The Potsdam Conference

When was the Potsdam Conference?

17th July 1945 to the 1st August 1945

When did the war in Europe end?

May 1945

When did Hitler commit suicide?

30th April 1945

What war continued after war in Europe ended?

Japan

What was Stalin committed to?

Aiding Western powers in their continued struggle against Japan

When did Roosevelt die?

April 1945

Who replaced Roosevelt?

Truman

Who replaced Churchill?

Clement Attlee, Leader of the Labour Party

Why was Churchill replaced?

Lost the General Election in Britain

When was Churchill replaced?

25th July 1945

What did Truman reject?

Roosevelt’s cooperative attitude towards the USSR

What was Truman convinced about the USSR and communism?

It was a threat to USA’s vital national interests

What did Truman want to do?

Promote the USA to the status of a global superpower

What did Truman see communism as a threat to?

Privileges, status and power of elites in the west as it promoted equality

What did Attlee share with Churchill?

Mistrust of Stalin and the importance of a continued alliance with the USA to protect Western Europe from threat of the spread of communism

What happened the day before the Potsdam Conference?

First successful detonation of the USA’ atomic bomb

What did Truman hope the bomb would do?

Provide him with the diplomatic leverage needed to ensure Stalin stayed loyal to agreements at Yalta

What did Stalin regard the bomb as?

USA using atomic diplomacy in its dealings with the USSR

What was Potsdam characterised by?

Truman’s abrasive diplomacy and the determination of Stalin and Molotov not to be intimidated by the USA’ nuclear monopoly

What wasn’t agreed at Potsdam?

No medium or long term blueprint for the future of Germany or the parameters of international relations in the new world order

What was agreed at Potsdam?

Germany to be completely disarmed and demilitarised

De-Nazification carried out

Decentralisation of the political system and local responsibility developed

Freedom of speech and free press restored

Religious tolerance restored

Germany become a single economic unit with common policies on industry and finance

USSR receive reparations from its own zone and additional 25% from the Western zones

What did de-Nazification involve?

War crimes judged

All former Nazi Party members removed from public office

Education system purged of all Nazi influences

What did the conference not succeed with?

Reinforcing the notion of international cooperation that aimed at reconstructing a long-term future for post-war Europe.

Address the growing suspicion and uncertainty that had developed between USA and Soviet Union