▁had ▁inv aded ▁and ▁occupied ▁between ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁compens ation , ▁the ▁USS R ▁gave ▁Poland ▁former ▁German ▁populated ▁territ ories ▁in ▁P omer ania , ▁S iles ia , ▁and ▁Brandenburg ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁O der – Ne isse ▁line , ▁plus ▁the ▁southern ▁half ▁of ▁East ▁Pr uss ia . ▁These ▁awards ▁were ▁confirmed ▁at ▁the ▁Tri part ite ▁Conference ▁of ▁Berlin , ▁otherwise ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁P ots dam ▁Conference ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁Europe . ▁St alin ▁was ▁determined ▁that ▁Poland ' s ▁new ▁government ▁would ▁become ▁his ▁tool ▁towards ▁making ▁Poland ▁a ▁Soviet ▁pu ppet ▁state ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁commun ists . ▁He ▁had ▁sever ed ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Polish ▁government - in - ex ile ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁but ▁to ▁appe ase ▁Ro ose vel t ▁and ▁Church ill ▁he ▁agreed ▁at ▁Y al ta ▁that ▁a ▁coal ition ▁government ▁would ▁be ▁formed . ▁The ▁commun ists ▁held ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁key ▁posts ▁in ▁this ▁new ▁government , ▁and ▁with ▁Soviet ▁support ▁they ▁soon ▁gained ▁almost ▁total ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁rig ging ▁all ▁elections . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁the ▁" Three ▁Times ▁Yes " ▁refer endum ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁issues — abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁Poland , ▁land ▁reform , ▁and ▁making ▁the ▁O der –