nato & two new countries

1) What does NATO stand for?

NORTH

ATLANTIC

TREATY

ORGANISATION

2) Why was NATO set up?

Soviet coup of Prague & Berlin Blockade persuaded US that there was no alternative but a formal commitment to defend Western Europe.

3) Why was it a difficult balancing act for the US government?

West Europeans wanted a military alliance, that would commit US troops to defend

Western Europe, whilst Congress wanted the exact opposite

4) How did Truman negotiate this?

Promised Congress it would not go to war without its backing

5) When was the Treaty for NATO signed?

4th April 1949

6) Who was the first West German Chancellor?

Konrad Adenauer

7) Was it an independent state?

No- Occupation Statute meant that High Commission of GB, France and US still had

final say

8) What does Peter Merkl say about the East German Constitution?

It was make believe- camouflaging a one-party dictatorship.

9) Why did Stalin delay in setting up the GDR (East Germany)?

To see if there was any chance of stopping the set up of the FRG (West Germany)

10) What impact did all this have on Berlin?

Still split in four parts, within East GermanyDelegates from Western zones were represented

at FRG council, but had no voting rightsGDR made its base in Soviet sector of Berlin.

No physical barrier yet! (1961)

11) What is the theory of “Empire by Invitation”?

That Western Europeans were in effect asking to be put under US protection and so become a

part of a US ‘empire’ or a US dominated region.

12) How did German revisionist historian Willy Loth describe East Germany?

As Stalin’s “unwanted child”.