Matilda Plambeck
2/07/2020
Berlin Blockade, NATO and Warsaw Pact
• By 1948, the distrust between the USA and the USSR was
alarming
• The two sides had increased their stocks of weapons
• A propaganda war had developed:
• -Each side took every opportunity to discredit the policies or
plans of the opposing side
• Truman and Stalin were eager to show each other and their
countries’ citizens that they would not be pushed around
• Despite all the threatening, the 2 sides never actually fired on
one another, despite it looking like they might over Germany
in 1948
The problem of Germany
• After the war, Germany was divided into 4 zones
• At first, the US plan (the Morgenthau Plan) was to remove
all German industry and make it an agricultural country so it
could never again wage war
• However, as Truman grew more concerned about the USSR,
he decided that a strong Germany might be a useful ally
• It was also clear that if German industries were not allowed
to recover, then millions of Germans would simply starve
• In 1946, the USA, France and Britain combined their zones
, • In 1949 this became known as West Germany
Stalin blockades Berlin
• Stalin felt insecure and decided to show that there would
be consequences if they messed with his Soviet “sphere
of influence”
• Although Berlin was divided into 4 zones, the city itself
was deep in Stalin’s zone and was linked to western
areas by roads, railways and canals
• In June 1948, Stalin blocked these supply lines, stopping
Western powers reaching their zones in Europe
• If the USA tried to ram the roadblocks or railway blocks,
it could be seen as an act of war
• Stalin expected Truman to announce a humiliating
withdrawing from Berlin, which would give the Soviets
control of Berlin and a propaganda victory
The Berlin Airlift
• The Americans believed that that West Berlin situation
was an important test
• If they gave in to Stalin and withdrew, the western
zones might fall to Communism
• Truman ordered that aircraft should fly supplies into
Berlin, this was known as the Berlin Airlift
2
2/07/2020
Berlin Blockade, NATO and Warsaw Pact
• By 1948, the distrust between the USA and the USSR was
alarming
• The two sides had increased their stocks of weapons
• A propaganda war had developed:
• -Each side took every opportunity to discredit the policies or
plans of the opposing side
• Truman and Stalin were eager to show each other and their
countries’ citizens that they would not be pushed around
• Despite all the threatening, the 2 sides never actually fired on
one another, despite it looking like they might over Germany
in 1948
The problem of Germany
• After the war, Germany was divided into 4 zones
• At first, the US plan (the Morgenthau Plan) was to remove
all German industry and make it an agricultural country so it
could never again wage war
• However, as Truman grew more concerned about the USSR,
he decided that a strong Germany might be a useful ally
• It was also clear that if German industries were not allowed
to recover, then millions of Germans would simply starve
• In 1946, the USA, France and Britain combined their zones
, • In 1949 this became known as West Germany
Stalin blockades Berlin
• Stalin felt insecure and decided to show that there would
be consequences if they messed with his Soviet “sphere
of influence”
• Although Berlin was divided into 4 zones, the city itself
was deep in Stalin’s zone and was linked to western
areas by roads, railways and canals
• In June 1948, Stalin blocked these supply lines, stopping
Western powers reaching their zones in Europe
• If the USA tried to ram the roadblocks or railway blocks,
it could be seen as an act of war
• Stalin expected Truman to announce a humiliating
withdrawing from Berlin, which would give the Soviets
control of Berlin and a propaganda victory
The Berlin Airlift
• The Americans believed that that West Berlin situation
was an important test
• If they gave in to Stalin and withdrew, the western
zones might fall to Communism
• Truman ordered that aircraft should fly supplies into
Berlin, this was known as the Berlin Airlift
2
