The parties at Yalta further agreed that the countries of liberated Europe and former Axis satellites would be allowed to " create democratic institutions of their own choice " , pursuant to " the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live . " The parties also agreed to help those countries form interim governments " pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections " and " facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections . " At the beginning of the July – August 1945 Potsdam Conference after Germany 's unconditional surrender , Stalin repeated previous promises to Churchill that he would refrain from a " sovietization " of Central Europe . In addition to reparations , Stalin pushed for " war booty " , which would permit the Soviet Union to directly seize property from conquered nations without quantitative or qualitative limitation . A clause was added permitting this to occur with some limitations
Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
Eastern Bloc