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History - The Cold War - Part 1 > The Origins Of The Cold War (4) > Flashcards

The Origins Of The Cold War (4) Flashcards

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1
Q

Why was Germany important in the Cold War?

A
  • Power vacuum after WWII (no leader + allies all had claim)
  • Geographically central
  • Location where East + West spheres physically meet
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2
Q

What was the agreement concluded on Germany as a result of the conferences?

A
  • Split into 4 zones of occupation
  • Treated as one economic unit, under the Allied Control Council
  • Demilitarised + denazified
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3
Q

What was the purpose of the Allied Control Council (ACC) in Germany?

A

Coordinate the agreement of unanimous economic + political decisions in Germany

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4
Q

Was the ACC successful in Germany?

A

Limited success

  • Increasing differences among four powers, all wanted own methods
  • Each governor had veto, which resulted in a return to that country’s national policy (reducing amount of negotiation)
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5
Q

What were the goals of the Soviet zone?

A
  • To create an economically weak Germany that would be unthreatening to the Soviets + communist
  • To trigger a whole-Germany communist movement
  • To eventually unify Germany + have it enter the Soviet sphere
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6
Q

How did the Soviets hope to create an economically weak Germany?

A
  • Temporarily dismember country (4 power occupation)
  • Collect high reparations
  • Place Ruhr under joint occupation + limit production there
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7
Q

What reparations did Stalin want from Germany?

A
  • Asked for $20 bill at Yalta
  • Wanted all powers to gain reparations from own area of occupation, but Soviets to be given an extra 25% of reparations from Western zones
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8
Q

How did Stalin justify his desire for extra reparations from Western zones?

A
  • Soviets had large losses in war

- West had the most German land (84%) and most German people (72%)

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9
Q

What were the four political parties in the Soviet zone?

A
  • KPD (Communists)
  • SPD (German Social Democrats)
  • LDPD (Liberals)
  • CDU (Christian Democrats)
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10
Q

What was the dominant political party in the Soviet zone?

A

KPD (communists)

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11
Q

Did the KPD start a communist movement as Stalin had hoped?

A

No

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12
Q

What was done to increase communist influence in Soviet zone in Feb 1946?

A

Soviet Military Administration merged…
- KPD
- SPD
Into SED (German Socialist Unity Party)

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13
Q

Did the SPD want to merge with the KPD?

A

No

- Their leader (Schumacher) opposed the merge

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14
Q

Russification took place in the Soviet zone. Give examples

A
  • Land reform
  • Nationalisation of large industry
  • Learning of Russian in schools became compulsory

(Zone generally became poor + oppressed like Soviet Union)

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15
Q

What were the goals of the British zone in Germany?

A
  • To make joint occupation work
  • To repair German industry + economy
  • To prevent “a revived Germany in league with or dominated by Russia”-Bevin (1946)
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16
Q

What was the living situation in the British + American zones?

A
  • Better than Soviet zone
  • Not oppressed + benefited from Marshall Aid
  • Improved further after Bizonia formation, as could cooperate economically
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17
Q

What were the goals of the American zone in Germany?

A
  • To make joint occupation work

- To repair German industry + economy

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18
Q

What was the industrial area in the British zone? What did the Soviets want with it? What did the French want with it?

A
  • Ruhr Valley
  • Soviets wanted it placed under joint control, so they could limit production
  • French wanted it placed under joint control, so they could profit from it
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19
Q

How much Marshall Aid did Germany receive from the allies?

A

$1.7 bill

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20
Q

What were the goals of the French zone in Germany?

A
  • To create a divided (into small autonomous states), economically weak Germany that would be unthreatening to the French
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21
Q

In what way did British and American zone goals shift?

A

Shift away from wanting to make four power occupation work, in favour of a divided Germany (Bizonia)

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22
Q

When and why did the British + American zones change opinion on four power occupation + start wanting to form Bizonia?

