Answer :
Final answer:
The peace conferences held after WWII aimed at rebuilding and stabilizing Europe, and they differed from the Paris Peace Conference by including the defeated powers and focusing on preventing future conflicts. The Potsdam Conference, in particular, set the stage for the Cold War by agreeing to divide Germany and dismantle its heavy industry.
Explanation:
The peace conferences held by the Allied Powers at the end of WWII, including the Tehran Conference, Yalta Conference, and Potsdam Conference, had significant effects on the postwar world. At the Tehran Conference, plans were made for a cross-channel invasion of Europe, and agreements were made on the borders of Poland. The Yalta Conference saw Roosevelt seeking Soviet support in the Pacific War, Churchill pressing for free elections in Europe, and Stalin aiming for Soviet influence in Eastern Europe. The Potsdam Conference finalized plans to divide Germany and Austria into zones, agreed to dismantle German heavy industry, and addressed concerns about reparations and the burden on Germany.
These conferences differed from the Paris Peace Conference at the end of WWI primarily in their inclusivity of the defeated powers and a shift in goals. While the Treaty of Versailles, resulting from the Paris Conference, imposed harsh penalties on Germany, leading to lingering resentment and ultimately to the rise of WWII, the post-WWII conferences sought to rebuild and stabilize Europe, prevent future wars, and set the stage for the Cold War dynamics by outlining spheres of influence.
The goals of these conferences were to establish peace, reconstruct Europe, prevent the rearmament of Germany, and forge the beginnings of the Cold War alignment. These efforts laid the foundation for the division of Europe and influenced the geopolitical landscape for decades to come.
