rights Activist

It’s…hard for me to take a side on the Yalta controversy. On the one hand, it was “Western Betrayal” at its worst – the selling out of a stable, democratic ally for political expedience. It prompted a wave of resignations in British government and, more sobering, a wave of suicides in the Free-Polish army.

On the other hand, it is unlikely Stalin would have yielded Poland to diplomacy. Attempts by the West to be “tougher” might have provoked a new war, one unlikely to end in their favor. Stalin held Poland, he was keeping it, and his rivals simply lacked the strength to take it from him. Viewed in this light, the Yalta treaty seems a damning, but necessary concession to the inevitable.

Less inevitable, and certainly less excusable, was the oppression of Germany following the war. Motivated by winner’s vengeance and the belief that the German “race” inherently craved war, genuine efforts were made to starve its people and dismantle its industry. Starvation in Germany actually increased in the years following the war, as did disenfranchisement and displacement.

Oddly, the trend might have continued had it not been for the Cold War. Seeking allies and propaganda, East and West rebuilt the two halves of Germany in their own image. Each side strengthened the industry and military, knowing the scarred country would the battleground if war broke out. The inhabitants were aware of this as well. A grim joke circulated on both sides of the Berlin Wall: “World War III will be fought to the last German.”

Comments

[kingtiger666]

[Elastas]

Everytime I read a chapter it gives me goosebumps.

[ParkerWIC]

2610101
hmm, and to think some today are "singing" a similar tune about Barrack Obama. Oh, how history repeats itself.

[Sean Mulligan]

I believe that you are greatly exaggerating FDR's attitude towards Germany. I haven't heard about Yalta being used to rally German resistance. Poland Eastern boundary merely returned to the Curzon Line proposed by the British Statesman and the population of those regions were mostly non polish. The Poles were compensated with territory from Germany. Also, Poland was hardly a stable and democratic country before the war. Since Pilsudski's 1926 coup, Poland had a semi-fascist authoritarian government with strong anti-Semitic undertones and Poland had participated in the partition of Poland after the Munich Conference.

[kuruku]

The picture at the top is broken. I have been reading this for a while now, and im really liking it. I will probably leave a longer comment after i finish reading.

[Steampunk Brony]

Awww Celestia looks so adorable in that picture. Almost takes your mind off of all the killing and destruction…

Of course the princess looks uneasy. She's standing next to STALIN. The guy killed more people than Hitler. From his own country! (Please tell me I got the facts right) I would be uneasy as well if I had to stand next to him. But then again he is the only person in the world to rock that mustache.

[Ice Star]

Hints of friendship and informality between Tia and FDR are weirdly cute.

[Russian Bank Teller]

7431961
Stalin's from Georgia. He killed millions of Russians and Ukrainians.

[Darth_krayt]

So everybody's going north at spikes on Winston Churchill lap it's pretty obvious he's there