P3 - Origins 1945-49

Special relations

relationship between BR and USA during the war

-US keen to remain linked with BR post war as politically stable, and had no major swings in policy

US didn’t want Europe to develop into an independent regional force, but rather wanted to have an influence in EU

BR keen also, as wanted to maintain international status, so needed US support for security

Decisions in conferences

Germany divided 4 zone, administrated by allied control council

Berlin also split into 4, and Allied Kommandatura responsible

temp agreement as expected GER re-emerge as a United Independent state, however Germany permeant divided into 2 separate states until 1989

Why can’t germany re-unite quickly?

1) 2 superpowers had different ideologies, so would be difficult the future of Germany

also growing mutual suspicion + hardening attituded made it impossible, as both sides aware of a powerful Ger a threat

2) Reparations

Potsdam- agreed 25% industry equipment goes to USSR from West zones, in return for raw material supply + food

-USSR hadn’t provide enough and were being secretive, so USA + UK stopped further supplies to USSR which increased tension

3) Coal

disputes over German coal, as USSR wanted coal from west zones but USA wanted it to help reconstruct the West

25 mil tonnes coal went to west

4) Salami tactics

Stalin wanted a reunified GER in sphere of influence so tried salami tactics

west weren’t convinced over soviet controlled party, as no democracy and minimal eco assistance

East has own separate regime

5) Separate zones

BR, Fr, US zones benefited with Marshall aid vs Soviet zone which was plundered by the USSR for resources

living standard remained low and economic recovery slow

Bizonia 1947

BR + USA merged zones in 1947

Trizonia

1948 - Bizonia merged with France establishing a West German state

became the Federal republic of Germany

German Democratic Republic

USSR East German zone

Deutsche Mark

new currency introduced in the West zone

hoped to provide economic stability, symbolising growing prosperity

-Stalin saw this as establishing a new strong Germany and so used the Berlin Blockade

Blockade Berlin 1948

100 miles of the eastern zones had been sealed from the rest of the world

West forces in Berlin relied on supplies along designated corridors

road, rail, waterway links from West Germany to West Berlin had been sealed on June 23-24

elec supply cut off also from East to West

-USSR left berlin Kommandatura and ACC

Bevin

Foreign sec adamant West must not go to war but also must not give up on Berlin

-West Berlin was blocked as was in soviet zones so was to be supplied:

• 278100 flights during 24th June 1948- 12 May 1949

• delivered food, daily necessities to the 2 million population

Consequences

-40 year un-unified

-relations of USSR and USA hit a low with greater distrust

-call for the US to be involved with europe

-NATO forming = Europe divided militarily now

1949 - clear to Stalin the blockade was failing, and communism had been stopped from expanding with containment