The Cold War Title and Author of Packet: ___The German Question

Topic 5: The Cold War

Title and Author of Packet: ___The German Question by John Lewis Gaddis ______

Ideological Differences Altruistic idea of Democracy to Soviet Control Mutual Suspicion and Fear Nuclear Weapon Buildup created a stalemate, neither side wanted to risk war Both sides used the external enemy for politics No agreement reached by UN on Nuclear Weapons "Hitler was the architect of German disunity" - wars on several fronts, different treaties All Allies unsure of what to do Attempting to unify Germany w/o idea of who would benefit meant unification was impossible - affirmed stability, they would not become and more asymmetrical Fears of exploitation From Wartime Allies to Post-War Enemies Both sides refused to accept anything short of victory Berlin Blockade from 1948 to 1949 - attempt to prevent Western Bloc with Germany Behind the scenes conflict in the Korean war Destruction caused by Red Army Historiography The Cold War was not inevitable nor is the conception that it could only disappear once the Soviet Union did the only way of through - Gaddis The German Question was an opportunity to end the Cold War early - Gladdis "Our people are unwilling to contemplate at any time within the foreseeable future, under any conceivable agreement with the Russians, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Germany," - Kennan

Major Theme: Nature of the Cold War

Ideological Opposition Three Groups 1. Supporters of Morgenthau Plan/Treasury - wanted reparations 2. General Lucus Clay wanted a quick unification and saw not the Soviets but the French as resistant 3. Supported Clay on rehabilitation but thought reunification unlikely Superpowers and Spheres of Influence 1946 - peace treaties for former German Satellites Failure to dismantle in Cold War Summits Left Germany divided Construction of Berlin wall in 1961 Both sides began to consider a strengthened Germany more beneficial to their power Stalin planned to elicit support of Social Democrats and others on the West to bring all of Germany under Russian control London Conference allowed West Germans full governmental responsibility Division of Germany would end stability in Europe - nothing could evolve, most powerful nation divided Civilian population could become tired of European funding - withdraw troops/supplies - Russian exploitation U.S. slow to develop policy West Germans drove "magnet policy" - that strong West German economy would pull East Germans into West Germany and unify Soviet conventional force superiority - 175 divisions to 12 Alliances and Diplomacy in the Cold War The British were left to pressure the Truman administration to choose between alts British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin maneuvered Secretary of State James F. Byrnes to propose consolidation of West Germany Consensus that strong Germany better to resist Soviets West considered Germany more as an ally than past enemy American forces in Germany would have to leave eventually - John Foster proposed tactical withdrawal in 1953 to bolster relations Danger of being too productive, West Germans may never protect themselves French refused to ratify the EDC British stepped in an suggested Germany become part of NATO - everyone agreed American leadership indecisive - allowed allies to decide fate of Germany Warsaw treaty organized in Soviet Union in response Divided Germany became seen as stable - but impossible to do so equally Historiography The issue of how to not pressure Germany into an alliance with the other side made its future a "central issue" and was the origins of that conflict. - Gaddis There were more communists where the Red Army had not been than were it had (in Berlin) - Soviet Official "We have no choice but to lead our section of Germany - the section of which we and the British have accepted responsibility - to a form of independence so prosperous, so secure, so superior, that the East cannot threaten it." - George Kennan No one saw the division of Germany or the Cold War as permanent - Gladdis "The German problem was analogous to the dual key system that the Americans use to control the launch of nuclear tipped missiles - nothing happens unless both operators agree to turn their keys simultaneously." - Frank Ninkovich

Major Theme: Development and Impact of the Cold War Global Spread of the Cold War from its European Origins Cold War Policies of Containment, Brinkmanship, Peaceful Sentiments strongly against rearming Germany again Coexistence, Détente Role of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement Cold War Summit 1955 at Geneva Truman administration difficulty in persuading Congress to arm NATO allies Role and Significance of Leaders Indochina settlement in 1954 French insistence on German punishment (again) Mutual withdrawal of Occupation forces from Austria in 1955 Stalin's saw Germany as a Cold War problem before the Americans - met with German leaders on June 4, 1945 - Red Army would control occupation and KPD seek support Stalin's "relaxed remarks" motivated Marshall to find initiative and prevent Stalin's mysterious goals Kennan advocated for free elections throughout Germany, formation of central government, and withdrawal of occupation forces - hoped Germany would not align with West or East but maintain 3rd party status - plan failed for withdrawal was leaked Militarily decisions such as rearming Germany and building bases in Fascist Spain made sense but political cost high Stalin increasingly desperate to reverse unfavorable trend and try to reunify Germany Stalin proposed 10 March 1952 for a four-power conference to arrange free elections throughout Germany for an independent state - Capitalists unwilling, Britain formed Western response, both sides drafted notes, West delayed Stalin never wanted a separate East German State Stalin's death on 5 March 1953 - relations with Soviet Union increased Yuri Andropov's goal to delay arming of West Germany with nuclear weapons Arms Race, Proliferation and Limitation Not addressed in Cold War Summits Armies integrated into multinational European Defense Community coordinated with but apart from NATO Dwight D. Eisenhower would lead NATO in emergency Western buildup of forces in Western Europe Stalin still afraid of Germany and Japan "rising up" Eisenhower 16th April 1953 speech deploring costs of nuclear arms race Uncertainty - U.S. didn't want to retreat from nuclear basis in West Europe Large conventional Russian force stationed against American nuclear weapons in Europe Social, Cultural, and Economic Impact Europe couldn't revive without Germany Stalin expected economic problems to bring Western Europe to Communism Stalin unable to provide nationalism unlike Hitler - brutal Soviet troops and forced merging Stalin "Clung, almost to the end of his life to the illusion that ideology sooner or later would override nationalism" and unify Germany Marshall plan gave immediate economic assistance in contrast to uncertain Soviet help Ulbricht's forced industrialization/collectivization in East Germany failed East Germans fleeing (120,000 a year) Plan to force payment from West Germany for unification West Germany a "miraculous" recovery West Germany recovered - began to see unification as unlikely and shouldn't be pursued 1/6 East Germans left from 1945 to 1961 East Germans insisted they could not prosper while West Germany existed Historiography Russia failed to occupy a socialist country because it had never done so before. - Tiul'panov If no means for the Germans to fight were given to them the West would have lost them - John J. McCloy West's unwillingness to test Stalin's proposal for elections in Germany meant a missed opportunity to have moderated the Cold War - Gaddis German government unstable and new - James B. Conant Reith Lectures - peace unlikely, division of Germany had to happen, but "there is danger in permitting it to harden."

Major Theme: End of the Cold War

Break-Up of Soviet Union: Internal Problems and External Red Army destruction of East Europe Pressures 10 June 1953 revolt in East Germany suppressed - Beria's idea suppressed and him executed After revolts Russia committed itself to maintenance of regime Near rebellion in Poland in 1956 and one in Hungary Breakdown of Soviet Control Over Central and Eastern Europe Historiography Had Beria succeeded Stalin Germany might have been reunified and West East relations improved. - Gaddis "The German people have not yet had time to be educated in the great advantage of Communism" - Khrushchev - unification of Germany would be a retreat from the Capitalists