Reasons For Unification - Acceptance By The Four Powers Flashcards
What came as a shock to the four occupying powers?
Kohls Ten Point Plan
He had announced the plan to the Bundestag without consulting them
What did the USA insist on and why was this a problem?
A newly unified Germany be a member of NATO which would acquire an agreement by the USSR
NATO = anti-communist alliance so this could be tricky to achieve
In particular who did Kohls ten point plan upset?
France and Britain
Had major concerns about a unified and powerful Germany
Why were France and Britain concerned about a unified Germany?
They feared that Germany would seek to dominate Europe economically and therefore upset the status quo which had ensured relative peace since 1945
What did France and Britain believe about the GDR?
That it could be propped up with West assistance
When did the Four Powers meet for the first time since the 1940s?
11th December 1989 at the Allied control council
Why were the West Germans upset about the four powers meeting?
They were not invited and felt that the four powers would discuss the future of Germany without consulting them
What did the USA declare at the Four Powers meeting?
They would not agree to a reunified Germany unless it was a member of NATO
What did Kohl argue about if the GDR collapsed?
It would cause chaos in Europe with a refugee crisis and instability which could lead to conflict
What was Thatcher and Mitterrand’s attitude towards a reunified Germany?
They were unhappy but also aware that a collapsing GDR would cause even more problems in Europe
What did Gorbachev inform Kohl in February 1990 and why?
It would be up to the German people to decide about unification and the USSR would not get involved
Realised only a massive loan could stop the GDR from collapsing and he was unwilling to do this especially because of the USSRs own fragile economic situation
