What Was an Effect of Agreement Made by the Allies at the Potsdam Conference

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The Potsdam Conference was held in July and August of 1945, shortly after the end of World War II. The conference was attended by representatives from the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union and was aimed at discussing the post-war world order. One of the main agreements made at the conference was the division of Germany into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the Allied powers.

The effect of this agreement was profound and far-reaching. The division of Germany laid the foundation for the Cold War, which would dominate international relations for the next four decades. With the Soviet Union controlling the eastern part of Germany, which eventually became the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in 1949, and the other Allies controlling the rest of the country, tensions between the East and the West were high.

The division of Germany also had a significant impact on the country`s economic and social development. The Soviet occupation zone was subjected to a program of deindustrialization, which severely hampered the economic development of the GDR. Meanwhile, the western occupation zones, which eventually became the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in 1949, were allowed to rebuild their industries and infrastructure with the help of the Marshall Plan. As a result, the FRG became one of the world`s leading economies, while the GDR lagged behind.

The division of Germany also had a profound impact on the lives of ordinary people. Families were separated by the border, and people in the GDR were subject to strict controls and surveillance by the government. Many people risked their lives trying to escape to the West, and the Berlin Wall, which was erected in 1961, became a potent symbol of the division of Germany and the Cold War.

In conclusion, the agreement made by the Allies at the Potsdam Conference to divide Germany had a significant impact on world history. It led to the Cold War and shaped the economic and social development of the country for decades to come. The division of Germany also had a profound impact on the lives of ordinary people and remains a powerful symbol of the legacy of the war and its aftermath.