Document E Source: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's recollections of news received during the Potsdam Conference, July 1945 (1953) On July 17 world-shaking news had arrived.... The atomic bomb is a reality.... Here then was a speedy end to the Second World War, and perhaps to much else besides... Up to this moment we had shaped our ideas towards an assault upon the homeland of Japan by terrific air bombing and by the invasion of very large armies.... Now all this nightmare picture had vanished. In its place was the vision-fair and bright indeed it seemed of the end of the whole war in one or two violent shocks.... Moreover, we should not need the Russians. The end of the Japanese war no longer depended upon the pouring in of their armies for the final and perhaps protracted slaughter. We had no need to ask favours of them. A few days later I mentioned to Mr. Eden: "It is quite clear that the United States do not at the present time desire Russian participation in the war against Japan." The array of European problems could therefore be faced on their merits and according to the broad principles of the United Nations. We seemed suddenly to have become possessed of a merciful abridgment of the slaughter in the East and of a far happier prospect in Europe. I have no doubt that these thoughts were present in the minds of my American friends.

Document E Source: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's recollections of news received during the Potsdam Conference, July 1945 (1953) On July 17 world-shaking news had arrived.... The atomic bomb is a reality.... Here then was a speedy end to the Second World War, and perhaps to much else besides... Up to this moment we had shaped our ideas towards an assault upon the homeland of Japan by terrific air bombing and by the invasion of very large armies.... Now all this nightmare picture had vanished. In its place was the vision-fair and bright indeed it seemed of the end of the whole war in one or two violent shocks.... Moreover, we should not need the Russians. The end of the Japanese war no longer depended upon the pouring in of their armies for the final and perhaps protracted slaughter. We had no need to ask favours of them. A few days later I mentioned to Mr. Eden: "It is quite clear that the United States do not at the present time desire Russian participation in the war against Japan." The array of European problems could therefore be faced on their merits and according to the broad principles of the United Nations. We seemed suddenly to have become possessed of a merciful abridgment of the slaughter in the East and of a far happier prospect in Europe. I have no doubt that these thoughts were present in the minds of my American friends.