The Berlin Blockade 1948-9

The Berlin Blockade 19489
Revision
Refresh situation in 1945

At the end of WWII, a defeated
Germany was divided amongst the
victors, the United States, the Soviet
Union, Great Britain, and France. The
Soviet Union took control of the
Eastern half of Germany, the Western
half was divided amongst the US,
Great Britain, and France. Like the
rest of the country, the capital city of
Berlin, sitting dead in the middle of
the Soviet-controlled Eastern half,
was also divided into four parts, one
half being Soviet controlled, and the
rest divided amongst the others. A
four-power provisional government,
called the Allied Control Council, was
installed in Berlin.
Berlin
Divided up into 4
sectors each
controlled by the
French, Soviets,
USA, and British.
Berlin completely
within the Soviet
occupied eastern
Germany.
LONG TERM causes of the Berlin

Blockade.
Churchill travels to the
USA and gives his
"Sinews of Peace" speech,
March 1946.
In his speech he was
warning of what he
always thought the
Soviets were planning to
do - creating a
communist empire in
eastern and central
Europe.
From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central
and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must
call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from
Moscow.
Winston Churchill, March 5, 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri
Click on the map to hear

Churchills speech.
Although the speech

was received badly
by some, who
accused Churchill of
"war mongering", it
quickly became
apparent that indeed
Stalin and the USSR
were "drawing an
iron curtain across
Europe."
Was Churchill Wrong?

Stalin was eager to expand the influence and power of the
Soviet Union and the communist ideology.
Communism wanted to create a world-wide revolution and bring
all nations under the communist system.
However twice in 30 years Russia had been invaded by Germany
through Poland. They had suffered enormous and devastating
death and destruction. Stalin was determined that this would not
happen again. The satellite states would provide a buffer
against
the west.
He also wanted to see Germany made permanently weak
The Truman Doctrine

Although some in
the USA felt that
Churchill was
provoking Stalin.
President Truman
did not. He too was
worried about
Stalins grip on the
East and the
growing power of
communism.
In a speech to Congress on March 12th

1947,
President Truman gave a speech which
historians
now recognise as the day the Cold War
started.
"it is now the policy of the United
States to support
free people who are resisting
attempted subjugation
Truman was promising to prevent

the further spread of communism.
The Truman doctrine shifted American foreign policy towards the USSR
from DETENTE (friendship) to a policy of CONTAINMENT of Soviet
expansion.
Click on Truman to hear

his speech.
The Marshall Plan the Truman

Doctrine in Action!
The Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP) was the
large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave
monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of
World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism.
This was the economic arm of the Truman Doctrine. Where people were
hungry, homeless or unemployed then communists would have a fertile
ground to gain support.
The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948. The goals
of the United States were to rebuild a war-devastated region, remove
trade barriers, modernize industry, and make Europe prosperous again.
However this could only happen according to the Americans if Germany
was allowed to become reconstructed and economically strong again.
This links to the short

term causes
Short Term Causes

The Western Powers realise that they
need a strong democratic Germany if
they are to counter the threat from
communism in the east.
On June 1st 1948 USA, Britain and
France unify their 3 sectors and
create West Germany.
This is the final straw for Stalin who
acts to cut off all road and rail links
into western Berlin.
Why did Stalin act this way?

1) He felt that the
west were breaking
agreements made at
Yalta to keep Germany
weak and divided.
2) Russia had been
invaded twice in 40
years by Germany
he was determined
that it would not
happen again.
3) He saw this as
part of a plan by
the West to limit
the influence and
spread of
communism.
The Blockade The west saw this as an

attempt to starve Berlin into
surrender, so they decided to
supply west Berlin by air.
"When Berlin falls, Western

Germany will be next. If we
withdraw our position in
Berlin, Europe is threatened...
Communism will run
rampant."
General Clay
Stalin ended the blockade in the

face of the western airlift.
Consequences:
1.Germany was divided
into the Federal Republic
of Germany (West
Germany) and the
Democratic Republic of
Germany (East
Germany) until 1990.
2.The Iron Curtain
became permanent.
3.The Cold War broke

out into open
confrontation, and the
two superpowers began
an Arms Race.
4.In 1949, the Allies set
up the North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation
(NATO) as a military
alliance to resist Soviet
Russia.

The Berlin Blockade 1948-9

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The Berlin Blockade 19489

Refresh situation in 1945

LONG TERM causes of the Berlin

Click on the map to hear

Although the speech

Was Churchill Wrong?

The Truman Doctrine

In a speech to Congress on March 12th

Truman was promising to prevent

Click on Truman to hear

The Marshall Plan the Truman

This links to the short

Short Term Causes

Why did Stalin act this way?

The Blockade The west saw this as an

"When Berlin falls, Western

Stalin ended the blockade in the

3.The Cold War broke

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