The details of two historic meetings between Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill which determined the outcome of World War II and the post-war world order are available thanks to a virtual tour of the exhibition “Eureka and The Island: Tehran-43 and Yalta-45. History of Landmark Decisions”, which was organized in the Presidential Library.
“Eureka” and “The Island” are the code names of the most important meetings of the “Big Three” took place in Tehran (1943) and in Yalta (1945).
During the Second World War, it became obvious that the tasks facing the leaders of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition could only be solved by developing a general plan of action and only through personal negotiations. At the end of November 1943, the long-awaited first meeting of the heads of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain took place – then an agreement was reached on the timing and place of the opening of the second front. From 4 to 11 February 1945 in Crimea, the leaders of the three countries determined the development of the post-war world order and spheres of influence, discussed the further fate of war criminals.
Visitors to the Presidential Library’s website have a unique opportunity to see unknown photographs of the leaders of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain visiting Sevastopol during the Yalta conference: a visit to the coastal strip, a pier, meetings with Black Sea sailors, a visit to the sites of recently ended battles. For a long time these images were kept in the storage of the branch of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense – the Archive of the Navy in the city of Gatchina, Leningrad Region. Thanks to the interaction of the Presidential Library, the Ministry of Defence and the Main Command of the Navy, they were digitized, and today they are available to the public.
The virtual exhibition also includes important historical documents from the Central Archives of the FSB of Russia and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum: correspondence of the Big Three members; photographs from protocol and informal events; transcripts of world leaders’ conversations; detailed reports describing the preparation of meetings, including ensuring security.
Colorful posters and leaflets from the collections of the National Library of Russia demonstrate the united power of the Allies and the inevitability of their victory. Newsreels, fragments from feature films, modern documentary filming help to immerse in the atmosphere of that time.
Virtual projects are an actively developing activity of the Presidential Library, thanks to which the electronic repository with documents, photos, audio and video materials, is replenished with exhibits from the exhibitions and items from museum collections.