Eastern Europe and Germany Divided
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Transcript of Eastern Europe and Germany Divided
Eastern Europe and Germany Divided
Germany and Berlin: Agreements After WWII
Review: Germany Divided Divided Amongst the Victorious Allies
(4 sections) Berlin Divided Amongst Allies As well
4 sections as well
Tensions Rise between Allies By 1948, ideological division of
Europe (Physically represented by ____ ______)
Great Britain and US wanted Germany Economy Revived (helping with Europe’s economy) through industrial production, monetary reform and new gov’t
France and Russia wanted massive reparations
Tensions con’t
It was accepted that reunification would be impossible, yet the West could influence its own sectors
Europe Divided
West Germany- Industrialized East Germany – Agricultural
Iron Curtain (Churchill’s Speech)
Berlin
During and Immediately after WWII Bombed day and night and attacked
during the final battle in Europe Entire blocks of the city were
destroyed Food perpetually in short supply Inflation, Black Market (Cigarettes)
Barter Economy
Allied Agreements
The four powers agreed that there would be access to Berlin through specific RR, roads, air ways and canals
West needs to supply West Berlin Lasts for three years…
Gov’t?
Assembly created Yet there were fear tactics
(blackmail, intimidation, kidnapping) throughout all Berlin by Communist Agents
Tensions Increase – West Initiated 1948, June – Constituent Assembly
authorized in W Germany US and GB have a new German
currency formed (secretly)- Announced June 18th
Want to integrate West Germany into Western Europe (w/o USSR consent)
New currency would kill black market profits and help to end inflation
Berlin Currency?
Control of Money = Power Soviets create their own currency in
response June 22nd – East only accepted
Currency Western currency forbidden in all of
Berlin West stamps their currency with a B
Berlin and Currency
While supplying West Berlin, the Western currency was also distributed.
Berlin Immediate blockade
around Berlin Electricity to W Berlin
(from E) was cut off to factories and offices
Berlin Cut Off From West
2.3 Million Berlin Citizens (west) were cut off from supplies Only 36 days of food left Remember: Agreements between the 4
powers stated that the West would supply its sectors
Only enough electricity for 4 hours a day
Retaliation of West
If Russia would cut off Berlin, the West refused shipments to East Germany Remember: ▪ West Germany – Industrial▪ East Germany – Agricultural
No longer would the West ship Coal and Steel Importance??
Now what?
Berlin NEEDED supplies or they would starve
Exercise Restraint Air lift?
OR Charge In
Fire if fired upon!
Air Lift?
It was proposed in Germany, but not on the mass scale that would be needed for the Survival of Berlin
It was authorized without Washington’s consent
Specifications?
Estimated only 500 tons per day West Berlin was supplied 12,000 tons
per day
June 26th
80 Planes, 2X a day (3 tons/plane)▪ US added 50 more planes (carrying 9 tons
each)
Air Lift
W Berlin built a new airport Supplies: Coal, flour, Petrol, Potatoes
and Med Supplies By December 1948 – 4500 tons/day By Spring 1949 – 8000 tons/day
Easter record 13000 tons (1398 flights)
Berlin – Internally
No restrictions within the city Working on the other side W went to E because the E had heat and
electricity People registered for food rations
with Soviets 1/10 got Coal and food from the East
Berlin Air Lift
Political Arena
To lose Berlin to the Russians would be a “loss of Western Europe”
Western Berlin is symbolic as the last democratic outpost inside of Communist Germany!
West had to confront communism at agreed political points in order to contain it, one being Berlin!
True Political Motives
It was a test to see how far the US could push the Soviets.
It was a moral battle If the US launched an attack, the US
would be the Aggressor If the USSR attacked planes carrying
supplies to Berlin, USSR would be the aggressor
POV
West seized upon propaganda opportunity Western Technological superiority “Us versus Them” polarization▪ Soviet are now the New Enemy!
West also in Diplomatic flurry Prevent war! But not abandon Berlin!
Soviets were willing to starve over 2 million people!
Outcomes?
May 1949- Both the US and Soviets drop their blockades…
August 1949 – Russia detonates their first Atomic Bomb…
Berlin Wall
New Soviet Leadership
Stalin dies 1953 Brain hemorrhage?
Nikita Khrushchev takes power 1955 Humble origins, Spontaneous, Shrewd, unpredictable “Human face on socialism”
Khrushchev and Berlin
Nov 1958 – Berlin would be Free of the West
German Democratic Republic (GDR) formed (East Germany)
Russia & Germany
A unified Germany Scared Russia Would potentially be backed by Nuclear
US▪ Become aggressor again?!
