H-16+To+summarize+the+decisions+made+at+the+Potsdam+Conference

 The Potsdam Conference During the early months of 1939, on September 1, Nazi Germany, headed by Adolf Hitler, declared war and invaded Poland. France and Great Britain also declared war on Germany itself. By this date, many countries were already at war such as Ethiopia and Italy. Other countries that weren't directly involved in the war joined later in response to world concern after things such as the German Invasion of the Soviet Union, and the attack on Pearl Harbor. North America, Great Britain, and the Netherlands triggered an attack on Japan following these devastating events. After the Allies invaded North Africa and defeated Japan at the Battle of Midway, the war was in full swing. World War II was known as a total war, marked by specific events that got the whole world zoned in on central Europe. The war ended with the surrender of Germany in May of 1945 following many significant actions that ended millions of lives such as the Holocaust, the first usage of nuclear warfare such as the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the deadliest conflict to ever face history. The ending of this horrid war left the political and social structure of the world forever changed. Adolf Hitler's control over Germany's military shining power ended millions of lives and left imprints of the things said and done on the world's heart. Germany was also the first country to declare war, so the responsibility went back to them as in World War I. Members from the big three consisting of Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States met in Potsdam, Germany to discuss the punishment that would be delivered to Germany for the cause of this horrific down pour of events.

The Basics
What: The Potsdam Conference When: July 17th- August 2nd 1945 Where: Potsdam, Germany Why:// The leaders of the "Big 3" met to decide and deliver the punishment that would be given to Germany for the cause of World War II. **
 * //Who: Joseph Stalin from Russia, Winston Churchill form Great Britain (Later Clement Attlee), and Harry Truman from the United States

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**//What was the Potsdam Conference and why did the "Big 3" meet?//** During the month of July 1945, the victorious countries of Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States met in Potsdam, Germany to discuss the ramifications for the Nazi regime and Austria. The three representatives for the "Big 3" were Joseph Stalin from Russia, Winston Churchill from Great Britain, and Harry Truman from the United States. These three men met to discuss the punishment that would be given to Germany such as the paying of war debts, and to rid them of the power that their military was known for. They also wanted to rid Germany of Nazis and all the Nazi influence throughout the country. As well as delivering the punishment that Germany would receive for this war, the representatives wanted to help Germany by improving their economy through agriculture.



Germany needed to be punished for the war, rid of their military, industrial factories, Nazis, and Government. The Allies, US, Britain, France, Soviet Union, who won WWII, divided the country into occupation zones to "divide the workload". Germany was a huge country, and carrying out these goals was bound to be difficult.
 * //Occupation Zones: The controlled answer//**

During the Potsdam Conference, Germany was divided into Occupations Zones, and borders were changed. Due to the border changes, as many as 12 million Germans were moved to the west; a now Soviet Controlled part of Germany. While in the east, the United States was in control. Each country, the Soviet Union and the United States, was trying to turn their section of Germany over to be more like their country. This was the start of tension that grew as the Soviet Union, and the United States made attempts at giving their section of the country more independence. This tension would eventually lead to the division of the country into East Germany and West Germany; that would not be united again until 1990.
 * //Tensions: Superpowers clash//**


 * //The Everlasting Effects: What is to come//**
 * The Potsdam Conference made a very big impact on the way the countries were represented and the way they reacted with one another. After the meetings proceeding in Potsdam, Poland was given back the land that was taken away from them by the Soviet Union. This was acquired based on historical records. As well as the rightful land being returned, German annexations were revised throughout Europe. The separation of Germany and Austria into their own individual governmental establishments took place also. The conference established a process to draft peace treaties, to plan for eliminating Nazi influence from Germany. The Potsdam Conference led to many important events that would further Europe and the surrounding countries in their advancement to overcoming World War II and the things that followed. **





Works Cited

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//**By: Rebecca Youngs, Cory Eversole, and Kaitlyn Willette**//