Potsdam Conference
After Germany's surrender in 1945, the Allies occupied their military zones and established temporary military governments. in July, Allied leaders met at Potsdam, to discuss a postwar settlement. Churchill, and later Clement Attlee, who replaced Churchill as prime minister, represented Great Britain. Harry Truman, who had became president after Roosevelt's death in April 1945, represented the United States. Stalin remained the Soviet representative.
At Potsdam, the three leaders agreed on a number of principles. The first one was that Germany should remain a single country, the second was Germany must be demilitarized, the third was the Nazi party must be demilitarized, the third was the Nazi party must be outlawed, the fourth was the German political structure should be rebuilt on a democratic basis and the fifth was individuals responsible for war crimes should be brought to trial.
To oversee the occupation governments, the Allied leaders established the Allied Control Council. They also agreed that a Council of Foreign Ministers representing China, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States should write peace treaties. As the councils began their work, it became clear that the Western democracies and the Soviet Union had very different plans for a postwar settlement. The major disagreements centered on two points: the boundaries of postwar Germany and war reparations.
At Potsdam, the three leaders agreed on a number of principles. The first one was that Germany should remain a single country, the second was Germany must be demilitarized, the third was the Nazi party must be demilitarized, the third was the Nazi party must be outlawed, the fourth was the German political structure should be rebuilt on a democratic basis and the fifth was individuals responsible for war crimes should be brought to trial.
To oversee the occupation governments, the Allied leaders established the Allied Control Council. They also agreed that a Council of Foreign Ministers representing China, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States should write peace treaties. As the councils began their work, it became clear that the Western democracies and the Soviet Union had very different plans for a postwar settlement. The major disagreements centered on two points: the boundaries of postwar Germany and war reparations.