Was the History of Germany from 1945 to 1990 the

History of the Cold War?

Use the events list provided and the A3 graph provided to do the following:• Draw on the 21 events positioning them on either the

‘cold’ or ‘warm’ area of the graph depending on unification & relations between the East and West

• Draw a graph of main events in the Cold War (provided)

• Pick 5 main turning points as a group and circle / colour• Draw bars underneath showing the leaders of East and

west Germany

DIVISION

Truman

Stalin

Tehran, Yalta &

Potsdam

Mistrust

USSR takes over E Europe

1 becomes 2…

Point Zero (Nullpunkt) – No German State

Tehran & Morgenthau PlanYalta – Feb ‘45Potsdam – Jul ‘45

4 Ds and 1 R

DenazificationDecartalisationDemocratisationDemilitarisationReparations

Cold War & DivisionDid it start in 1917?Fall of E Europe‘47 Truman DoctrineBizoniaJune ‘48 Deutschmark introduced‘48 Berlin Blockade

‘WHO DUN IT?’…Was it individuals?Was it economics?Was it socio-political?Was it external factors?

Or did they all have a go at different times?

FRG(W)

Konrad Adenauer49 to 63Nato ‘55

USA Backing

GDR(E)

Walter Ulbricht (SED)

49 to 71Warsaw Pact ‘55USSR Backing

2 German StatesFRG

GDR

May 1949Basic Law

Temporary Constitution for W Germany

August 1949 electionsNarrow CDU lead (Adenauer)

Soviet Zone becomes GDR Oct 1949

Ulbricht First Secretary of the SED

Goal of ‘building Socialism’

BASIC LAWFederal StateConstitutional ControlsPresident can’t remove

Chancellor5% vote needed to enter

parliaments

Use the pages given to answer;

What did democracy mean in East and West Germany after WWII?

Which of the main factors were most important in creating differences between the development of East and West Germany?

Which of the countries was most repsonsible for the division of Germany?

GROUP DISCUSSION

WHY WAS GERMANY DIVIDED?

Now discuss your findings in a group

Did you agree? If not ARGUE!

1. TRADITIONAL VIEW – RUSSIA’s FAULT2. REVISIONIST VIEW – TRUMAN PARTLY TO

BLAME3. POST REVISIONIST VIEW – ADANAUER AND

PEOPLE

The FDR & Adenauer (1949 to 63)Read the material on AdenauerUse highlighters to show where

he is being influences by each of our factors

Each table come up with argument on importance of Adenauer in West German Development

Write key points on sugar paper and prepare to present!

GDR & Walter Ulbricht (1949-71)Read the material on Ulbricht Use highlighters to show where

he is being influences by each of our factors

Each table come up with argument on importance of Ulbricht in East German Development

Write key points on sugar paper and prepare to present!

Why was Adenauer successful?Liberals supported so coalitions

heldInternational recognition Fear of SocialismFailure of SPDHalting denazificationEconomic ‘miracle’

Adanauer to ErhardToo anti GDRSpiegel AffairErhard & downturn in economyOver-reaction to inflation

Walter Ulbricht 1949-61SED was tool of USSR & copied it…Attempted and failed at equalityEconomy stripped by USSRCollectivisation and quotas1950 election - all candidates had anti

western sentimentsIntimidation, propaganda, teachers etc…1953 general strike – Soviet troops and

purgesConcessions but still resentment

BerlinBy ‘61 over 1 ½ million skill lossUlbricht persuaded Khrushchev to

clos borderSee pg 282

Question - How did the Berlin wall change things?

Willy Brandt & Ostpolotik (1969-87)Socialist Chancellor meant

cooperationMoscow Treaty 1970 – recognition

of East Germany1971 Berlin agreement – USSR

respected movement across border

Opposition to recognition of GDRIncreased welfare and equality

but economic issues and personal assistant was a spy!

Schmidt & KohlSchmidt (R wing) in coalition with FDPLeft protests v nuclear power1982 Coalition fails and Kohl =

ChancellorContinued Ostpolitik1987 Honecker visits W GermanyLimited Welfare meant economy =

better than most of EuropeUnemployment continues…

reunification was a lifeline for Kohl!

The Honecker ContradictionMid 70s GDR struggling

economicallyWelfare outstripped incomeHonecker was hard line and did

not support Glasnots/PerestroikaYet By 1980s GDR reliant on FRG

loans

Why did the GDR collapse?Gorabechevs reforms ( to avoid collapse)Mobilisation of pressure groups – New

ForumOpening of E Europe9 Oct ‘89 Leipzig protest without

interventionCollapse of authority in GDR – divisionKrenz implemented reform but protests

increasedBerlin wall was failing and became focus

of protest – 2000 per day in 1990

Reunification Jan 1990 Modrow (new FDR Prime

Minister) returned from Moscow with plan for unification

Kohl rejected Modrows plan, gained allied support, acceptance by USSR & support of CDU

July = currency union and Oct unified