A

1946

  • Their desire for German recovery was being greatly hindered by the Soviets, who were becoming increasingly difficult to negotiate with
  • West shared opinions, so wanted to join together + cut off Soviets
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23
Q

In what way did the Soviet opinion differ from the opinion of Britain + US regarding future of Germany?

A
  • Soviets wanted to restrict economic progress: demanded high reparations, demanded shared control of Ruhr, actively removed factories etc
  • West wanted to allow economic progress: argued Soviets were demanding for too high reparations that would cause deprivation in their zones, wanted British control of Ruhr
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24
Q

What was Bizonia?

A

Economic merging of the British + US zones in Germany

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25
Q

When was Bizonia formed?

A

Jan 1947

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26
Q

What ended four power occupation in Germany?

A

Creation of Bizonia in Jan 1947

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27
Q

Outline the process of the formation of Bizonia

A
  • May 1946: US refused to deliver reparations to Soviets until they agreed on plan for Germany’s recovery
  • Jan 1947: US refused to give Soviets control of Ruhr or let deprivation continue in W.zones - so formed ‘Bizonia’
28
Q

Who did France originally side with regarding Bizonia? Why?

A

Soviets - they were supporting the weakening of Germany

29
Q

Why did France change their negative opinion on Bizonia + agree to collaborate to form Trizonia?

A

Realised they could side with their traditional allies, as the dismemberment could weaken Germany like they wanted

30
Q

How did the West publicly justify forming Bizonia, despite agreeing to four power occupation at Potsdam?

A

Said the economic merge was necessary to allow enough economic progress for the agreed reparations to be collected

31
Q

How did the Soviets react to the formation of Bizonia?

A
  • Objected, arguing it broke the agreement of four power occupation + West were trying to form a capitalist Germany
  • Tried to prevent it…
    MOSCOW CONFERENCE (March-April 1947): demanded new central administration, but West refused (didn’t want unification under Soviets)
    LONDON CONFERENCE (Nov-Dec 1947): demanded new central administration + their reparations back, but West refused
32
Q

Who met at the Moscow Conference + London Conference?

A

Council of Foreign Ministers

USA, Britain, France, USSR, China

33
Q

What did Britain, US, France + Benelux states agree to in early 1948 London conferences that heightened tensions in Germany?

A
  • New currency in Western zones (excluding W.Berlin)
  • Suggested formation of West Germany (including French zone)
  • Drafted constitution for this new West Germany
34
Q

Why did the Western zones introduce a new currency?

A
  • Improve economy
  • Begin formation of economically unified West Germany
  • Begin ‘Western European Integration’ (tying West Germany to Western economies)
35
Q

What was the new currency that was introduced in Western zones?

A

“Deutschmark”

36
Q

When did Western zones introduce a new currency?

A

20th June 1948

37
Q

What was the Soviet response to the Western introduction of a new currency?

A
  • Angered: West didn’t consult them, old Reichmarks flooded into Eastern zones devaluing Eastern economy
  • 23rd June: introduced new currency in East called “Ostmark”
  • 24th June: began Berlin Blockade
38
Q

When was the Berlin Blockade?

A

Started: 24th June 1948 (4 days after currency change)
Ended: May 1949
Airlift ended: Sept 1949

39
Q

What was the Berlin Blockade?

A

Stalin ordered all access to West Berlin to be closed - by closing off roads and waterways

40
Q

What caused the Berlin Blockade?

A

Rising tensions between the superpowers in Germany due to formation of Bizonia, differences between zones (economy, currency, living standards)+ inability to negotiate between

41
Q

Why did the West continue to airlift in supplies after Stalin ended the blockade?

A

Wanted to be prepared, in case another blockade was issued

42
Q

What were the differences between the German zones that caused the high tensions that culminated in the Berlin Blockade?

A
  • Differences in economy (West growing with Marshall Aid, East shrinking with closed industry)
  • Differences in living standards (West free, East russified + oppressed)

TRIGGER: Differences in currency

43
Q

Which groups were unable to successfully negotiate between the German zones, which caused the high tensions that culminated in the Berlin Blockade?

