Yalta and Potsdam conferences 1945: USA-USSR relations

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The relations between the USA and the USSR had changed quite frequently over the course of a year. 1945 was the year of change in Germany, both USA and USSR were certain that Germany would surrender, however, relations between the two countries were tense due to conflicting ideologies about the way each country was run.

The belief that Germany would soon surrender under their pressure bought the two leaders together at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences in 1945. Tension was surprisingly low as the leaders managed to agree that Germany and Berlin would be divided into 4 sectors to be controlled by USSR, USA, France and Britain. They also agreed that the eastern European countries should have the right to vote freely to decide how their countries were going to be governed.

The freedom to vote was normal for all US citizens, and whilst they might not be aware of it, it was a freedom that the people of the USSR didn’t have. The people of the USSR governed by Stalin had a tight reign on who they could vote for.

Later in the same year, a second conference was held at Potsdam, however there had been significant changes over the past 5 months that really changed the overall attitude and outcome of this second meeting. Roosevelt who had suddenly died left his Vice-presidant, Harry Trueman in power. Tension became to rapidly increase between Truman and Stalin due the suspicion of Truman about Stalin’s intentions. This suspicion came to Stalin’s attention when both Britain and USA denied Stalin a naval base, claiming they saw no need for him to have one. There had also been a a change of hands in the leadership of Great Britain, Churchill was no longer Prime Minister meaning Clement Atlee was to take his place.

On the 8th of May 1945, Germany surrendered allowing Britain and the USA to start to reduce forces in Germany, however, it soon became clear that the soviets had no intention to reduce the number of their forces in Germany, even after they were urged that should focus on the USSR borders. The topic of the atomic bomb was also raised when Truman informed Stalin that this new weapon was planned to be used against Japan. The successful testing of this new breed of warfare created a spark between the USA and USSR and marked the beginning of an arms race between these two conflicting countries.