2.3 The Berlin crisis

Question 1

What was the significance of Berlin

Answer 1

West Berlin was like an island of prosperous capitalism in a sea of communism

Question 2

How did USA run their zone?

Answer 2

Believed a strong Germany would help the rest of Europe recover
Ran their zone as a capitalist country

Question 3

How did USSR run their zone?

Answer 3

Wanted to keep Germany weak so they could never attack again.
Ran zone as a communist country
Use zone exclusively for own benefits, for example resources being transported over to Russia

Question 4

The blockade of 1948

Answer 4

Stalin cut all road, rail, and canal links between West Berlin and West Germany.

Question 5

Bizonia

Answer 5

In 1947, the US and GB merged their zones together to be called Bizonia

Question 6

Trizonia

Answer 6

in 1948, France joined Bizonia, which turned it into Trizonia

Question 7

Stalin’s justification for blocking Berlin

Answer 7

Formation of Trizonia was breaking Yalta-Potsdam agreements on 4-power control of Germany
Trizonia created new currency called Deutschmark. Stalin felt they were trying to build up Germany to attack USSR

Question 8

Why the West thought Stalin blocked Berlin

Answer 8

Thought it was an attempt to steal West Berlin from the West and absorb it into East Germany
Stalin seen as cruel and heartless and seen like he was preventing the West assisting eastern countries in poverty