The Potsdam Conference, held from July 17 to August 2, 1945, was a pivotal meeting of Allied leaders, including U.S. President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (later Clement Attlee), and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. The conference aimed to address the postwar order in Europe, particularly the administration of Germany and the borders of Eastern Europe. Additionally, the leaders issued an ultimatum to Japan, demanding unconditional surrender, which set the stage for the eventual use of atomic bombs.

The Potsdam Conference of 1945, which defined the postwar reconstruction and division of Europe, significantly influenced poetic reflections on peace and division. Poets such as Elizabeth Bishop and W.H. Auden grappled with themes of loss and the complexities of rebuilding a fractured world.