Chapter 4: Four Zones of Germany Flashcards
What was the Allied Control Council (ACC)?
The allies coordinated their actions within each of their zones through the ACC. This enabled economic and political unity in Germany. Decisions had to be unanimous, which enabled each power to remain independent of each other.
What actions did the Soviets take regarding the political status of their own zone?
Stalin recognised the usefulness of having a centralised German party system. He was willing to accept the founding of 4 political parties. However, his intention was that the communist group would emerge as the dominant group so the Social Democrats and Communists were merged, forming the German Socialist Unity party. The Social Democrats were unhappy with this, and thus the Soviet aim to influence and control German politics in any future united Germany had failed.
How did the Germans in the Western zones perceive the Soviet zone?
As a place of tyranny and repression.
What was Stalin’s overall aim regarding the political status of Germany?
Wanted to use the combined Communist-Socialist Party in the USSR zone as an instrument to reach into the Western zones and control them.
What agreement in the ACC did the Soviets breach?
The Soviets supported the principle of joint occupation policies, and so through merging the Commuists and Social Democrats, they breached this.
What was happening and being implemented in the Soviet Zones and what did this show?
Land reform, nationalisation of large industrial production and compulsory tuition in the Russian language for German school pupils. The Soviet zone was being subjected to the Soviet model of peoples’ democracies emerging across the rest of Eastern Europe.
What did the communists gradually do in the rest of the right wing parties in the Soviet Zone?
Took control of other left-wing groups and subsumed them under its authority.
What responsibility came with the British Zone?
It consisted of 22.5 million people and included the major port of Hamburg and Ruhr Industrial area. The large population was costly to feed, increasing Britain’s dependency on the USA and the Ruhr region was the Industrial heart of Germany, and it was, therefore, at the centre of the German economic recovery.
What was Britain concerned about regarding the Ruhr?
Both Soviet and French efforts to influence the control of the Ruhr
What was the primary British fear by the Spring 1946?
That a revived Germany might either cooperate with the USSR or, worse still, become dominated by it. So Britain’s military governor in Germany created the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Britain also became committed to the merger of the British and American Zones.
What would the political implications be over Soviet influence of the Ruhr?
Would provide them with access to further reparations from Germany, which might weaken Germany’s economic recovery and strengthen the possibility of a shift towards support for the communists among disaffected Germans.
What was George Kennan clear about regarding USSR’s zone of Germany?
The USA must develop in its zone of Germany a degree of independence and economic security that ensured its safety from any potential threat from the Eastern Bloc communist states in Europe.
What was the US administration committed to?
Making joint occupation work. This was the intent of General Eisenhower (not yet Pres) and his deputy Clay.
By Spring 1947, in what way was Eisenhower’s deputy, Clat, less compliant?
He was against the Soviet demand that the Ruhr should be placed under joint allied control, the continued social and economic deprivation of the German population in the US and British zones, and the Soviet desire to create a centralised Germany.
What a major factor in ensuring that the ACC could not function effectively?
France. The French wanted Germany to become a number of small independent states. Wanted two German states with the WWestern part closely allied and influenced by the Western powers. Determination for the dismemberment of Germany, motivated by France’s long term security against a resurgent German state.
