The Potsdam Conference, July 1945

Overview

• The Potsdam Conference took place in August 1945 near Berlin.
• Attended by the Big Three: Clement Attlee, Harry Truman, and Joseph Stalin.
• Objective: Finalize post-war settlement and enact agreements from the Yalta Conference.

Key Changes Since Yalta

New US President

• Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away and was succeeded by Harry S. Truman.
• Roosevelt favored cooperation with Stalin for both the war against Japan and involvement in new international organizations.
• Truman, however, was more skeptical and less cooperative with Stalin.
• Truman quickly halted US economic support to the Soviet Union.
• Truman's initial positive outlook on Stalin turned negative after learning about the nuclear success.

Nuclear Threat

• On 16 July 1945, the US successfully detonated an atomic bomb in New Mexico as part of the Manhattan Project.
• Truman informed Stalin of a new powerful weapon during the Potsdam Conference.

Expansion of Communism

• Despite Yalta's agreement for free elections in Eastern Europe, Stalin showed no intention of allowing them.
• The Soviet Union was setting up a communist government in Poland.

Outcome of Potsdam

• Minimal progress beyond enacting Yalta commitments.
• Key disagreements, particularly over Germany’s future and reparations.

PEER Acronym

• People: Big Three participants changed from Yalta to Potsdam.
• Elections: Discrepancy in promises about Eastern Europe's political future.
• Europe: Disagreement on occupation zones.
• Reparations: Contentious debate over reparations Germany should pay.

Differences between Yalta and Potsdam

• Yalta was more collaborative; Potsdam was marked by disagreements and distrust.
• Leadership changes (Attlee replaced Churchill; Truman replaced Roosevelt).

Main Points to Remember

• Big Three at Potsdam: Attlee, Truman, Stalin.
• Priorities:
  • Truman: Show military strength (atomic bomb), limit Soviet influence.
  • Stalin: Secure Soviet interests, especially in Eastern Europe.
  • Attlee: Support rebuilding Europe post-war.
• Interdependencies and Challenges:
  • Each leader needed collective decisions for broader goals, such as peace and stability.
  • Conflicting national interests made simultaneous fulfillment challenging.

Study Tips

• Use the acronym PEER for quickly recalling main issues and outcomes of the conferences.
• Focus on the changing dynamics between the Yalta and Potsdam conferences due to leadership and geopolitical shifts.