Berlin Flashcards
1
Q
What were the causes of the Berlin Blockade?
A
- -USA and Britain planned to revive German economy
- -Russian spies informed Stalin
- -USA and Britain launched Deutschmark, drew up new constitution
- -Stalin felt threatened by Communist democracy within East Germany
2
Q
What was the Blockade?
A
- -June 1948: Stalin sealed off all bordered between east and west zones and all road, rail and canal routes between Wast and West Germany
- -Physically dismantled railroads
- -Electricity from East Berlin was cut off
- -All factors favoured Stalin: supplying 2.5 million people would be almost impossible
3
Q
What did the Allies do?
A
- -‘We are going to stay, period’
- -Leaving would undermine containment and be a huge victory for Communism
- -West Berlin: symbol for Western democracy
- -Counter-blockade of all railways into East Germany from British + US zones
- -Operation Vittles
4
Q
What was Operation Vittles?
A
- -Massive airlift
- -3 20-mile wide air corridors
- -Had to open up a third airport
- -Brought in coal, petrol, medical supplies and food
- -At one point: planes flying in every 90 seconds, landing about 8000 tonnes of supplies
- Helped by a milder winter than normal
5
Q
What happened in Berlin during the Blockade?
A
- -Conditions deteriorated
- -125,000 lost their jobs
- -Little heating
- -Four hours of electricity/day
- -Food rationing
- -Political leaders kept morale high with massive demonstrations
6
Q
When did Operation Vittles end?
A
May 1949
7
Q
When did Stalin lift the Blockade and why?
A
- -12 May 1949
- -He knew the USA and Britain could keep the city going
- -Britain had B-29 bombers on stand-by with nuclear weapons
8
Q
What were the results of the Berlin Blockade?
A
- -Huge propaganda victory for the West; seen as saviors of two million people whereas the USSR tried to starve them
- -Defied Stalin’s goal of pushing the Allies from West Berlin
- -Victory for Western technology bringing supplies
- -Victory for policy of containment
- -Two separate countries created
- -Berlin became Cold War focal point in Europe
- -Nato and Warsaw Pact
9
Q
What was NATO?
A
- -North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- -Created (signed) 4 April 1949
- -Military alliance of twelve countries; USA, Canada, 10 Western European countries
- -France, Denmark, UK, Iceland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal
- -‘An armed attack against one…shall be considered an attack against all.’
- -Committed USA to the defence of Europe
- -Turkey and Greece: 1952
- -West Germany: 1955
10
Q
What was the Warsaw Pact?
A
- -1955
- -Saw NATO as a hostile act
- -USSR and seven Eastern European countries: Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia
- -Officially called the ‘Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance’
- -In direct response to West Germany joining NATO: Russia was against German rearmament
11
Q
What was Berlin’s effect on US foreign policy?
A
- -Victory for policy of containment
- -Resulted in deployment of US troops to bases in Western Europe
12
Q
How did Berlin remain a centre of conflict?
A
- -West Berlin + Germany prospered
- -Strong demand for labour in West
- -Steady stream of immigrants from East to West
- -Negative effect on Eastern economy
- -Kruschev demanded JFK withdraw from Berlin within six months; JFK increased military spending and called up military reserves
13
Q
What was the Berlin Wall?
A
- -Kruschev backed down from demand to JFK
- -Built Berlin Wall
- -Eased US/USSR tensions by stemming flow of immigrants
- -US could point to East Germany as a prison for its people.
