Which 1945 conference established plans for the end of World War II in Europe, including occupation zones and reparations?

• A. Bretton Woods Conference
• B. Yalta Conference
• C. Tehran Conference
• D. Potsdam Conference

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is how the Allies planned the postwar order in Europe, specifically how Germany would be governed after its defeat and how reparations would be handled. The Potsdam Conference of 1945 brought together the major Allied leaders to finalize these arrangements. It established the occupation of Germany into four zones under Allied administration, created a framework for demilitarization, denazification, and democratization, and set out how reparations would be extracted and distributed. This conference turned broad wartime agreements into concrete, implementable plans for governing Germany and rebuilding Europe, laying the groundwork for the postwar order.

Other conferences dealt with different issues: Tehran focused on wartime strategy and alliance coordination; Yalta outlined postwar plans and influence spheres but did not finalize the occupation framework in the way Potsdam did; Bretton Woods established the postwar financial order rather than occupation zones.