""Given them". OKay. Acquiesced in the existing Soviet occupation"
Churchill, Attlee, Roosevelt, and Truman "acquiesced"(I prefer agreed) at Yalta and Potsdam to divide Europe.
"Potsdam Agreement
Main article the Potsdam Agreement
At the end of the conference, the Three Heads of Government agreed on the following actions:
The Oder-Neisse Line
Poland's old and new borders, 1945. Territory previously part of Germany is identified in yellow Germany:
See also Expulsion of Germans after World War II, The industrial plans for Germany and Oder-Neisse line
Issuance of a statement of aims of the occupation of Germany by the Allies: demilitarization, denazification, democratization and decartelization.
Division of Germany and Austria respectively into four occupation zones (earlier agreed in principle at Yalta), and the similar division of each's capital, Berlin and Vienna, into four zones.
Agreement on the prosecution of Nazi war criminals.
Reversion of all German annexations in Europe after 1937, these included Sudetenland, Alsace-Lorraine, Austria and the westmost parts of Poland
Germany's eastern border was to be shifted westwards to the Oder-Neisse line, effectively reducing Germany in size by approximately 25% compared to her 1937 borders. The territories east of the new border comprised East Prussia, Silesia, West Prussia, and two thirds of Pomerania. These areas were mainly agricultural, with the exception of Upper Silesia which was the second largest centre of German heavy industry.
Expulsion of the German populations remaining beyond the new eastern borders of Germany.
Agreement on war reparations to the Soviet Union from their zone of occupation in Germany. It was also agreed that 10% of the industrial capacity of the western zones unnecessary for the German peace economy should be transferred to the Soviet Union within 2 years. Stalin proposed and it was accepted that Poland was to be excluded from division of German compensation to be later granted 15% of compensation given to Soviet Union (this has never happened)[citation needed].
Ensuring that German standards of living did not exceed the European average. The types and amounts of industry to dismantle to achieve this was to be determined later. (see The industrial plans for Germany)
Destruction of German industrial war-potential through the destruction or control of all industry with military potential. To this end, all civilian shipyards and aircraft factories were to be dismantled or otherwise destroyed. All production capacity associated with war-potential, such as metals, chemical, machinery etc were to be reduced to a minimum level which was later determined by the Allied Control Commission. Manufacturing capacity thus made "surplus" was to be dismantled as reparations or otherwise destroyed. All research and international trade was to be controlled. The economy was to be decentralized (decartelization). The economy was also to be reorganized with primary emphasis on agriculture and peaceful domestic industries. In early 1946 agreement was reached on the details of the latter, Germany was to be converted into an agricultural and light industry economy. German exports were to be coal, beer, toys, textiles, etc — to take the place of the heavy industrial products which formed most of Germany's pre-war exports. [1]
Poland:
See also Western betrayal and Territorial changes of Poland after World War II
Creation of a Provisional Government of National Unity recognised by all three powers. Recognition of the Soviet controlled government by the Western Powers effectively meant end of recognition for the existing Polish 'London' government in Exile.
Poles who were serving in British Army formations should be free to return to Poland. With no security upon their return to the communist country guaranteed.
The provisional western border should be the Oder-Neisse line, parts of East Prussia and former free City of Danzig should be under Polish administration, but that the final delimitation of the western frontier of Poland should await the peace settlement, which had to await the Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany in 1990.
Polish share of German war reparation to be taken by Soviet Union instead of Poland.
All other issues were to be answered by the final peace conference to be called as soon as possible."
Blaming Yalta and Potsdam and their consequences on Europe is a stretch to say the least. The USA and England divided Europe with the USSR.
The USSR didn't over run western Europe. Ask yourself why they didn't do so. They didn't over run eastern Europe. They had 2 conferences which divided Europe giving eastern Europe to the USSR. So any "appetite" to fight those decisions was an exercise in futility. |
