Chapter 1: Potsdam Conference Flashcards
When was Potsdam?
Jul-Aug 1945. Truman, Stalin and Attlee.
What was happning with Japan at the time?
WW2 had ended but War against Japan was continuing. Stalin was aiding Western powers with Japan, something they did not relish. Didn’t want him to liberate it.
What happened the day before Potsdam?
The first successful detonation of the USA’s atomic bomb had taken place.
What were the agreements at Potsdam?
Germany was to be completely disarmed and demilitarised, de-Nazification carried out, Nazi party banned and War crimes judged, decentralisation of the political system to be undertaken and local responsibility developed, freedom of speech and press and religious tolerance restored, Germany to be a single economic unit and USSR reparations received from own zone and 25% from Western Zones.
What were the criticisms of Potsdam?
Nothing was done to reinforce the notion of international cooperation aimed at reconstructing long term future for post War Europe or future relationship between communist East and Capitalist West. Failed to address growing uncertainty between US and Soviet Union. No plan for future of Germany/international relations.
What did Truman want the world to be like?
Like Roosevelt, wanted world based on national self-determination, an open world trading system and world economic reconstruction. Thought it would minimise possibility of US returning to conditions experienced GD, fufill USA’s ideological imperatives and ensure USA’s geostrategic interests by limiting expansion of other states, particularly USSR.
What was Truman scared of?
Feared growth of Soviet power in EE, removal of anti-communist leaders and rise of pro-communist provisional governments.
What did Truman become convinced of?
He became increasingly convinced force may be needed to ensure Soviet compliance with US wishes.
What did Truman think was the key to ensuring USSR cooperation?
He hoped the USA’s possession of nuclear technology would be the key to ensuring Stalin’s cooperation over composition of provisional governments in EE.
What was Stalin obsessed with?
That the USA and its allies were potential rivals for dominance in Europe, so reinforced obsession with Soviet security, and necessitated the Red Army’s continued presence in EE, and intensification of the programme of installing pro-communist regimes in liberated states.
What did Stalin want for Europe?
The time for cooperation from Stalin had now passed. He was okay with the fate of Germany but had a clear, unspoken fate for the rest of Europe. Wanted EE to form basis of security system, which required them to have a similar political and economic systems to the USSR’s.
What was Attlee’s attitude towards Germany?
Saw Germany as important, did not want it to be communist. British policy became focused on an anti-communist Soviet stance. There was concern over the long term future of Germany.
