The opening session of the Potsdam Conference, 17 July 1945

Operation TerminalCecilienhof, Potsdam17 Jul – 2 Aug 1945

Seventeen days that settled
the shape of Europe

Truman, Churchill and Stalin met once, for 13 sittings around a table with no head. This is the record of what was said, on which day, and on whose authority.

Begin the recordRead the minutes
Days17Sittings13Documents2Words of record65kPhotographs459Film43m

The seventeen days

Trinity → Protocol · in order

  1. 0116 JULWaiting For StalinTrinity16 July 1945
  2. 0217 JULThe Big Three1st plenary17 July 1945
  3. 0318 JULDividing The Spoils2nd plenary18 July 1945
  4. 0419 JULThe Fate Of Europe3rd plenary19 July 1945
  5. 0520 JULPeace In Italy4th plenary20 July 1945
  6. 0621 JULThe Polish Question5th plenary21 July 1945
  7. 0722 JULPoland Betrayed6th plenary22 July 1945
  8. 0823 JULKönigsberg & Prussia7th plenary23 July 1945
  9. 0924 JULThe Nuclear Age Begins8th plenary24 July 1945
  10. 1025 JULChurchill Departs9th plenary25 July 1945
  11. 1126 JULThe Potsdam DeclarationRecess26 July 1945
  12. 1227 JULThe Price Of PeaceRecess27 July 1945
  13. 1328 JULThe New Big Three10th plenary28 July 1945
  14. 1429 JULStalin Takes IllStalin ill29 July 1945
  15. 1530 JULThe Little ThreeForeign ministers30 July 1945
  16. 1631 JULSettling The Polish Question11th plenary31 July 1945
  17. 1701 AUGThe Long Last Day12th & 13th plenary1 August 1945
  18. 1802 AUGThe Conference EndsProtocol signed2 August 1945

Or follow one argument

10 threads across the record

Potsdam today

Seeing it for yourself

Cecilienhof is closed for restoration, and SPSG plans to reopen the palace in 2029. The palaces and parks of Potsdam around it are open, and you can see them on a private day in Potsdam with Berlin Experiences.

Ground: The opening session of the Potsdam Conference, 17 July 1945. US National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain. Figures cut from separate frames: US Government · US Navy.