Conflict Over Germany Flashcards
When was the Moscow Conference?
March-April 1947
When was the London Conference?
November-December 1947
When was the London Conference of Western Powers?
February-June 1948
When was NATO formed?
April 1949
When is the GDR (German Democratic Republic) formed?
-East Germany (Communist)
October 1949
When was the FDR (Federal Republic of Germany) formed?
-West Germany (Capitalist)
May 1949
When was the SED formed?
February 1946
What were some features of the British occupational zone?
-a population of 22.5 million (hard to feed which increased Britain’s dependency on the US
-possession of the Ruhr (this region in the British Zone was the industrial heart of Germany and it was, therefore, at the centre of Germany’s economic recovery)
Who was Lucius Clay?
was the military governor of the US Zone from 1947, and Commander-inChief of US forces in Europe. He was very influential in shifting US policy towards Germany. He favoured the reconstruction of the German economy rather than its dismemberment. This influenced George Marshall and contributed significantly towards the division of Germany by 1949
What 4 political parties were the USSR willing to accept in the Soviet zone?
- Communists (KPD)
- German Social Democrats (SPD)
- Liberals (LDPD)
- Christians Democrats (CDU)
How did Germans in the Western zones perceive the Soviet zone?
as a place of tyranny and repression
Why were the SPD and the KPD were forcibly merged to create the German Socialist Unity Party (SED)?
The Soviet intention was that the communist group (the KPD) would emerge as the dominant group, and this would form the nucleus of a whole-Germany communist movement. This apparent political independence did not achieve Soviet expectations so the SPD and the KPD were forcibly merged by the Soviet Military Administration of Germany (SMAD)
What was Clay’s position by the spring of 1947?
Clay was less compliant. His position by then was ‘no’ to:
* the Soviet demand that the Ruhr should be placed under joint allied
control
* the continued social and economic deprivation of the German populations
in the US and British zones
* the Soviet desire to create a centralised Germany
In the summer of 1945, what was Kennan clear that the American zone of Germany must develop?
George Kennan was clear that 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. Initially, the US administration was committed to making joint occupation work
What was the French aim for Germany?
For the French, Germany was to become a number of small autonomous (independent) states. Ultimately the French position was to support the creation of two German states with the Western part closely allied and influenced by the Western powers. This conformed to the French determination to see the dismemberment of Germany and its strategy of ensuring France’s long-term security against a resurgent German state
How did the Soviet’s collect reparations?
Not only in money but in de-industrialisation (the Soviets systematically removed industrial plant and other resources from Germany in order to restore its own industrial recovery)
What were the USSR’s actions in their occupational zones?
-land reform
-nationalisation of large industrial production
-compulsory tuition in the Russian language for German school pupils
When did the Western bloc announce that it would no longer be paying reparations?
May 1946, General Clay announced that no further reparations to the USSR would be allowed until there was an overall plan agreed for Germany’s economic recovery. The USSR saw this as an American strategy designed to create a German economy based on the Western capitalist system
What was the Soviet response to Bizonia?
The Soviet response was to oppose Bizonia. The Council of Ministers, consisting of Britain, France, China, the USA and the USSR, met at the Moscow Conference, held during March and April of 1947. The USSR demanded that a new central administration should be created. This Soviet attempt failed and no firm decisions on the future of Germany were reached. Another conference was held in London during November and December of 1947. This was also a failure. The USSR accused the West of unjustly denying it the reparations it was due, and the West feared that a centralised administration would lead to a Soviet-controlled Germany
What was the outcome of the London Conference (November/December 1947)?
the Western powers now recognised that fourpower control of Germany would not work, and that there was now some urgency to strengthen the economy of the Western zones of Germany and move towards the creation of a West German state that was aligned to a Western alliance
What was agreed on June 7 1948, at the London Conference?
West Germany should have a formal constitution. The decision to create a West German state was brought about through pressure from both the USA and Britain. Despite its objections, France agreed to this
When was the Berlin Blockade?
June 1948-May 1949
What caused the Berlin Blockade?
The introduction of the Deutschmark in the Western occupational zones June 1948
What were the Soviet’s actions during the Berlin Blockade?
the Soviet Union blocked all road and rail links to the Western zones and to West Berlin through the Soviet Zone
When was the Berlin Airlift?
June 1948-May 1949
Why did Stalin end the Berlin Blockade?
He failed in his aim to prevent the creation of a separate West German state. Containment had proved to be a success and by 1949 Europe was divided into two blocs
Who was Konrad Adenauer?
was the first chancellor of West Germany. As a committed anti-communist he firmly supported a Westernorientated foreign policy aimed at strengthening West Germany and ensuring its security. He oversaw West Germany’s economic and political recovery during the years 1949 to 1963, a period of intense Cold War confrontation
Who were the NATO members?
The initial members of NATO were: Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Italy, Iceland, France, the United Kingdom and the USA. This was clearly an alliance of noncommunist stat
When was the Paris Conference of Foreign Ministers?
April-July 1946
What happened at Paris Conference of Foreign Ministers?
The USSR – insisted that Germany provide it with US$10b in reparations
James F Byrnes, the US Secretary of State, insisted that this could occur, but only when Germany was back on its feet and had a trade surplus
What was the purpose of NATO according to Hastings Ismay?
“The purpose of NATO is to keep the Americans in, the Russians out, and the Germans down.”
What was NATO?
This was a military alliance involving the USA and the Western European nations. The Organisation allowed the American military full access to bases in the states which had become NATO members. As well as the Brussels Treaty countries (UK, France, Benelux), Italy, Denmark, Portugal and Canada became members of NATO
What were Soviet responses to NATO?
argued that NATO was an aggressive organisation designed to pressurise states into complying with the interests of Britain, the USA and their allies. The USSR emphasised its lack of intent to attack any state in Europe
What were the US aims for Germany in 1945?
-unified Germany
-stabilise the economy/economic recovery
-helping Germany’s economy would stabilise the rest of Europe as Germany is central Europe
-containment
-did not want a repeat of the Treaty of Versailles
What were the Soviet aims for Germany in 1945?
a weakened Germany under the Soviet sphere of influence
-reparations (originally $20 billion but compromised to $10 billion)
