Chapter Three: Conflict Over Germany And The Consolidation Of Rival Blocs Flashcards

1
Q

What was the SED?

A

Joining of SPD and KDP

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2
Q

When was the London conference?

A

1947

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3
Q

What happened at the London conference (1947)?

A

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

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4
Q

When was the FRG created?

A

1948

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5
Q

What % of west Germans opposed SPD?

A

82%

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6
Q

What were the new currencies and when were they implemented?

A

Deutschmark - 10th June 1948
Ostmark - 24th June 1948

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7
Q

What was the Soviet response to the Deutschmark?

A

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

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8
Q

Give some stats about the airlift

A
  • 3 corridors
  • BZA bombers
  • July = 2000 tonnes delivered
  • April = 8000 tonnes
  • mild winter
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9
Q

How was the Berlin blockade resolved?

A

Stalin realised he had no option but to cut his losses
Talks began in may 1949
Blocked called off on 12th may

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10
Q

What was the Prague coup?

A

1948
Communists take over
Persuades French to join international system against USSR

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11
Q

What was the Brussels pact

A

1948
Singed by 5 European countries including Britain and France
‘Mutual defence’

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12
Q

When was NATO made and what did it state?

A

4th April 1949
‘Mutual self help and aid’ - clause 3
‘Such action as necessary’ - clause 5

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13
Q

When did the Soviets have their first atomic bomb?

A

Sep 1949

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14
Q

Why was European integration slow?

A
  • sluggish economies
  • fear of powerful Germany
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15
Q

When did china fall to communism?

A

October 1949

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16
Q

What was the Stockholm appeal?

A

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

17
Q

What was the Stalin note?

A

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

18
Q

Give details about the Korean War

A

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

19
Q

List and describe 3 strains in NATO

A
  • 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
20
Q

What two factors determined western economic integration?

A
  1. USA - rebuild Western Europe in their image (United States of Europe) to deter people from wanting communism and boost world trade
  2. France and smaller counties - saw it as a way to harness the industrial resources as of the FRG without risking a stronger Germany
21
Q

What was the ECSC?

A

The European coal and steel community used to exploit germanys resources without having an independent Germany and gave FRG more securing from Soviet threat

22
Q

What two organisations consolidated the eastern bloc?

A
  1. Cominform - 1947, promote ideological unity among all communities states (combat titoism)
  2. Comecon - council for mutual economic assistance to integrate economies in Eastern Europe with USSR, centralised economies, five year plans for industrialisation, started in 1949
23
Q

How did Stalin maintain control in the Soviet bloc

A

Met frequently with leaders in Mexico
Stalin cult - propaganda campaign presenting Stalin as the great ruler of USSR

24
Q

What was the Yugoslav -Soviet split?

A

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

25
Q

Why was the Yugoslav - Soviet split significant?

A

First communist state to defy Stalin

26
Q

What were the western attempts to destabilise the Soviet bloc?

A

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

27
Q

When was the thaw?

A

1953-55

28
Q

Explain new leaders as a factor of the thaw

A
  • 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
29
Q

Explain the west and detente as a factor of the thaw

A

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’

30
Q

Explain the USSR and the GDR (April-June 1953) as a factor of the thaw

A
  • 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
31
Q

Explain the East German uprising (1953) as a factor of the thaw

A
  • 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
32
Q

Explain the Berlin conference (1954) as a factor of the thaw

A
  • 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
33
Q

Explain the French rejection of the EDC (Aug 1954) as a factor of the thaw

A

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

34
Q

Give information on the Warsaw pact treaty

A
  • May 1955
  • USSR and Eastern Soviet states
  • GDR joined in Jan 1956
  • consult on issues of mutual interest
  • response to FRG joining NATO
35
Q

Explain ‘Geneva spirit’ and its limitations as a factor of the thaw

A
  • 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
36
Q

What happened during Adenauers visit to Moscow in September 1955?

A
  • 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