Potsdam Conference

Question 1

who was involved?

Answer 1

• Truman (as Roosevelt had died)
• Stalin
• Churchill replaced by Atlee

Question 2

time?

Answer 2

JULY 1945; after war

- in potsdam, germany

Question 3

developments between yalta and potsdam conference

Answer 3

• truman replaces roosevelt; has tougher policies
• germany surrendered
• atlee replaces churchill
• war over but red army still occupies terriroty in germany
• US tests atomic bomb first day after potsdam begins

Question 4

state of war

Answer 4

• germany had surrendere unconditionally in may

- americans now posed to invade mainland; japan still gotta be finished using atomic bombs

Question 5

plans with germany

Answer 5

• allies can’t agree on how to disarm, demilitrize and denazify divide germany

decided;

1. 4 zones of occupation established
2. denazification and demilitarization would be conducted in each zone respectivly
3. Germany economy run as whole; limited to domestic industry and agriulcture
4. Soviest recieve 25% of reperation bill from west; more agricultural eastern zone give food in exchange

Question 6

plans with poland

Answer 6

• Truman unhappy with agreements over poland from yalta; challenges decision over the new western frontier between Poland and Germany
• wants to re-organizse polish government (want free and democratice vote there_
• Stalin wants to inlcude more “London” poles there

Question 7

plan with japan

Answer 7

• Truman drops atomic bomb during coference on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Truman doesnt tell Stalin full details about super weapon
• US acts without USSR

Question 8

plans with eastern europe

Answer 8

• US unahppy about “percentage agreements” made by Stalin and Churchill 1944
• Truman challenges agreement about ROmani and BUlgaria; Soviets want to keep influence and military control
• West finds it difficult to forces Soviets to make changes; can’t push Red Army back without looking threatening

Question 9

plans with UN

Answer 9

• UN becomes reality
• “Treaty of San Franscico 1945”
• USSR as only Communist power of ‘big 5’; us, ussr, france, britain, china
• stalin uses UN veto to block anything against ‘soviet interests’

Question 10

areas of disagreement in conference

Answer 10

Areas of Disagreement:
a. Stalin wanted the districts of Kars and Ardahan in Turkey.

b. Stalin demanded trusteeship of one of the former Italian colonies in Africa
.
c. Stalin proposed joint action on Franco (rejected by western powers)

d. Stalin proposed discussion of situation in Syria and Lebanon but GB and FR considered this to be of their concern.
e. USA and Allies not able to access areas of Europe occupied by the Red Army.
f. Stalin moved the frontier of the USSR westwards and handed over to Poland a large area of the Soviet zone of Germany (including land to which the Allies had not agreed)
g. disagreements on germany over repeartions, principles of denazification and disarmentn

Question 11

Truman role

Answer 11

• lacked little of foregin affairs; more relian on advisers; inclined to join UK in challenging USSR
• ideological difference/harsh stance on USSR

Question 12

Stalin

Answer 12

• unhappy about western hypocrisy after building relations with italy and franco’s spain
• has advantage as he was present at previous meetings
• portrays soviet army as strong, despite vast losses
• stalin pretends that atomic bomb doesnt scare him