Potsdam Agreement - Aftermath

Aftermath

Already during the Potsdam Conference, on 30 July 1945, the Allied Control Council was constituted in Berlin to execute the Allied resolutions (the "5D's"):

• Denazification of the German society to get rid of Nazi influence
• Demilitarization of the former Wehrmacht forces and the German arms industry, however, the circumstances of the Cold War soon led to Germany's Wiederbewaffnung including the re-establishment of both the Bundeswehr and the National People's Army resp.
• Democratization, including the formation of political parties and trade unions, freedom of speech, of the press and religion
• Decentralization resulting in German federalism
• Disassemblement as part of the industrial plans for Germany; dismantling was stopped in West Germany in 1951 according to the Truman Doctrine, whereafter East Germany had to cope with the impact alone.