The Potsdam Conference lasted from July 17th to August
2nd 1945.
At the time of the conference Germany was defeated and
Japan was losing the war.
Much of Europe and Asia had been devastated by war.
There was a strong feeling that the Big Three and the
new United Nations Organisation would have to repair physical things like
buildings, businesses etc AND rebuild non-physical things like trust, respect
and decent behaviour.
People in Britain, the USA and USSR had high hopes
for the Potsdam Conference. They were looking forward to a better world once
the war was over and they hoped their leaders would deliver it.