Note
atmosphere at Potsdam Conference very diff from atmosphere of compromise during previous conferences.
Stalin → still leader for USSR → continued to push for his demands Leaders of both US and Br → changed.
-
US now led by Harry Truman, as Pres Roosevelt had died in April 1945
-
Truman → did not have same r.s. with Stalin → that Roosevelt had → as he assumed power after war time alliance → between USSR and US → had broken down.
-
was concerned about potential threat → USSR posed → to security of Western Europe
-
was thus determined → to get touch + challenge Stalin → on the big issues.
In Britain → Churchill → lost general election in July 19456 → replaced by Clement Attlee → halfway through conference.
Both Truman + Attlee → young + more inexperienced → in foreign affairs → compared to predecessors.