1
Q
when was Potsdam
A
17 July - 1 Aug 1945
2
Q
4 context points leading up to Potsdam:
A
- April 1945 Roosevelt dies and is replaced by Harry Truman (inexperienced in foreign affairs) – Roosevelt the key architect of the Yalta agreements
- 8th May Nazi surrender – end of war in Europe, but continued in Japan
- 16th July – first successful test detonation of US atomic bomb
- Churchill had initially attended but lost General Election - replaced by Clement Atlee on the 26 July
3
Q
why did the detonation of US atomic bomb causes tensions between them and USSR
A
Truman kept it a secret, Soviet spies reported - Stalin knew of it before entering Potsdam:
- symbolised secrecy, suspicion and a sudden shift in global power
- decline in the need for USSR alliance against Japan - Stalin has lost bargaining chip = significant shift in power balance
4
Q
Trumans attitudes (6)
A
- President since April 1945
- Little foreign policy experience
- Agreed with Roosevelt’s view that US interests were best served by world economic reconstruction and co-operation – World Bank, IMF etc. - fulfil USA’s ideological imperative + ensure US’s geostrategic interest by limiting the expansion of USSR’s territorial influence
- Much more anti-communist than Roosevelt – feared Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe (compared it to a ‘barbarian invasion’) and believed there had been key disrespect of Yalta agreements (Poland)
- Believed the only way to deal with Stalin was with the threat of force – confrontation rather than co-operation. Used the threat of the USA’s atomic power in negotiations ‘atomic diplomacy – abrasive in approach – said he was ‘tired of babying the Soviets’ and at Potsdam told Stalin he had a new weapon of unusual destructive force
5
Q
Attlee’s attitudes (6) :
A
- even less experience in foreign diplomacy than Truman
- Germany’s geostrategic significance in Europe was supreme
- concerned that Potsdam no longer offered long term plan for future of Germany - increasingly shown in Stalin’s absolute failure to implement his agreements on Poland the DoLE
- Convinced of the importance of the UK’s alliance with the USA – especially in the defence of Western Europe + Western zones of Germany = Concerned about a weakened Germany being vulnerable to Soviet influence
- Shared Churchill’s mistrust of Stalin – strengthened by events since Yalta
- British foreign policy under Attlee became more clearly focused on an anti-communist stance
6
Q
what showed Stalin’s expansionist ambitions, and how did this go against the DoLE
A
Poland: by blocking free elections, suppressing opposition, manipulating the government structure and ensuring Poland became a communist, Soviet puppet state
7
Q
Stalin’s attitudes (5) :
A
- By July, Stalin was convinced that the USA and its allies were not only potential rivals for dominance in Europe, but pursuing an anti-communist agenda
- Reinforced by the news of US atomic bomb
= reinforced his obsession with the security of the USSR. - Determined that Eastern European states must come under Soviet sphere of influence (necessitated Red Army’s continued presence in EE), + therefore have pro-Soviet governments:
- needed same political + economic system to USSR - form long term security
- unity / common identity = STRENGTH
- No longer so willing to compromise/cooperate
- As the only remaining original member of the Big Three, he felt he would have an advantage over the inexperienced Attlee and Truman
8
Q
what was agreed at Potsdam (5)
A
- complete disarmament + demilitarisation of Germany
- De-Nazification to proceed
- Germany to be a single economic unit with common policies of finance and industry despite the zones of occupation
- USSR entitled to reparations in equipment and materials from its own zone of influence and 25% from the Western zones
- Freedom of speech and religious tolerance in liberated nations
9
Q
what kind of diplomacy did Truman use at Potsdam
A
Atomic diplomacy + diplomatic leverage
10
Q
Although aspects of the Yalta Conference were confirmed at Potsdam it was a lot more tense and argumentative - what is the main reason that explains this? (6)
A
- War in Europe (8th May) war is over in Europe - not the same need to present a united front + US now has atomic bomb to end war
- The integration of the Lublin gov and polish gov has not been carried through - Stalin looks as if he’s going against the Declaration on Liberated Europe - fuelling anti-communist
- Truman’s stronger anti-communist views created threats and disagreements the USSR further worsened by the threat to use the USA atomic power against the Soviet Union - starting to turn in on each other - after war was over it was a fight to gain control + power over eastern Europe.
- Truman is very new in foreign diplomacy - pushes Stalin harder than Roosevelt (personality difference) as he uses atomic bomb to present US military power
- Atlee also focused on a more anti-communist stance and sided with the US, hoping this alliance would** defend western Europe** (esp Germany) from Soviet control. Also had mistrust for Stalin
- Stalin now viewed US and UK as opponents (as anti-communist parties) to his aim of gaining Eastern Europe, felt superior as the only original member.
11
Q
Crucially what key issue was NOT fully agreed on at Potsdam which would lead to future issues?
A
- The future of Germany was not fully agreed. The USSR wanted huge compensations whereas the US and UK feared that this would weaken Germany and spread communism
- This was briefly compromised by the USSR being entitled to reparations (25%) from Western zone of influence. (USSR want a stake on the Ruhr, which was in British territory).
- It was also agreed that Germany would be treated as a single economic unit, but in reality the 4 zones were run differently , leading to division and this was worsened by that being no agreement on whether Germany would be capitalist or communist - becoming a key reason for the eventual split in 1949.
12
Q
Why would the USA’s use of the atomic bomb to end the war in Japan been provocative to the USSR?
A
- Truman already threatened Stalin of the use of US atomic bombs and the use of it in Japan could be seen as a form of intimidation to alarm but also threaten Stalin as it showed the US’s power, military superiority and the destruction that would occur in the Soviet Union if the US decided to launch an atomic bomb against the USSR.
- USSR previously agreed to declare war on Japan 3 months after Nazi surrender - but now deprived of having a say in Japan + humiliated
- Decision + timing of USA nuclear bomb in Stalin’s opinion was a deliberate way of cutting USSR from Asia
- Having control will prove to be important in the Cold war- acts as a American friendly island in Pacific blocking communist spread
