Where is potsdam conference

Having escaped relatively untouched by the ravages of war, the city was chosen as the site for the final of the three major conferences that saw these allies gather — Yalta, Tehran, and Potsdam. The specific location chosen to host the conference was the Tudor-style Schloss Cecilienhof, a room royal residence complete with iconic half-timbered walls and 55 different chimneys, constructed in , and deep within the Soviet zone of occupation from Hence, one of the most recognisable aspects of the building now lies in its courtyard — a Soviet red star, which is still freshly planted every spring — a message to the Western Allies in attendance that the conference was taking place firmly on territory that the Red Army had spilled blood to take.

The last palace in Germany constructed by the ruling Hohenzollern Imperial family, Schloss Cecilienhof was initially intended to be the residence of Crown Prince Wilhelm and his wife Cecilie thus the name of the palace. Significantly also dating all the way back to the Treaty of Westminster in , that would establish neutrality between Prussia and Great Britain — while the former was tasked with defeating France.

It should come as no surprise then that the architecture of the Cecilienhof Palace should have a distinctly English touch — even if it was completed during a war World War One which saw Germany fighting against its former British ally.

Designed by architect, Paul Schultze-Naumburg, who would later go on to become a Nazi party member and parliamentary representative, Cecilienhof sits in the northern section of the Neuer Garten — near the shore of the Jungfernsee lake.

Ideally situated to be defended, in , by Soviet troops looking to secure a location for the Potsdam Conference. Within the confines of this palace complex is the central assembly room used for the Conference, still maintained as it appeared in — complete with the table and chairs — and flags — used by the victorious powers. Beyond the possibility to securely maintain a cordon around the palace, due to its extensive parkland, there was a further reason for choosing to host the conference here — the layout of the interior and ability to allow each of the three leaders independent access to the central room — thus showing no preference in who would be deemed more important.

The round table, made in Russia exclusively for the conference, would also reflect this equitable dynamic. The Potsdam Conference marks the first and only time Truman would ever meet Stalin in person. At the end of the conference, the three heads of government agreed on the following actions. All other issues would to be answered by the final peace conference to be called as soon as possible.

The justification was that both cities were legitimate military targets to end the war swiftly and preserve American lives. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Decisions and agreements made in Potsdam influence world politics up to today. Your browser is out of date. This site may not function properly in your current browser. Update Now. Behind the scenes of the Potsdam Conference. The Potsdam Conference is considered one the most important historical events of the 20th century - a symbol of the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War.

But Truman, who was keenly aware that similar economic punishment inflicted upon the Germans after World War I had led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazism , was determined not to make the same mistake. Ultimately, the Allies worked out a deal in which the Soviets got to take German industrial machinery from their occupation zone. The Big Three worked out many of the details of the postwar order in the Potsdam Agreement , signed on August 1.

They confirmed plans to disarm and demilitarize Germany, which would be divided into four Allied occupation zones controlled by the United States, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union. They also went ahead with plans to drastically remake German society, by repealing laws passed by the Nazi regime and removing Nazis from the German education and court systems, and to arrest and try Germans who had committed war crimes.

They also approved the formation of a Council of Foreign Ministers, which would act on behalf of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and China to write peace treaties with former German allies, such as Italy and Bulgaria. Another important purpose of the Potsdam Conference was to pressure Japan, which was still in the war.

In exchange, Japan would be allowed to maintain industries that were unrelated to war and have access to raw materials, and eventually would be permitted to resume international trade.

Just before the conference began, Truman got the secret news of the successful U. At the close of an afternoon meeting of July 24, Truman walked over to Stalin and told him quietly that the U.