The development of the Cold War: The Berlin Blockade 1948-1949 Flashcards
How did the USA’s actions help to cause this crisis?
• West Germany (and West Berlin) were benefitting from Marshall Aid
• GB and USA had combined their parts of West Germany to form BIZONIA, then TRIZONIA (French zone)
• They introduced a new currency called the Deutschmark across Trizonia
How did Stalin interpret these actions?
The USSR believed that this was part of the USA’s to rebuild Germany into a strong nation once more and to leave the Soviet zones in poverty. Now two Germanys had been created: East and West. The West was more prosperous.
Why did Stalin decide to impose a blockade on Berlin in June 1948?
By blockading road and rail links from West Germany into West Berlin, Stalin hoped to test the strength of the USA and to force them into surrendering West Berlin where two million people lived free from Soviet rule
Why did the USA and GB decide to fly in supplies to West Berlin?
They could not break the road and rail blockade with force as this might be seen as an act of war; nonstop flights (a total of 275,000!) ensured that 1000 tons of food and other necessities came to West Berlin each day. This was known as Operation Vittles or the Berlin airlift.
Why did Stalin not shoot down the supply planes that were going to West Berlin?
This would be seen as an aggressive act of war – furthermore the US had also stationed B29 bombers in GB, capable of dropping the atom bomb n the Soviets
What were the consequences of the Blockade?
• Stalin gave in and ended the Blockade in May 1949 – he was humiliated
• The USA, GB and FR combined their zones to form WEST GERMANY (FRG) with a new chancellor in charge, Konrad Adenauer
• Stalin set up East Germany (GDR) in 1949. West Germany refused to recognise it until 1970s.
• NATO, a military alliance of western nations, was set up in 1949 to ensure that any future attack by Stalin would be met with force. West Germany joined in 1955.
• Stalin set up the WARSAW PACT in 1955 – a similar alliance of Eastern European countries; by 1949 Soviet scientists had also developed the atom bomb
