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Cold War > Consolidation of the Rival Blocs 1948 - 55 > Flashcards

Consolidation of the Rival Blocs 1948 - 55 Flashcards

1
Q

Why were the USA very keen on western European integration?

A
  1. To deter people from wanting Communist government
  2. To significantly boost world trade
  3. To provide valuable markets for US exports
  4. To eventually draw the Eastern European states out of the Soviet bloc
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2
Q

Howdid the USA’s interest in western European integration affect their attitude towards the question of Germany?

A

Would accept German partition

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3
Q

Why did the USSR try to avoid western European integration?

Their attitude to Germany?

A

To prevent the formation of a strong capitalist group

Wanted united Germany so they would move towards Communism

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4
Q

How did negotiations about Germany at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers 1947 go?

A

Nothing was agreed

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5
Q

After the failure of the London Conference of Foreign Ministers 1947, which countries agreed to a West German State?

A
  1. Britain
  2. France
  3. USA
  4. Benelux
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6
Q

What persuaded France into agreeing to a West German State?

A

The Occupation Statute:

  1. Gave France, Britain, and the USA powers over W. Germany
  2. There would be troops in W. Germany to prevent a rise of power
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7
Q

What did the Western Allies do on the 20th June 1948 to upset the USSR?

A

Introduced the Deutschmark into their occupied zones without consulting the USSR

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8
Q

What did the USSR do in response to the new Deutschmark in W. Germany?

A

Immediately introduced their own new currency: the Ostmark

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9
Q

What did the Soviets do on 24th June 1948?

Why?

A

Formed the Berlin Blockade

To pressure the West to stop the creation of the new W. German state

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10
Q

What was the Western response to the Berlin Blockade?

A

An Airlift of supplies through three allowed corridors

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11
Q

Give two reasons why Stalin called off the blockade in 1949

A
  1. The Airlift had been so successful
    1. American C-54 planes, by April 8000 tons reaching Berlin and 1000 aircraft
  2. The West had responded with a counter-blockade of exports to the Soviet zone and declared Deutschmark only legal tender of West Germany, which was damaging Soviet zone’s economy
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12
Q

What was the West German state called?

A

The Federal Republic of Germany

(FRG)

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13
Q

What was the East German state called?

A

The German Democratic Republic

(GDR)

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14
Q

When were the FRG and GDR set up?

A

Summer 1949

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15
Q

When was the GDR set up?

Why?

A

October 12th 1949

Because of poor results for the Communist party in the West German elections

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16
Q

Who was made first Chancellor of the FRG in 1949?

A

Adanaeur

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17
Q

Who did Stalin appoint as leader of the GDR?

A

Ulbricht

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18
Q

Was the GDR actually a democracy?

A

Nope - it was a sham

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19
Q

There was no ____ ____ between East and West Berlin

A

There was no physical barrier between East and West Berlin

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20
Q

What was created by the US on 4th April 1949?

A

NATO

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21
Q

Which two events caused the US to believe they needed a defensive military alliance in the form of NATO?

A
  1. The takeover of Communists in Czechoslovakia (1948)
  2. The Berlin Blockade (1948)
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22
Q

What about NATO caused the French (and others to a lesser extent) some alarm?

A

Its vague wording

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23
Q

What did the USSR achieve in September 1949?

A

Exploded its first atomic bomb

and built up other arms

24
Q

In what year did the Korean War begin?

