berlin bockade and airlift Flashcards
what was the berlin blockde`
Divided into 4 zones in 1945
1947
Western zones merged into 1
Created 2 zoned in country and city
11 months
Stalin blocked all rail, road and canal access
to WEST BERLIN
West could have attempted to force armed
convoys through roads
Didnt
what was the Berlin airlift
Divided into 4 zones in 1945
1947
Western zones merged into 1
Created 2 zoned in country and city
West responded
Airlifting supplies into west berlin to keep city alive
Stalin could have chosen to shoot down planes supplying west berlin
Didnt
consequences of the Berlin blockade
The Berlin Blockade had lasting geopolitical and military consequences
The Berlin Blockade turned the city of Berlin into a significant center of Cold War conflict
The Berlin Blockade had lasting geopolitical and military consequences
West formed NATO
USSR formed Warsaw Pact
Completed the breakdown of the wartime
alliance
Berlin, Germany and Europe would be
permanently divided for more than 40 years
West Germany join NATO (1955)
Soviets form Warsaw pact
The Berlin Blockade turned the city of Berlin into a significant center of Cold War conflict
Berlin became a powerful symbol of cold war
West berlin represented capitalism, western
democracy and freedom of speech
Soviet view
Represented a virus that threatened the development
of communism in e. Europe
Berlin was a cold war flash point
Only place where the US and Soviet troops faced
each other on daily basis
Vulnerable to soviet actions
Berlin set pattern for cold war conflict
2 sides wouldn’t fight each other directly
Wouldn’t solidify their opinion and consolidate their
alliances with other countries
Who was to blame for the berlin blockade
west
USSR
west was to blame for the berlin blockade
1946 US changed mind about yalta and potsdam
1947
US and Britain created an economic unit out of their berlin zones
France joins in 1948
Stalin feels threatened by this
Feared west were trying to drive soviets out of berlin
Feared west ewre rebuilding Germany to tun it into a
force to be used against communism
March 1947
B+F+US
Agree to unite their zones
Also politically
US decided to make marshall plan aid available to the western zones of berlin
June 1948
West introduces new currency for use in all zones
Soviets refused to allow is to be used in their zones
and blockaded berlin
Turned off all electricity and gas supplies to the city
USSR was to blamefor the berlin blockade
Stalin planned to force west out of berlin
Stalin was taking german industry and resources to
make the USSR stronger
German economy in ruins and people were starving
Stalin was incredibly brutal towards the germans
the USSR was the more to blame for starting the Cold War
Communit ideology was expansionist and the USSR
created several institutions to coordinate and spread
communism
Communist ideology
Couldnt co-exist with capitalism
Impose its own system of government throughout the
world
Comecon
Ensured each country followed soviet model of
economic policy
Frequently used ideological language when
condemning the west to justify his actions
Cominform
Sign that stalin intended to undermine capitalist
society through national communist parties
Stalin used aggressive and violent tactics to take
over eastern europe, violated human rights and
principles that has been agreed at potsdam
Frightened everyone and stopped any chance of
cooperation
The west was the more to blame for starting the cold war
Stalin’s actions in eastern europe were defensive and aimed only to establish a soviet sphere of influence, as agreed at potsdam
USA made USSR feel threatened
US threats to use nuclear weapons to defend
countries under communist threat
Both britain and US did not share knowledge of
manhattan project and the german enigma codes
Stalin saw western allies deliberately delayed opening a second front in the west in order to
weaken the soviet union
Scared that if germany remilitarised, they would expand into the east
New currency was created in western zones of
germany
Stalin took drastic action over berlin
US policy was designed to expand american
economic influence and control throughout the world
US had plan to take over world through globalization
US ended its lend-lease arrangements with USSR in
1945
Marshal plan was first step in europe
Marshall aid was designed to prevent european
economies from collapsing
Provide a market for US goods to ensure
preservation of capitalist, free market system
Creation of Bizonia
Two zones in germany unified
Introduction of new currency
Breach of potsdam agreement
Attempt to impose capitalism across germany
Economic policies in germany and berlin proved this
US was determined to expand its geopolitical and military influence and control and was influences by
high ranking personalities
Truman doctrine led to establishment of american
military and naval bases all over the world
US developed nuclear weapons and threatened to use nuclear weapons
Truman influenced US
Aggressive in his dealings with molotov in April 1945
Believed US atomic monopoly would allow it to
dictate terms at the potsdam conference
Both marshall aid and truman doctrine were regarded
by USSR as highly provocative and designed to
isolate the USSR
USSR was never a global power, US always was
