FRG - What was the fate of Germany after WW2? Flashcards
What are the various reasons Germany suffered total defeat in 1945
- Germany had become engaged in a conflict for which it was not fully prepared
- the alliance with Mussolini proved to be of little benefit
- Germany failed to defeat the Soviet Union,
- the USA gave a considerable amount of money & manpower to the Allies when it entered the war
What was Germany’s predicament following its surrender in 1945
- Germany ceased to exist as an independent country, and the central government had broken down
- A number of Nazi leaders, such as Hitler & Goebbels, had committed suicide,
- whilst others had fled or been captured and arrested
Germany was under the administration (governance) of…
- The Allies:
- America, Britain, France and the Soviet Union
When was the Potsdam conference
- July & August 1945
What was agreed at the Potsdam conference
- The allies agreed to divide Germany into 4 zones of occupation run by the 4 countries
- Berlin was in the Soviet zone, but was also divided into 4 zones
- Germany’s division was to be temporary, & the allies would soon negotiate a settlement for the whole of Germany
What governing body was set up by the allies
- The Allied Control Council (ACC) was set up as a governing body
- to oversee all four ‘zones of occupation’
- & make decisions across the zones, in order to keep Germany “intact” for re-unification
……………………………..were re-established in Germany from June 1945, and many were based in ………… to allow for ………………across the four zones
- Political parties
- Berlin
- communication
Describe the economic problems in Germany after the war
-housing
- Major German cities had been reduced to rubble because of British, American and Soviet bombing campaigns
- 20% of housing had been completely destroyed, and a further 30% badly damaged. Many were in need of temporary accommodation
Describe the economic problems in Germany after the war
-food insecurity
- Food shortages was a severe problem
- Food consumption per day dropped to between 950 and 1150 calories
Describe the economic problems in Germany after the war
-infrastructure
- A lot of infrastructure (e.g. bridges, railways, gas and water facilities)
- & industries were damaged or had broken down,
- & the nation was in huge debt
As Cold War tensions developed, it became increasingly evident that the division between the ……………&………….. sections of Germany and Berlin would become ……………
- eastern communist
- western non-communist
- permanent
Who was repsonsible for the increase in cold war tensions 1945-9
-evidence for the USSR
- the expansion of Soviet influence across Eastern Europe
- On March 20, 1947, the USSR left the Allied Control Council
- Stalin disallowed eastern European countries from receiving Marshall aid
- Berlin blockade, closing transport and communication links to the city
Who was repsonsible for the increase in cold war tensions 1945-9
-evidence for Western Nations
- America’s more aggressive policy of “containment”
- USA disallowing reparation payments from West Germany to be given to the Soviet Union
- Bizonia
- The Deutschmark
- Parliamentary council being set up
Path towards separation of Germany into East & West in 1949
What happened in May 1946
- The US disallowed reparation payments from West Germany to be given to the Soviet Union
Path towards separation of Germany into East & West in 1949
What happened in October 1946
- elections were held across Berlin
- The communists won in the Soviet zone - KPD & SPD parties had joined to form one party
- but did very badly in all other zones - KPD & SPD parties still separate
