The Potsdam Conference
June 1-7, 1945 (Part 2)
It was not everything the Western Allies would have wanted. It was certainly not what the Soviet Union had been counting on. But in the end, Churchill, Dewey and Stalin managed to hammer out an agreement on post-war Europe. Only time would tell if the Potsdam arrangements would hold.
But here is what was decided: the three nations in Eastern Europe that had allied themselves with Hitler, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Rumania, were essentially consigned to the Gehenna of Soviet domination. It would be very hard for either Dewey or Churchill to explain to their respective electorates that they refused to reach agreement on the postwar order because of some Nazi satellites.
The final status of Yugoslavia and Greece was also settled, with Yugoslavia under control of Marshall Tito, who unlike most prospective Communist leaders had genuine popular support, and Greece under the British-backed monarchy.
Of course, an agreement was one thing; facts on the ground were quite something else at times.
Czechoslovakia also was relatively easy to settle because of the deep American penetration into that country. Most US and Soviet forces would withdraw from their respective conquests, with some allied forces remaining to supervise elections and a new government. As one of Hitler's first victims, there was considerable sentiment in England and the US in Czechoslovakia's favor.
Poland was a harder problem to solve. It was under Soviet occupation, certainly. But Poland had a powerful resonance for Britain and America. Poland had been brutalized by the Nazis and also the Soviets in 1939. Neither Dewey nor Churchill was willing to sweep this history under the rug.
So it came down to Poland. Stalin had to weigh his options. He could easily hang on to Poland. He knew the Allies would not start another war right after World War Two ... and against their heroic Soviet allies, as (most of) the western media had usefully proclaimed them for years.
But that would cut off all American aid and keep large US and British forces in most of Germany, including 80% of Berlin. Sure, Mother Russia could suck out whatever it could from Prussia and Silesia, but even that would not last forever.
So, Stalin made his decision. With the current correlation of forces, it would be most advantageous to accept the Western demands about Poland. So, most Soviet forces would indeed withdraw and allow a multi-national force to supervise elections and maintain order until a government of both the London and Lublin Poles could be installed, with elections to follow. Poland would end up like Finland ... not the best arrangement, but one respecting Russia's interests. And the Soviet Union would occupy her rightful portion of Germany and receive the aid that was only her due after bearing the brunt of the Great Patriotic War.
Stalin thought to himself, "there is still China and there are still many progressive parties and movements in Europe that can be activated for our cause."
And so, on June 7, 1945, Britain, the United States and Soviet Union signed the Potsdam Agreements, which among other things provided for:
1. A four-power occupation of Germany as a whole and Berlin in particular;
2. similar arrangements for Austria and Vienna;
3. joint US and Soviet withdrawal from Czechoslovakia to be replaced by a smaller four power force to supervise forming a new government and elections;
4. Soviet withdrawal from Poland to be replaced by similar status as Czechoslovakia;
5. Respect for status quo in Yugoslavia and Greece;
6. Reconstituted, democratic governments in France, the Low Countries, Denmark, Norway and Italy;
7. Continuing to set up a United Nations organization;
8. Soviet entry into the war against Japan at the earliest opportunity;
9. Full European participation in allied (mainly American) recovery funding;
10. War crimes trials to occur against surviving Nazi leadership.