Case 147 - Deciding Germany's Future, 1943-1945
Painter, David S.
Throughout World War II, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States discussed a wide variety of proposals for dealing with Germany after the war. This case study focuses on the Allies’ exchanges on that subject between 1943 and the 1945 Potsdam Conference. Their deliberations offer important insights into the dynamics of the “German Question” and the origins of the Cold War. The study is designed to stimulate students’ thinking about these issues, as well as the impact of national objectives on international diplomacy, and to show in concrete detail how nations define and pursue their national interests. It could be paired with Case 139, “The German Question and the Cold War.”