West Germany: The fate of Germany after the Second World War (1945 - 1949)

Question 1

What was agreed at the Potsdam Conference in July and August 1945?

Answer 1

• The Allies agreed to divide Germany into 4 “zones on occupation” run by the USA, Britain, France and the USSR.
• The capital of Germany, Berlin was in the Soviet zone and so they divided it into 4 zones aswell.
• Division of Germany was temporary and they would soon negotiate an final settlement for the whole of Germany.

Question 2

What was the Allied Control Council (ACC) and why was it set up?

Answer 2

The ACC was set up as a governing body to oversee all 4 “zones of occupation” and make decisions across the zones, in order to keep Germany “intact” for re-unification.

Question 3

Identify 2 economic problems Germany failed after WW2.

Answer 3

• Food shortages was a severe problem. Food consumption per day dropped to between 950 and 1150 calories (as opposed to the recommended 2000 per day)
• A lot of infrastructure (e.g. bridges, railways, gas and water facilities) and industries were damaged or had broken down and the nation was in huge debt.

Question 4

What began to develop after WW2 between the Allies, and how did this affect the development of Germany?

Answer 4

After WW2 the “common enemy”, they had existed between the capitalist nations and the communist (USSR). Relations between the USSR and the #West rapidly developed into the Cold war. —->This affected the development of Germany and the divisions in Germany and Berlin became permanent.

Question 5

What was the situation in Eastern Europe in 1948?

Answer 5

All Eastern European countries, except Greece, had become communist states (such as, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland).

Question 6

Identify three actions the USA took against the USSR in the years 1945 - 1949

Answer 6

• In May 1946, the USA disallowed reparation payments from West Germany to be given to the Soviet Union.
• In May 1947, the USA and Britain combined their ‘zones of occupation’ creating Bizonia
• From 1948, USA introduced the Marshall Plan and began issuing economic aid to European countries including Germany’s Western ‘zones of occupation’, to re-boost the European economy and to prevent communism form taking hold in West Europe.

Question 7

Identify 3 actions the USSR took against the USA in the years 1945 to 1949

Answer 7

• On March 20 1947, the USSR left the Allied Control Council (ACC)
• In Sep. 1948, a parliamentary council was set up to put together a new constitution for a new country not including the Soviet ‘zone of occupation’: West Germany
• On Oct. 7 1949, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was officially announced as a new nation

Question 8

When did the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic become independent states?

Answer 8

• FRG = May 22 1949

- GDR = Oct. 7 1949

Question 9

Identify 2 reasons that explain why Germany was not reunited after WW2

Answer 9

East and West Germany served as symbols of the divided world, and the Cold War animosities between the Soviet Union and the US.