Final answer:
Negotiations at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences were difficult due to ideological differences, conflicting goals over Eastern Europe, and the desire for individual spheres of influence, laying the groundwork for the Cold War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Challenges of the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences
The negotiations at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences were complex due to a variety of factors. At Yalta in February 1945, the Big Three - leaders from the United States, the USSR, and Great Britain - aimed to shape a postwar Europe. Although there was an agreement on the division of Germany, the situation in Poland was contentious.
The Soviet Union supported a Communist-dominated government in Poland, whereas the U.S. and Britain advocated for self-government and free elections. At Potsdam, issues persisted as the Allies finalized plans to divide Germany and address reparations, which met some resistance from U.S. President Truman.
The difficulty in negotiations stemmed largely from each country desiring its own sphere of influence and conflicting goals regarding the future of Europe. While the leaders expressed a desire to cooperate, mistrust and conflicting interests over Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, led to strained relations. The diverging political systems of communism and capitalism drove the two superpowers towards the onset of the Cold War.
Ultimately, these conferences highlighted the ideological rifts between the superpowers that would go on to define global politics during the Cold War era, underscoring the challenges of postwar reconstruction and cooperation.