Germany and Poland Uniting▪ Eliminating the buffer zone!
Fleeing East Germany
East Germans were fleeing to W in thousands
900 mile boundary between E and W With watchtowers, barbed wire,
minefields and armed patrols
Berlin and Eastern Refugees Free movement between the sectors
in Berlin Refugees
Could settle in Western Berlin Or go to refugee points to be flown to W
Germany
By 1961 – 2.8 Million refugees fled to West Germany
Refugee Profile
More than 50% were under 25 75% were under 45 Skilled Laborers
Industrial Workers, farm Laborers, scientists, doctors, teachers
Problems?????
Russian POV
Socialist World Was failing! Severe Labor shortage
Skilled laborers hard to replace Asked remaining laborers for even more
sacrifice!▪ Stricter Economic Discipline
1957 – illegal to flee to West (prison sentence)
Kennedy meets Khrushchev June ‘60 Khrushchev forceful with Kennedy Proposed a peace treaty
East Germany recognized as country Berlin would remain neutral▪ Only with approval of East Germany could
West access Berlin Any violation of the East German
territory would mean an assault on Russia
Kennedy Shaken
“We seek peace, but we will not surrender.”
US will protect West Berlin
Berlin Wall formed…
August 1961 Barbed wire barricades set up in the
middle of the night The border was closed. Soviet tanks positioned to deter
protesters Became 5-6 feet high (12 feet at
peak) Concrete, topped with barbed wire and
gun posts Literally divided city in half—
Impassable!
Western Relief
Held breath when Washington heard of the Wall…
BUT since the Russians were only walling off Berlin—and not attacking—Washington and the West did not have to respond aggressively….
The Wall
7 access points Germans could travel West and East with
special permits 1 Access point for Westerners
Checkpoint Charlie▪ Infamous “East Meets West” position
Crisis at the Wall
Passports were unnecessary for diplomats in Germany.
American stopped, refused to show passport (Checkpoint Charlie).
Armed US soldiers accompanied the American diplomat into East Berlin, 10 US tanks line up.
From then on, pointless US jeeps, with armed soldiers would drive across the border
Soviet Response
Soviet’s outraged by this Oct 27th
33 Soviet tanks at Checkpoint Charlie 16 hour standoff First time US and Soviet Tanks faced
each other!
Standoff
After 16 hours, a Soviet Tank backs up 5 yards.
A US Tank follows suite
One by one all the tanks backed down.
Col. Jim AtwoodInstructions were given to our tank
commander that he was to roll up and confront the Soviet tank, which was at the identical distance across from Checkpoint Charlie. The tension escalated very rapidly for the one reason that this was Americans confronting Russians. It wasn’t East Germans. There was live ammunition in both tanks… It was an unexpected, sudden confrontation that in my opinion was the closest that the Russians and the Allies came to going to war in the entire Cold War period.
“Neither side wanted the Wall, but building it was a way of avoiding direct military conflict.”
Kennedy Addresses BerlinThere are many people in the world who really don’t understand, or say they don’t, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. …All free me, where ever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore as a free men, I take pride in the words Ich bin ein Berliner.
The Wall and the World
The Berlin Wall had become the longest lasting piece of Cold War Symbolism
Every US President Since its creation had asked for its removal.
Most Famous probably is Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
End of Another Corrupt Regime Honecker
Communist, previously Soviet Supported Corrupt, repressive and ruthless
Krenz takes over Tries to make amends for Honecker Opens Czechoslovakian border Fires a majority of the gov’t
Nov 9, 1989
Exit Visas were promised to all Berlin Citizens Giving them permission to leave for the
West Crowds gathered at the Wall that the
guards had never seen before Without clear instructions, the
guards eventually allowed the people through
Nov, 1989 (con’t)
People flooded into West Berlin Families reunited Happiness, Camaraderie
Strangers hugging West Berliners cheered as the East
Berliners crossed!
Just to get Across the Border!
Once across, people began to take whatever they could and try to destroy the Wall…
Internationally, people were excited!
The Wall had finally Crumbled!
Crumbling of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
Pieces of Berlin Can still buy on Ebay…▪ Authenticated $35-$1000
Popular Culture and the Wall Pink Floyd
The Wall Album Nov 1979▪ Including Another
Brick in the Wall, Outside the Wall
Toured West Germany 1970-1971, 1973, 1980-1981, 1988
Toured Russia in 1989