25
Why did the Korean War speed up western European moves for integration?
The West feared this marked the beginning of a **Communist world takeover**
26
What made Germany such a crucial part of Europe for the East and the West?
Its **geographic location** as the gateway between the two, where cultural contrasts and tensions were **most striking**
27
Why did the West attempt to pacify the French around W. Germany?
W. Germany was seen as a **vital country** in the 'defense' of western Europe - French consent to integration would make their position there **stronger**
28
What was the original plan to **pacify** French fears about Germany **regaining power** and threatening them?
To create **supranational** European Defense Comunity (**_EDC_**)
29
What became of the EDC?
A treaty was signed in 1952, but it **never** came into effect because of its **unpopularity**
30
What was the compromise instead of the EDC? Bonus point! Who came up with this plan?
The FRG became part of **NATO**, and **small units** from each NATO country would form a **large force** Charles Spofford!
31
Which two topics split NATO?
1. Fears of US use of the **atomic bomb** in the **Korean War** 2. French concerns over **German rearmament** in the early 1950s
32
When did the US create the Hydrogen Bomb?
**1952**
33
How did the US cause political and economic problems in Europe in the early 1950s (pre-52)?
The US **diverted** Marshall spending to **rearmament** in Western Europe
34
What do: 1. FRG 2. GDR 3. NATO 4. OEEC 5. ECSC stand for?
1. Federal Republic of Germany 2. German Democratic Republic 3. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 4. Organisation for European Economic Co-operation 5. European Coal and Steel Community
35
What did OEEC organise, and why?
The policy of '**guns and butter**', to **improve European economies** after diverting Marshall spending to rearmament
36
How did Stalin react to the reamament of W. Europe? (2) Why?
1. Created the **World Peace Movement** for **disarmament** 2. Sent a note to Adanaeur in 1952 offering **German reunification** To exploit divisions, hopefully gaining some support by appearing like the 'good guys'
37
Why was the **European Coal and Steel Community** formed?
To **interlock** the **industrial economies** of Western Europe, making them **stronger** than the Soviet threat
38
Who didn't join the ECSC, and why?
**Britain**, because they feared they would **lose control of industry**
39
What was the Soviet response to the ECSC? What did it do (2) ?
_COMECON_ 1. Integrated Eastern **economies** 2. Satellite state **armies** were **linked together** under Soviet control
40
Which country were expelled from Cominform following disagreements with Stalin?
Tito's **Yugoslavia**
41
What did Yugoslavia's move towards the West after its expulsion from Cominform lead to?
A **proaganda offensive** by the West in eastern Europe to try and cause **further rifts** to form
42
When did Stalin die?
**1953**
43
Who replaced Stalin in 1953? | (4)
A **collective** leadership of 1. Beria (soon executed) 2. Molotov 3. Malenkov 4. Khrushchev (a little later)
44
Who replaced Truman as US President in 1953?
President **Eisenhower**
45
Why did the public elect Eisenhower?
Because of his strong **anti-Communist** rhetoric (secretly more peaceful because aware of damage to economy from arms race and danger to world from nuclear weapons)
46
What did: 1. The collective leadership 2. President Eisenhower offer?
1. **Detente** 2. Would only improve relations is **elections** held in the East
47
What happened in the **GDR** in **1953**?
A zone-wide **uprising** against Ulbricht raising **quotas**
48
Why was it kind of ironic that there was an uprising against Ulbricht's harsh policies?
Stalin had tried to make him **relax** them so as to prevent such unrest - obviously he **failed**
49
How did the USSR get the GDR uprising back under control?
By sending in **Soviet tanks**
50
How did the West react to the GDR uprising?
Did **not** interfere (spheres of influence) _BUT_ taken as an opportunity to use **propaganda**
51
When did the FRG join NATO?
May **1955**
52
How was France pacified about the FRG joining NATO? (2)
1. Britain promised to keep **British troops** in Germany 2. Adanaeur promised to **restrict** German troop levels
53
How did the USSR react to the FRG joining NATO?
By signing the **Warsaw Pact** between itself and the eastern European states (including the GDR)
54
Name three examples of why it could be argued there was a 'Thaw' in East and West relations
1. A **summit** between Potsdam powers (Geneva Conference) 1955 (first since Potsdam 1945) 2. **Austrian independence** (neutral) agreed on at conference 3. Adanaeur visited USSR in Sept. 1955 to secure POW releases for Germans in Soviet cmaps
55
Not a 'Thaw'?
1. Big topics **not resolved** e.g. divided Germany, arms control, etc. 2. Adanaeur refused to accept the existence of the GDR under the Hallstein Doctrine so relations **broke down**

Cold War (26 decks)

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