Chapter Three: Conflict Over Germany And The Consolidation Of Rival Blocs Flashcards
What was the SED?
Joining of SPD and KDP
When was the London conference?
1947
What happened at the London conference (1947)?
It was never going to be a success as Stalin opposed division of Germany due to the Ruhr being in US division. Stalin accused west of violating Potsdam agreement. All hope of four power control disappeared
When was the FRG created?
1948
What % of west Germans opposed SPD?
82%
What were the new currencies and when were they implemented?
Deutschmark - 10th June 1948
Ostmark - 24th June 1948
What was the Soviet response to the Deutschmark?
Berlin blockade - force allies to abandon west German state by pressuring Berlin as Berlin in Soviet zone so Stalin blocked of railways and roads. Also cut all electricity on 23rd June
Give some stats about the airlift
- 3 corridors
- BZA bombers
- July = 2000 tonnes delivered
- April = 8000 tonnes
- mild winter
How was the Berlin blockade resolved?
Stalin realised he had no option but to cut his losses
Talks began in may 1949
Blocked called off on 12th may
What was the Prague coup?
1948
Communists take over
Persuades French to join international system against USSR
What was the Brussels pact
1948
Singed by 5 European countries including Britain and France
‘Mutual defence’
When was NATO made and what did it state?
4th April 1949
‘Mutual self help and aid’ - clause 3
‘Such action as necessary’ - clause 5
When did the Soviets have their first atomic bomb?
Sep 1949
Why was European integration slow?
- sluggish economies
- fear of powerful Germany
When did china fall to communism?
October 1949
What was the Stockholm appeal?
1950
Banning atomic bomb and convicting those that do as war criminals
Supported by Soviet bloc but NATO was suspicious
Made west look like the aggressors
What was the Stalin note?
March 1950
Stalin proposed free elections that were supervised by all 4 powers and would lead to independent Germany but was Stalin serious
USA more interested in FRG integration into west
Accelerated socialism in GDR
Give details about the Korean War
Proxy war
1950-53
Both north and south wanted to invade and reunite Korea
USA and china help opposite sides
Stalemate on 38th parallel
1.6 million civilians died
No treaty only a ceasefire
Increased anti communism in the west
List and describe 3 strains in NATO
- rearmament of FRG - France doesn’t want Germany to become a major power again whereas FRG wants to rearm
- disagreements on Korea - North Korea invasion could lead domino affect of communism and there was a rumour of USA using nuclear bomb
- economic costs of western rearmament - cost went from 4.4 billion to 8 billion between 1949 -51due to inflation
What two factors determined western economic integration?
- USA - rebuild Western Europe in their image (United States of Europe) to deter people from wanting communism and boost world trade
- France and smaller counties - saw it as a way to harness the industrial resources as of the FRG without risking a stronger Germany
What was the ECSC?
The European coal and steel community used to exploit germanys resources without having an independent Germany and gave FRG more securing from Soviet threat
What two organisations consolidated the eastern bloc?
- Cominform - 1947, promote ideological unity among all communities states (combat titoism)
- Comecon - council for mutual economic assistance to integrate economies in Eastern Europe with USSR, centralised economies, five year plans for industrialisation, started in 1949
How did Stalin maintain control in the Soviet bloc
Met frequently with leaders in Mexico
Stalin cult - propaganda campaign presenting Stalin as the great ruler of USSR
What was the Yugoslav -Soviet split?
1947-8 = friction between two increased as Yugoslavs attempted to play independent role in the balkans that Stalin was critical of
Feb 1948 = Tito rejected having to consult ussr on his foreign policy
June 1948 = Yugoslavia expelled from comminform
Why was the Yugoslav - Soviet split significant?
First communist state to defy Stalin
What were the western attempts to destabilise the Soviet bloc?
Yugoslav - Soviet split in 1948 showed bloc was not as strong as it appeared
West gave Yugoslavia military aid
East refugees helped to encourage fleeing
Radio in Europe showed anti-communist propaganda
When was the thaw?
1953-55
Explain new leaders as a factor of the thaw
- Eisenhower is a lot tougher and considers using atomic bomb in Korean War.
- After war the only practical alternative to nuclear war is peaceful containment.
- Khrushchev, Molotov and others came into power after Stalin’s death determined to improve living and dismantle KGB
Explain the west and detente as a factor of the thaw
Eisenhower: need for improvement in Soviet-US relations depending on free elections in Eastern Europe
–Churchill suggested 4 power conference: German renunification, demilitaristation
–BUT unpopular with Adenauer, Eisenhower and even Churchill’s government:
–Fear neutral Germany = vulnerable to pressure from USSR
–Agreement to discuss a possible agenda at a ‘preliminary conference’
Explain the USSR and the GDR (April-June 1953) as a factor of the thaw
- ussr want to double GDR’s output by raising individual targets and raising prices of food and public transport.
- tensions increased when non-communist politicians were arrested and a lot of east Germans left for the west and FRG
- concern: embarrassing for Soviets, threaten detente, ussr proposed a united neutral Germany = substantial reparations to ussr
Explain the East German uprising (1953) as a factor of the thaw
- 16th June: series of strikes and riots as people demand for more pay and political freedom
- spontaneous and uncoordinated
- 17th June: Soviet troops and tanks move in
- 125 killed, 19 in east Berlin
US reaction: no intervention, hoped it would persuade Germans to vote for Adenauer in 1953 election, 2 pronged strategy —> call for foreign ministers conference, provocative broadcasts led to Adenauer winning by a significant margin
Explain the Berlin conference (1954) as a factor of the thaw
- four powers
- end of any hope of reunification of Germany
- both sides had ideas but rejected each others
- west: free elections (Soviets scared it would favour west)
- USSR: neutral disarmament of Germany (vulnerable to Soviet influence)
- Remained at stalemate
Explain the French rejection of the EDC (Aug 1954) as a factor of the thaw
EDC: European defence committee —> rejected by France
Overcome by Adenauer agreement to limit West German army and renouncement of nuclear weapons
Oct 1954: FRG recognised
May 1955: FRG membership to NATO and Western European Union
Give information on the Warsaw pact treaty
- May 1955
- USSR and Eastern Soviet states
- GDR joined in Jan 1956
- consult on issues of mutual interest
- response to FRG joining NATO
Explain ‘Geneva spirit’ and its limitations as a factor of the thaw
- may 1955
- first major summit since Potsdam
- new PM: Eden
- agreed agenda: reunification of Germany, European security, development of contacts between east and west
- conducted in detente but limits quickly reached
- USSR agree to evacuate Austria as long as it remained neutral and too meet again but nothing else agreed
What happened during Adenauers visit to Moscow in September 1955?
- meant to negotiate terms and establish diplomatic relations but instead increased divide between them
- to reassure GDR of Soviet support the USSR acknowledged it as an independent state
- Adenauer worried that it may be interpreted as his gov recognising the legal existence of GDR
- Hallstein doctrine: stated FRG would consider recognition of GDR by any state other than the ussr
