Which of the following was an outcome of the Potsdam Conference?
History · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
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The Potsdam Conference, held in July and August 1945, was one of the conferences among the Allied leaders near the end of World War II. The major outcomes of the Potsdam Conference included:
1. Division of Germany: The Allies decided to divide Germany into four occupation zones, each administered by one of the Allied powers: the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. Berlin, despite being located in the Soviet zone, was also divided into four sectors.
2. Demilitarization and Denazification: The Potsdam Conference outlined measures to demilitarize and denazify Germany. It involved the elimination of the Nazi regime, the prosecution of war criminals, and the disbandment of the German military.
3. Reparations: The Allies agreed on the principles for reparations from Germany. The Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France were each entitled to reparations from their respective occupation zones. The details of reparations, however, were a source of disagreement and would later contribute to tensions between the Allies.
4. Expulsion of Germans from Eastern Europe: The Potsdam Agreement addressed the issue of population transfers, particularly the expulsion of Germans from territories in Eastern Europe that were being transferred to Poland and the Soviet Union.
5. Poland's Borders: The Potsdam Conference confirmed the shift of Poland's borders to the west, with the country gaining territory at the expense of Germany. This territorial adjustment was one of the consequences of the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe.
6. Declaration on the Defeat of Japan: The Potsdam Conference issued the Potsdam Declaration, which outlined the terms for Japan's surrender. It called for Japan's unconditional surrender and outlined the consequences if Japan refused to comply.
The Potsdam Conference reflected the shifting dynamics among the Allies and set the stage for the post-war order in Europe. However, it also marked the beginning of the Cold War tensions between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.