Topic 5 Division Of Germany

Question 0

Meanwhile tensions mounted

Answer 0

Between east and west eg
Different economies
Disputes over soviet reparations from western zones

Question 1

Much economic hardship in

Answer 1

1945-48 generally in Germany and Europe
Famine struck winter 1946-47 with dire effects eg money devalued and hoarding of goods was common
To ease problems western zones merged firstly to bizonia 1947 then trizonia 1949

Question 2

Basic distrust between east and west resurfaced

Answer 2

Western historians claim that Stalin planned world wide domination via communism
Revisionist historians claimed that fear of communism stirred up the Cold War rather than any real soviet threat (USSR in no position to do so at that time)
Current thinking Stalin was keeping an open mind

Question 3

Winston Churchill described the European border between east and west as

Answer 3

An iron curtain

Name stuck when Stalin banned visitors from the west

Question 4

To try and stop communism spreading president Truman promised

Answer 4

A Truman doctrine support for any nation threatened by communist take over march 1947
Marshall aid American aid to any European country suffering from ww2 as Truman felt discontented people were more likely to succumb to communism
Stalin refused to allow Eastern European countries to accept this

Question 5

Currency reform

Answer 5

Western zone introduced new currency the Deutschmark

Eastern zone refused to use it and introduced East German mark

Question 6

Berlin blockade

Answer 6

Soviets tried to isolate West Berlin from western zone by blocking transport links for these zones to West Berlin
They hoped to starve West Berlin into agreeing to join them
So the the allies flew in foodstuffs in the Berlin airlift which lasted almost a year June 1948-May 1949

Question 7

The Berlin blockade was a turning point in relations between east and west as

Answer 7

Key issue became to defend democracy against communism
Berlin blockade became symbol of cold war
Division became reality at this point
Denazification replaced by talks of how to form a new west german state

Question 8

Creation of west Germany and the GDR

Answer 8

May 1949 federal republic of Germany FRG created in west

October 1949 German Democratic Republic GDR created in east