Cold War flashcards

The hawks - Wanted swift military action The moderates - Wanted to set up a naval blockade The doves - Wanted to be cautious

The continued division of Berlin in the years after the war became a source of tension between the USA and the USSR. The USSR feared the recovery of Germany and refused to consider reunification and free elections. In 1948, Britain, France and the USA decided to unite their zones, which later became known as West Germany. Berlin, situated in the Soviet zone, had also been divided into 4 sectors. Berlin was linked to the rest of Germany by roads, rails and canals. Stalin wanted control over all of Berlin, but the USA refused to hand over the sectors controlled by the Western powers. Stalin was angry that the US refused to hand over power and about the Western unification. He thought he could force the West out of Berlin by cutting off all road, rail and canal supply routes to West Berlin. The USA realised that if they tried to use tanks to ram the roadblocks or railway blocks would be an act of war. However, they were not prepared to give in. There had been an international agreement identifying three air routes into Berlin and it was decided to airlift supplies to the city.