Conflict over Germany -> Developments in the zones Flashcards
what were the areas of disagreement over Germany?
- denazification (how far, how fast)
- democratization (with Western-style liberal democracy or soviet style land forms and nationalisation)
- decentralisation of the German administration (from where and how should Germany be run)
- re-drawing of borders (Poland and USSR were main beneficiaries but what about France)
- reparations (US and UK upset about the speed and extent of Soviet reparations -> hinder Germany’s ability to recover)
describe how 1945 depicted the end of the old Germany:
- the bureaucratic state apparatus that had been bequeathed to the Nazis by Wilhelmine Germany had collapsed
- The Junker Class was about to effectively disappear
- Little residual support for Nazism
give some examples of widespread social dislocation in Germany following WWII:
- 4 million died fighting/bombing
- 4 million foreign born slave workers living amidst the ruins
- in 1945-47, the average calorific intake per day as 1,080
- law and order collapsed; the black market was the only way to access goods and services
give some examples of widespread devastation in Germany following WWII:
- 40% of all housing was destroyed or damaged beyond repair
- all 33 railway bridges over Rhine were destroyed and 22 of the 34 over the Danube
- 33% of all railway network was impassible
what was agreed at Yalta for Germany?
- Germany and Austria were to be divided into four zones (US, British, French and Soviet)
- Nazi war criminals should be tried
- Countries liberated from Nazi occupation to be allowed free elections to decide their government (Declaration on Liberated Europe)
- the USSR was to gain land from Poland; Poland was to expand to the north and west at Germany’s expense
what was agreed at Potsdam for Germany?
- Germany was to be demilitarised
- De-nazification was carried out
- the division of Germany and Berlin was confirmed
- the establishment of the ACC
- Germany was to pay reparations - mostly to the USSR
what was the Allied Control Council (ACC)?
- Each of the four zones of post-war Germany had a military governor but each could be administered differently
- The powers were to coordinate their actions through the ACC
- Aimed to enable economic and political unity in Germany to be maintained
- Decisions made by the ACC had to be unanimous
what was the dispute over reparations between the USSR and USA?
- the extent of reparations led to an impasse - Stalin wanted to cripple Germany but Truman was wary (didnt want a repeat of the Treaty of Versailles)
- lack of precision about the reparations became a breeding ground for tension
- reparations were settled at $23bn which stopped in 1953
what was Stalin’s view on Germany?
Stalin was suspicious and hostile, and determined to safeguard Soviet security interests by crushing Germany’s economic and military power
did the USSR want a divided or (revived and) unified Germany?
- The USSR believed a revived Germany and later reunification of the Western zones posed a threat to its security and vital interests
- the USSR wanted to keep Germany weak
- they did offer Germany to reunify but stay neutral
did the USA want a divided or (revived and) unified Germany?
- The USA believed that a revived Germany was vital for European trade and US financial interests
- Truman was wary of treating Germany too harshly and felt that a democratic Germany built on a strong industrial base would ensure trade and prosperity for all
how did the USA respond to the Soviet offer for a united and neutral Germany?
the USA continually opposed the Soviet offer for a united and neutral Germany, fearing that it would be absorbed into the Soviet sphere of influence (Berlin was to be in the Soviet occupation zone)
describe politics in the Soviet zone of Germany:
- Stalin encouraged a centralised German party system and accepted the founding of four left-wing parties
- Soviets aimed at making the communists the dominant group to act as a basis for a nation-wide communist movement
- This failed - Stalin could dominate politics in the Soviet zone, but not on a national scale
- This apparent political independence did not achieve Soviet expectations so the SPD (German Social Democrats) and the KPD (Communists) were forcibly merged in April 1946
- The newly formed party was the German Socialist Unity Party or Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschland (SED)
Which two groups did the Soviets and German Democrats forcibly join?
The Social Democrats in the east into a Socialist Unity Party (SED) in April 1946
Who exercised communist control in East Germany?
Under Wilhelm Pieck and Walter Ulbricht, the Communists exercised full control, achieving successes that convinced Stalin of a potential future for Soviet influence in a united Germany—a miscalculation that contributed to Germany’s eventual division
What were the four newly-formed political parties in the Soviet zone?
