Origins of the Cold War: Conflict Over Germany - The Creation of West & East Germany Flashcards
Why were the British and US’ zones economically weak in 1946?
- The British were absorbing huge numbers of German refugees expelled by the Poles and the Czechs
- The Soviet Union removed industrial plant and other resources from Germany in order to restore its own industrial recovery
How did the west respond to the Soviets’ demand for reparations
- Reparations had been agreed but the Soviets wanted more reparations than the other allies could accept
- In 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.
How did Britain and the US try to recover their economies together?
- In January 1947, the British and American zones were merged economically into a zone called as Bizonia
What were the political effects of the formation of Bizonia?
- Americans claimed this abided by the Potsdam Agreement but it showed four-power control of Germany failed
- Soviets opposed Bizonia as it meant the great industrial complex of the Ruhr was part of a US-dominated Western European bloc
What was the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Nov-Dec 1947)
- In November 1947, foreign ministers of Britain, France, the USA and USSR met in London to figure out what should be done with Germany
What did the USA want at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Nov-Dec 1947)
- The USA supported the idea of Western European integration and was at least temporarily resigned to the division of Germany
What did the USSR want at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Nov-Dec 1947)
- The USSR wanted to avoid the division of Germany, as this would result in the great industrial complex of the Ruhr becoming a part of a US-dominated Western European bloc (this happened with the formation of Bizonia)
- The Soviets demanded that a new central administration should be created
- Soviets wanted to turn public opinion across Germany against the policy of the Western allies
How did the USSR try to turn public opinion against the policy of the Western allies?
- An organisation called the ‘German People’s Congress for Unity and a Just Peace’ was made
- Representatives from all parties throughout Germany were invited to attend its meetings on 6–7 December 1947 in Berlin
- The intention was then to send a delegation to the London Conference to support the Soviet demand for the formation of a German central government
- Roughly one-third of the 2225 delegates came from the West, but these were overwhelmingly Communists from areas like the Ruhr and the big industrial towns
- The movement did not therefore genuinely reflect West German opinion, and the British foreign secretary, Ernest Bevin, refused to allow its delegation permission to enter Britain
What were the outcomes of the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Nov-Dec 1947)
- The London Conference broke up on 15 December and was a failure
- The Soviets accused Britain and the USA of violating the Potsdam Agreement (Bizonia) and of denying the USSR its fair share of reparations
- The Western powers rejected Soviet proposals for forming a German government, which would govern a united Germany
- They feared the Soviets would gain control of it
- All hope of Four-Power Control now disappeared
- Instead Britain, France and the USA became more interested in a Western alliance
- With closer economic co-operation in Western Europe
- And the creation of a West German state
What was the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Feb-June 1948)
- A second London conference was held from February to June 1948
- Britain, France, the USA and the Benelux states met to discuss the establishment of a new West German nation
- Benelux states Belgium (Be), the Netherlands (Ne) and Luxembourg (Lux)
What economic reform was made at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Feb-June 1948)
- Ministers agreed to introduce a new currency, the Deutschmark
- This aimed at moving these zones towards greater economic stability
- But it would represent the beginnings of the formation
of a separate and distinct West German state - Introduced on 20 June, 1948 without consulting the Soviet Union
- On 24 June, the Soviets responded by introducing a new currency for their Eastern German zone, the Ostmark, or East mark and with the Berlin Blockade
How did France react to the formation of a separate West German state at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Feb-June 1948)
- US and British plans met with considerable hostility from France
- France dreaded the revival of a Germany with the potential to invade France yet again
- French fears were gradually eased by a US pledge to keep troops stationed in Western Europe to prevent a revival of an aggressive Germany
- Britain and the USA also promised to control tightly the new German government that they were to establish
How did the Western allies plan to control the new German government at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Feb-June 1948)
- The production of the industrial centre of the Ruhr, for example, was to be regulated by the International Ruhr Authority, which would be controlled by the Western allies
- West Germans would also have to accept the Occupation Statute which would give Britain, France and the USA far-reaching powers over trade, foreign relations, economic issues and disarmament
What were the outcomes of the London Conference of Foreign Ministers? (Feb-June 1948)
- Deutschmark agreed to be introduced on 20 June
- In June, Germans in the Western zones were granted permission to create a constitution for a democratic, federal West Germany
What were the names of the two separate German states?
- Western: the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)
- Eastern: the German Democratic Republic (GDR)
