Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was a meeting of between the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States in Potsdam, Germany from July 17 to August 2, 1945.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Winston Churchill), the President of the United States (Harry S. Truman) and the leader of the USSR (Josef Stalin), all met to talk about Germany on July 1945 and were going to discuss what should happen to it now that the Second World War was over.
The first conference was held at Yalta, but the allies did not agree on anything very important. However, a lot had happened since the Yalta Conference. Firstly, the USA had a new president named Harry Truman. He was much tougher on Communism than the previous president, Roosevelt, had been. Truman came away angry about the size of reparations and the fact that a communist government was being set up in Poland.
This was a problem for Stalin. Also, Churchill had been voted out and was replaced by Attlee. Stalin saw himself as far more experienced than these new leaders. Stalin also caused trouble, as some of what the allies agreed on at Yalta was that Poland should have a neutral government. Stalin had killed the neutral government leaders and replaced them with ones that would listen to him. This meant that there were a lot of problems at Potsdam.
Differences between Yalta and Potsdam
YALTA
POTSDAM
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin were there.
Germany was split into 4 zones
A government of 'national unity' to be set up in Poland, comprising both communists and non-communists.
Free elections in the countries of eastern Europe. This part of the agreement was called the Declaration of Liberated Europe.
Russia would help against Japan when Germany was defeated.
Atlee, Truman and Stalin were there
Arguments about the details of the boundaries of the zones.
Truman was angry
The Potsdam Conference was a meeting of between the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States in Potsdam, Germany from July 17 to August 2, 1945.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Winston Churchill), the President of the United States (Harry S. Truman) and the leader of the USSR (Josef Stalin), all met to talk about Germany on July 1945 and were going to discuss what should happen to it now that the Second World War was over.
The first conference was held at Yalta, but the allies did not agree on anything very important. However, a lot had happened since the Yalta Conference. Firstly, the USA had a new president named Harry Truman. He was much tougher on Communism than the previous president, Roosevelt, had been. Truman came away angry about the size of reparations and the fact that a communist government was being set up in Poland.
This was a problem for Stalin. Also, Churchill had been voted out and was replaced by Attlee. Stalin saw himself as far more experienced than these new leaders. Stalin also caused trouble, as some of what the allies agreed on at Yalta was that Poland should have a neutral government. Stalin had killed the neutral government leaders and replaced them with ones that would listen to him. This meant that there were a lot of problems at Potsdam.
Differences between Yalta and Potsdam
YALTA
POTSDAM
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin were there.
Germany was split into 4 zones
A government of 'national unity' to be set up in Poland, comprising both communists and non-communists.
Free elections in the countries of eastern Europe. This part of the agreement was called the Declaration of Liberated Europe.
Russia would help against Japan when Germany was defeated.
Atlee, Truman and Stalin were there
Arguments about the details of the boundaries of the zones.
Truman was angry