- Communists (KPD)
- German Social Democrats (SPD)
- Liberals (LDPD)
- Christians Democrats (CDU)
Give examples of unilateral policies introduced in the Soviet zone:
- Land reform
- Nationalisation of large industrial production
- Compulsory tuition in the Russian language for German school pupils
how was the Soviet quest for a united - but weak - Germany under allied control perceived by the US?
Guided by George Kennan, the US State Department perceived the USSR’s quest for a united - but weak - Germany, a Soviet desire to capture it
how was the Soviet action of creating the SED through the unification of the SPD and KPD (April 1946) perceived by the US?
The formation of the SED was interpreted by US and UK officials as proof that the USSR was aiming at a takeover in Germany - they refused to license it acting in the western-controlled zones
how was the Soviet action of dismantling and shipping out of industrial machinery perceived by the US?
The reparations issue became a major one for the western powers - they thought the USSR was endangering the economic recovery of Germany, and hence the security of West Europe
How was the Soviet zone viewed by West Germans?
- Perceived as a place of tyranny and repression
- Apparent that the Soviet zone had been subjected to Soviet model of peoples’ democracies like in the rest of Eastern Europe
- Communists gradually took control of other left-wing groups
how were Western policies read in Moscow?
- The hostility to the SED was seen as evidence of western anti-communist proclivities
- so, too, was western sponsorship of conservative Christian Democrats such as Konrad Adenauer -> Soviets terrified of a prospect that an independent West Germany would be established
- the USA and UK’s decision to stop the Soviets taking reparations from their zone (May 1946) was seen as the start of an attempt to create a new anti-soviet bulwark in western Germany -> legitimising Soviet security concerns + Americans adopting Kennan’s perspective that defensive expansionism is dangerous
- the foundation of ‘Bizonia’ (1947) strengthened this perception
Describe the geography and population of the British zone:
- The British zone was in the north-western part of Germany
- It included the major port of Hamburg and the Ruhr industrial area
- It consisted of about 22.5 million people
- This population was costly to feed and this increased Britain’s dependency on the USA
why was the Ruhr region important?
- Ruhr was the industrial heart of Germany
- so it was at the centre of Germany’s economic recovery
what were the political implications of Ruhr’s economic importance?
- Soviet influence over it would provide access to further reparations from Germany
- might weaken Germany’s economic recovery and strengthen the possibility of a shift towards communism
what was the primary British fear by the spring of 1946?
the primary British fear by the spring of 1946 was that a revived Germany might either cooperate with the USSR or become dominated by it
what did the British do in August 1946 due to this primary fear?
On 23 August 1946, Britain’s military governor in Germany created the state of North Rhine-Westphalia
- it was at this point that Britain committed itself to the merger of the British and American zones
Describe the US’ initial position towards joint occupation:
- There was some ambiguity in the American position towards its zone and the notion of effective joint occupation of Germany as a whole
- In the summer of 1945, 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
- This was the intent of the first commander of the Office of Military Government, United States (OMGUS), General Dwight D. Eisenhower and his deputy, General Lucius Clay
How did US views on joint occupation change?
- 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
how was the London Conference a failure between Nov-Dec 1947?
- the London Conference was a failure
- the USSR accused the West of unjustly denying its reparations, and the West feared centralisation would lead to a Soviet controlled Germany
What was the Office of Military Government, United States (OMGUS)?
- This administrative organisation was set up by the USA to manage its zones of Western Germany and West Berlin
It was led by General Clay
what were OMGUS’ tasks?
OMGUS had a variety of tasks:
- One of these was to carry out a survey to establish the extent to which Nazism and Nazi sympathy had been removed from Germany with its defeat
- Also responsible for monitoring the appointment of new officials from among the German population
OMGUS was dismantled in 1949
Describe the US zone
The USA allowed free elections in its zone
- The USA regarded the German Lander (state) as the basis for a future national structure based on federalism.
Describe France’s position on the future of German
- Up to 1947, France had called for the complete dismemberment of Germany and for the internationalisation of the Ruhr in particular, with a strong French influence on its administration
- For the French, Germany was to become a number of small autonomous (independent) states
- France was a major factor in ensuring that the ACC could not function effectively
- 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 aim to see the dismemberment of Germany and its strategy of ensuring France’s long-term security against a resurgent German state
