Conflict over Germany Flashcards
What was agreed at Yalta and Potsdam?
To divide Germany and Berlin into 4 zones of occupation, adminstered by the wartime allies
What was the Soviet view on Germany
The unification of the western zones of Germany would be a threat to its security and interest. They wanted a united and neutral Germany
What was THe US view on Germany?
They felt the harsh terms of ww! allowed extremism to flourish.
They opposed a united and neutral Germany fearing it would be absorbed by Russia
What were the causes of the Berlin blockade?
At a meeting in Moscow 1947 talk broke down over the US proposal for montetary reform to stimulate German industry
The Soviets did not want US to influence Germany and rejected it
THe US and Britain agreed to greter polical integration and Bizonia was formed
1948 France agreed to wrk with Brita and US on econ reform
A new deutsche mark was introduced alongside the Marshall Aid to faster economic recovery
1949 the WEstern powers agreed to politcal integration between their zones and formed Trizonia
WHAT WAS THE BLOCKADE?
The USSR stripped resources from its zone for repration repayments
Without Marshall Aid the USSR struggled
STalin was left embarresed by the new currency - so he took action and blocked all road, ail, canal and power supply links with West Hermany to halt Western reforms
What was the Western response to the blockade?
The organised successful airlifts of supplies- food and fuel
US ran Operation Vittles and Britain did Operatn Plainfare
May 1949 2.3 million tons of supplies were flown to Berlin
What was the significance of the Berlin crisis?
12 May 1949 Stalin admitted the blockade failed and reopened communication routes
It was embarressing to the USSR and failed to prevent the reunification of the western zones which became West Germany on May 1949 and the Soviet zone - East Germany
The USA guaranteed the security of western europe with the formation of NATO in April 1949
It showed the West was willing to stand up to USSR
Neither side wanted to escaltate the conflict and risk a nuclear war
The Soviet Union was completely at fault for the Berlin crisis 1945 - 1949. How far do you agree?
Stalin was partly at fault - he cut communication with the Western controlled zones of Berlin
They stripped the Soviet controlled zone of resources and reparation payments and the Soviet zone struggled compared to the West
1947 Stalin rejected the US proposal for monetary reform and failed to cooperate with the west
Where did the Soviets need to take reparations from?
Hungary, Bulgaria
Hungary complained the reparations was 50% of their budget
Eastern Europe was seen till 1948 as a source of support
