Why was Germany divided by 1949? Flashcards
Who attended Potsdam, July-Aug 1945 (third big summit)?
- Russia/USSR - Stalin
- America - Tuuman
- Britain - Attlee
What were the Consequences of Potsdam 1945 (third big summit)?
- USSR = allowed to take reparations from Soviet Zone and also 10% of the industrial equipment.
- More disagreements between powers of conflicting ideology.
At the beginning of the Potsdam 1945 Conference (third big summit), what did Truman learn and why was this significant?
America had tested the first atomic bomb ~ huge advantage to Americans.
What was the purpose of the meeting at Potsdam 1945 (third big summit)?
- Nazi Party = banned and leaders tried as war criminals.
- The Oder-Neisse line (two rivers) was to form part of the future border between Poland and Germany
- Stalin = wanted to take more reparations.
Britain and USA = denied Stalin to have a naval base in the Mediterranean. - Set up the four ‘zones of occupation’ in Germany. The Nazi Party, government & laws were to be destroyed.
- Truman was inclined to get tough with the Russians.
Who attented Yalta, Feb 1945 (second big summit)?
- Britain - Churchill
- Russia/USSR - Stalin
- USA - Roosevelt
What was the Purpose of meeting at Yalta, Feb 1945 (second big summit)?
Germany would be divided into four zones ~ run by the USA, France, Britain and the USSR.
What were the outcomes of meeting at Yalta, Feb 1945 (second big summit)?
- Germany’s capital city, Berlin = divided into four zones.
- Countries of Eastern Europe = allowed to hold free elections to decide how they were governed.
- The USSR would join the war against Japan in return for territory in Manchuria and Sakhalin Island.
Who attended Teheran, 1943 (first big summit)?
- Churchill
- Roosevelt
- Stalin
What was the purpose of the meeting at Teheran, 1943 (first big summit)?
Military strategy for end of war campaign, borders/Germany economy post WW2.
What were the outcomes of the meeting at Teheran, 1943 (first big summit)?
Disagreements over borders, no concrete plan created.
When did WW2 end?
2 September 1945.
How would ordinary Germans feel about the end of war?
- Propaganda meant that they expected to win.
- Annoyed at Hitler ~ lies being spread regarding the war. Hitler was most likely aware of this, explaining why he hid away for the last years of the war.
- Relief ~ impact of bombing, weakening of Nazi powers, rationing.
Who was in charge of the economy after 1942?
Speer.
When was Auschwitz liberated and why was this significant?
27 January 1945. ~ largest concentration camp, closest concentration camp to Russia ~ turning point for Russian invasion from allies.
What issues would face Germany at the end of the war?
- British aircraft launched an attack on Dresden 13th February 1945 ~ Britain and their US allies would drop nearly 4,000 tons of explosives ~ 78,000 dwellings = completely destroyed. People were made homeless and lost everything, including their lives.
- Rationing.
- Displacement of people.
- PTSD/casualties.
- Undo the war economy.
- Pariah.
- Government = non-existent.
- Education rebuilt.
What does Pariah mean?
Outcast.
Who are the USSR?
Russia.
What are the Three ‘summits’?
A meeting between heads of government.
What took place between the ‘Grande Alliance’?
Why was it formed?
Who were they?
- Three ‘summits’
- ‘Grande Alliance’ = formed out of military necessity.
- USSR, USA & Britain.
What were held to make decisions about post war plans?
Three ‘summits’ - Yalta, Potsdam & Teheran.
What is the difference between the Real Yalta Protocol of Feb 1945 and the Potsdam Agreement of July-Aug 1945?
- Real Yalta Protocol = plan/aims.
- Potsdam Agreement = what happened.
When was the Real Yalta Protocol?
Feb 1945
When was the Potsdam Agreement?
July-Aug 1945
When was the Teheran?
1943
The aims of the Real Yalta Protocol were to discuss how to what?
- Divide Germany into four ‘zones’.
