Adenauer foreign policy Flashcards
What was Adenauer’s foreign policy geared towards?
establishing sovereignty for the new state + integrating the FRG with the western world
as he was aware that maintaining the peace & freedom of the FRG was vital
Reasons why Adenauer’s foreign policy WAS successful?
achieved his aims
Western Germany was reintegrated & became an equal and vital power with other Western powers
rebuilt Germany’s reputation in Western Europe
Reasons why Adenauer’s foreign policy WAS NOT successful?
he abandoned the East + did not reconcile the USSR to West German rearmament
What was Adenauer’s greatest achievement in terms of foreign policy?
making West Germany indispensable to the West
ensured that the new international organisations included the state in moves towards Western European organisation
What was the problem with West Germany allying itself so closely to the West?
it rejected closer relations with the East + created antagonism between the 2 Germanys, bolstering fear of communism in West Germ
What does the OEEC stand for?
Organisation for European Economic Co-operaton
When did West Germany join the OEEC?
October 1949
What happened when West Germany joined the OEEC?
they received Marshall Aid
What does the ECSC stand for?
the European Coal and Steel Community
When did West Germany join the ECSC?
April 1951
What was the significance of West Germany joining the ECSC?
it started European economic unity and removed foreign control over West Germany industry
What did West Germany join NATO?
1955
What did Adenauer achieve through NATO?
German rearmament within Europe
When did West Germany sign the Treaty of Rome?
1957
What did the Treaty of Rome establish?
the European economic Community (EEC), later the EU
When did West Germany join EURATOM?
1957
What does EUROTAM mean?
European Energy Continuity
What was West Germany joining EUROTAM a sign of?
increased trust and the success of Adenauer’s policies of building up trust + friendship with France
Why was foreign policy with the east a different matter?
Adenauer mistrusted the soviets & feared communist aggression
he was opposed at attempts at reunifying Germany if it was detrimental to the FRG
What did Adenauer ignore?
all advances from Russia + was never able to reconcile the USSR to German rearmament
What was the Hallstein Doctrine?
the belief that West Germ should not recognise East Germ or have diplomatic relations with other states, except the USSR, that did
When was the Hallstein Doctrine abandoned?
1969
When did Adenauer ignore the Hallstein Doctrine + what did he do?
in 1955, he visited Moscow & was able to secure the return of former prisoners of war who were still being held
won him much support at home
What was a major concern for Stalin and the USSR?
the growing improvement in relations with the West
What did Stalin do in 1952?
sent a series of notes to the West suggesting that the USSR might give up its control over East Germ in return for a united, neutral Germany, but was insistent that once united, Germany could not join the West due to his security concerns
Western Allies rejected offer, Adenauer pleased
What examples show that Adenauer’s foreign policy abandoned the East? (4 things)
rejected Stalin’s offer to unite Germany in 1952
ignored the East German risings of 1953, left fellow Germans to their fate
Hallstein Doctrine-refused to recognise DDR as separate state + to have diplomatic relations with an communist power except the USSR- not abandoned until 1970s
lack of response to building of Berlin Wall
What were the setbacks in Adenauer’s foreign policy?
his reaction to developments in the East, but these were far outweighed by his achievements
What were the achievements of Adenauer’s foreign policy?
West Germany was treated as an equal by the West & was accepted among the community of nations, which was a far cry from its position in the 1920s
What was the impact of the successes of Adenauer’s foreign policy?
these successes helped ensure his electoral success, with the return of POWs seen as a major triumph
Why did the creation of a West German army in 1955 worry some people?
worried some that Germany was returning to its militaristic past
When was the Council of European established?
1948
Adenauer joined and stated “We belong to the West, not to Soviet Russia”
