The Big Decision at the Potsdam Conference

An early morning meeting on April 2nd, the "Big Three" leaders met at Potsdam, Germany. President Truman, Soviet Premier Stalin and British Prime Minister Churchill and Atlee dissertated post-war arrangements in Europe as well as future plans in the war against Japan. These plans included the dropping of the Atomic Bombs.

The atom bomb was no "great decision." It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness.

Harry S. Truman

On July 24 I casually mentioned to Stalin that we had a new weapon of unusual destructive force. The Russian Premier showed no special interest. All he said was he was glad to hear it and hoped we would make "good use of it against the Japanese."

Winston Churchill