Berlin Blockade Research Paper
BERLIN BLOCKADE CAUSES
The Cold War was thought to reach crisis point in the grey days of the Berlin Blockade during the years 1948-49. The siege was an integral part of the Soviet Union’s plan to force the allied powers (Britain, America and France) out of Berlin and allow ultimate communist control. The dilemma endured for eleven months and resulted in failure for the Soviets.
There were thought to be three primary events that influenced the Soviet Union’s decision to blockade Berlin; the establishment of the Marshall Plan for the restoration of Europe, the London conferences during 1948’s winter and spring; and the subsequent London Program which requested for a distinct division between East and West Germany and the alteration of their
currency to see the end of this whole painful ordeal.
On March 1947, President Harry Truman proclaimed that America vowed to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. This policy was known as the Truman Doctrine. Soon after this announcement, the Marshall Plan was welcomed to provide friendly economic and financial assistance to the countries of Europe, West Germany in particular.
Amongst this pressure between the US and Soviet Union that seemed to be continuously mounting, the US determined that the shared control of conquered Germany with the Soviet Union was no longer achievable. Hence the US, Great Britain and France, as well as the addition of BENELUX nations, assembled together for the London Conferences, from February to June 1948. The other occupying powers were also realising that their collaboration with the Soviet Union was proving to be extremely challenging and all three nations were starting to review their previous policies.
The outcome of these conferences was the London program. The London program was formed to help institute a West German government and the means to achieving this would be the union of all three western zones and an alternation in the currency. In March 1948, the three allied powers made a decision to combine their different zones of Germany into a single monetary unit. Following this, the Soviet Union limited the supplies to Berlin and hence, began the Berlin Blockade.
The London program was thought to be the principal factor, even thought it was the combination of all three events that led the Soviets to blockade Berlin and cause one of the largest crises known in history of all time.
The Cold War was thought to reach crisis point in the grey days of the Berlin Blockade during the years 1948-49. The siege was an integral part of the Soviet Union’s plan to force the allied powers (Britain, America and France) out of Berlin and allow ultimate communist control. The dilemma endured for eleven months and resulted in failure for the Soviets.
There were thought to be three primary events that influenced the Soviet Union’s decision to blockade Berlin; the establishment of the Marshall Plan for the restoration of Europe, the London conferences during 1948’s winter and spring; and the subsequent London Program which requested for a distinct division between East and West Germany and the alteration of their
currency to see the end of this whole painful ordeal.
On March 1947, President Harry Truman proclaimed that America vowed to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. This policy was known as the Truman Doctrine. Soon after this announcement, the Marshall Plan was welcomed to provide friendly economic and financial assistance to the countries of Europe, West Germany in particular.
Amongst this pressure between the US and Soviet Union that seemed to be continuously mounting, the US determined that the shared control of conquered Germany with the Soviet Union was no longer achievable. Hence the US, Great Britain and France, as well as the addition of BENELUX nations, assembled together for the London Conferences, from February to June 1948. The other occupying powers were also realising that their collaboration with the Soviet Union was proving to be extremely challenging and all three nations were starting to review their previous policies.
The outcome of these conferences was the London program. The London program was formed to help institute a West German government and the means to achieving this would be the union of all three western zones and an alternation in the currency. In March 1948, the three allied powers made a decision to combine their different zones of Germany into a single monetary unit. Following this, the Soviet Union limited the supplies to Berlin and hence, began the Berlin Blockade.
The London program was thought to be the principal factor, even thought it was the combination of all three events that led the Soviets to blockade Berlin and cause one of the largest crises known in history of all time.