- Bring Nazi war-criminals to trial.
- Set up a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity.
- Help the freed peoples of Europe set up democratic and self-governing countries by helping them to (a) maintain law and order; (b) carry out emergency relief measures; (c) set up governments; and (d) hold elections.
- Set up a commission to look into reparations.
What had changed in between Yalta and Potsdam that meant that Communication at the conference was ill tempered and there was little agreement?
- Attlee = replaced by Churchill (Britain).
- Roosevelt = replaced with Truman (USA).
- America had tested the first atomic bomb ~ huge advantage.
- Conflicting ideology.
What was decided at the Potsdam Agreement of July-Aug 1945?
- Four ‘zones of occupation’ ~ Nazi Party, government & laws = destroyed.
- Nazi war-criminals = put on trial.
- Recognition of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity with elections to be held.
- Russia = allowed to take reparations from the Soviet Zone, 10% of the industrial equipment of the western zones as reparations.
- America and Britain = could take reparations from their zones if they wished.
Why were America more confident after Potsdam?
First atomic weapon = successfully tested ~ huge military advantage.
What were the main differences between the Yalta and Potsdam conferences?
Change in personnel ~ Truman replaced Roosevelt, Churchill replaced Attlee.
What had the Russians achieved between Yalta and Potsdam (Feb 1945-July/Aug 1945)?
Took land.
What had the Russians achieved between Yalta and Potsdam in March 1945?
Stalin invited the non-Communist Polish leaders to meet him ~ arrested them.
What had the Russians achieved between Yalta and Potsdam in May 1945?
British Joint Planning Group had drawn up plans for ‘Operation Unthinkable’ - a ‘total war … to impose our will upon Russia’.
What issues were ordinary Germans facing in 1945?
- Nazi education system.
- Rationing of food.
- Bombing.
- Displacement of people.
- Living standards.
How was the Potsdam Conference different from the Treaty of Versailles?
Why was it different?
- Less talk about reparations.
- More about what to do with Germany geographically.
- Less about punishment.
- Germany needs to be rebuilt and looked after.
When was the Cold War?
1945-1989/91
What was used by Germans to describe what they felt was the collapse of their country in 1945?
‘Stunde Null’ or zero hour.
What Immediate problems affecting Germany in 1945 were to do with Population dislocation?
- German refugees from East.
- German soldiers.
- Lost families.
- Displaced persons.
What Immediate problems affecting Germany in 1945 were to do with Urban destruction?
- Food.
- Fuel.
- Accommodation.
What Immediate problems affecting Germany in 1945 were to do with Economic dislocation?
- Infrastructure.
- Debts/inflation.
- Social pressures ~ particularly women.
What Germany looked like at the beginning of 1945?
What was the Allied Control Council (ACC) responsible for?
Looking after and deciding what to do about Germany.
Why was the Allied Control Council (ACC) set up?
To administer the zones ~ 4 countries/representatives to monitor their zone (America, England, USSR and France).
What was a weakness of the Allied Control Council (ACC) to do with decisions?
Decisions = supposed to be unanimous ~ when this could not be achieved each military governor could implement their own decisions.
What impact would the way the Allied Control Council (ACC) worked have on the running of the four zones?
- Each place would be isolated ~ 4 separate zones with different ideologies.
- Each zone could be run according to the political and economic principles of the country in charge.
- Cooperation would be difficult ~ USSR = Communist, other Western Powers = Capitalist.
At Potsdam, the Allies had outlined the treatment of occupied Germany build on the principle of what?
The Four Ds:
- Denazification.
- Decentralisation.
- Democratisation.
- Demilitarisation.
What are Communist and Capitalist?
Opposite
What does Decentralisation mean?
The transfer of control of the Nazi Party towards several authorities, rather than one single one.
What does Democratisation mean?
Rebuild democracy ~ wanted Nazism replaced with genuine democratic political parties.
What did USSR want to appear as but weren’t?
Democratic
