Final answer:
The Potsdam Conference marked the end of WWII and led directly to the beginning of the Cold War. The conference highlighted the ideological differences between the US and the Soviet Union which manifested in the subsequent division of Europe and global tensions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Potsdam Conference and the Cold War
The Potsdam Conference marked the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. This conference was one of the final acts of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union before their relationship deteriorated into a decades-long struggle for global supremacy. The conflicting visions for Europe's future, evident at both Yalta and Potsdam, led to the division of Europe and the rise of the Iron Curtain.
Following the conference, the Allied Powers divided Germany and Berlin into zones of control. Alongside these physical divisions, ideological differences regarding economic and political systems intensified. As part of their efforts to outmaneuver each other, both superpowers engaged in espionage, and propaganda, and sought influence around the world, especially in geopolitically important regions like Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.