Effect

 of  the  Cold  War  on  Germany  

 
Effect  
-­‐ 1945-­‐1950  
o With  Germany’s  defeat  in  WWII,  there  was  a  power  vacuum  left  in  Europe  
o Germany  was  divided  into  four  zones  of  occupation  among  the  US,  GB,  France,  and  the  USSR  
§ Berlin  was  also  split,  despite  it  being  in  the  eastern  zone  –  caused  the  Berlin  Problem  (many  people  fled  between  
1945-­‐1961,  until  the  Berlin  Wall  was  erected),  and  was  a  gap  in  the  Iron  Curtain  
o When  the  three  allied  zones  announced  a  currency  reform,  Stalin  cut  off  supply  routes  to  Berlin,  causing  the  Berlin  Airlift  –  the  
first  crisis  of  the  Cold  War  
o 1947:  Marshall  Aid  raised  the  European  GNP  15-­‐25%  annually  –  made  Stalin  tighten  his  grip  in  Eastern  Europe  
-­‐ 1950-­‐1960  
o 1953:  When  Stalin  died,  there  was  an  uprising  in  East  Germany  –  crushed  by  Russians  
o 1955:  West  Germany  became  a  member  of  NATO    
o 1955:  Warsaw  Pact  –  East  Germany  a  member  
§ Both  states  rearmed  
o 1955:  Hallstein  Doctrine  –  West  Germany  refused  to  acknowledge  East  Germany,  and  would  renounce  any  country  that  did  
o 1958:  Berlin  Ultimatum  –  demanded  that  all  foreign  troops  must  leave  Berlin  in  6  months  
§ If  not,  then  he  would  hand  over  control  of  Berlin  to  East  Germany  
§ Would  force  the  West  to  acknowledge  a  regime  they  had  refused  to  
§ Nothing  happened  
-­‐ 1960-­‐1970  
o Constant  migration  from  East  Germany  threatened  East  German  state  –  erected  Berlin  Wall  –  closed  gap  in  the  Iron  Curtain  
o 1966:  Willy  Brandt  appointed  Foreign  Minister  
§ 1967:  Established  relations  with  Romania  –  rejection  of  Hallstein  Doctrine  
o Brandt  became  a  purveyor  of  ‘German  détente’  –  Ostpolitik  
o 1969:  Brandt  became  Chancellor,  expanded  Ostpolitik  
-­‐ 1970-­‐1980:  
o 1970:  Treaty  of  Moscow  –  Acceptance  of  East/West  Borders  of  Germany  
o 1972:  East  German-­‐West  German  Basic  Treaty:  acceptance  of  West  German  link  to  West  Berlin  
o 1977:  USSR  deployed  SS-­‐20  missiles  in  East  Europe,  which  could  reach  Germany  
 § As  a  response,  the  US  deployed  Pershing  missiles,  which  led  to  protests  in  many  countries  including  West  Germany    
§ Brandt  was  openly  opposed  to  this  move  
-­‐ 1980-­‐1990  
o West  Germany  became  a  worldwide  mediator  between  the  US  and  USSR  –  tried  to  negotiate  a  deal  that,  if  the  US  removed  
her  Pershing  missiles,  the  USSR  would  remove  their  SS-­‐20s  
o 1983:  Social  Democrats  lost  elections,  and  the  Christian  Democrat  government  led  by  Chancellor  Kohl  accepted  the  missiles    
o 1989:  East  Germany  collapsed  with  the  fall  of  the  Berlin  Wall,  with  tacit  support  from  Gorbachev  
o 1990:  Free  elections  in  East  Germany  –  Christian  Democrats  won  
o 1990:  Two  plus  Four  agreement  –  accepted  reunification  of  East  and  West  Germany,  and  was  allowed  to  join  NATO