A
  • Allied Control Council

- Council of Ministers (e.g. failed London Conference)

44
Q

How did the West retaliate to the Berlin Blockade?

A
  • Counter blockade (stopped trams of goods into E.Germany from West)
  • Berlin airlift (26th June 1948 onwards)
  • Children’s airlift (Sept 1948-March 1949)
45
Q

What did Stalin hope to achieve from the Berlin Blockade?

A

End the rising tensions in Germany by forcing the West out of Berlin and hopefully ultimately out of Germany

46
Q

Who was Bevin?

A

British Foreign Secretary

47
Q

Who was Clay?

A

Military governor of West Berlin

48
Q

What were the two main solutions raised to deal with the Berlin Blockade? Give examples of someone who supported each

A
  • Berlin airlift (supported by Bevin, who disapproved force)
  • Armed convoy in Berlin (supported by Clay)
49
Q

Why did the West choose peaceful options to deal with the Berlin Blockade?

A

Wanted to end the blockade + not submit their presence in Berlin, without risking full scale war

50
Q

What was the Berlin Airlift?

A

West supplying goods (food, clothes, coal, etc) to West Berlin through three allied air corridors

51
Q

How many tons of supplies were West flying in each day of the Berlin Airlift? How did this compare to usual?

A

Supplying: 2,000 tons/day
Usual: 12,000 tons/day

52
Q

Why did the West start the Children’s airlift in Sept 1948?

A

Feared the health of the vulnerable in Winter, as were only supplying 2000 tons/day but needed estimated 5000/day in Winter to keep West Berliners alive

53
Q

How many vulnerable people were airlifted to West Berlin in the Children’s Airlift?

A

Approx 15,000

54
Q

Were there any issues with the Berlin Airlift?

A

Some issues with providing enough supplies + bottlenecks in Winter (but overall successful - luckily Winter fairly mild)

55
Q

Why was Stalin forced to end the Berlin Blockade?

A
  • Saw West were not willing to back down regarding desire for presence in Berlin + West German state
  • Airlift was continuing + becoming more efficient (8000 tons/day in April 1949)
56
Q

When was Trizonia formed?

A

April 1949

57
Q

What were the results of the Berlin Blockade?

A
  • Stalin had to concede to the existence of West Berlin + a West German state (the Federal Republic of Germany)
  • Stalin had to leave behind his desire for a unified Germany + create an East German state (the German Democratic Republic)
58
Q

When was the constitution approved for the FRG?

A
  • Written: pre-blockade

- Approved: May 1949

59
Q

What was the situation in the FRG?

A
  • Aligned with capitalist West
  • Free elections
  • First leader: Konrad Adenauer (anti-communist) to make internal decisions
  • Britain, US + France have final say over foreign policy + security, via the ‘High Commission’
60
Q

What was the situation in the GDR?

A
  • Aligned with communist Soviets
  • One party system dominated by the Socialist Unity Party (SED)
  • First leader: President Pieck
  • After Pieck’s death in 1960, presidency abolished + SED ruled (lead by Ulbricht)
61
Q

What was the forerunner to NATO + why was it not suitable?

A

Western European Union

  • Established 1948
  • Aimed to protect against German resurgence
  • Needed more funding, more military strength + members outside Europe to protect against growing communist/Soviet threat
62
Q

What were the two countries present in NATO that weren’t members of the Western European Union?

A
  • USA

- Canada

63
Q

What was the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)?

A

An alliance between 10 European states, Canada + USA (all non-communist) that aimed to work together to provide mutual security (against communists + other threats) and international peace

64
Q

What are two quotes about NATO?

A

Aimed to “settle any international disputes… by peaceful means”

“An attack against one or more of them…shall be considered an attack against them all”

65
Q

What was the Soviet response to NATO?

A
  • Argued it was an aggressive organisation designed to promote Western capitalism + pressurise European states into complying with US interests
  • Emphasised they had no desire of using military force in Europe
66
Q

When was NATO formed?

A

April 1949

History - The Cold War - Part 1 (8 decks)

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