18.1.9

The Berlin Crisis

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The Berlin Crisis

At Potsdam (July 1945), the Allies agreed that Germany, and Berlin within, would be divided into four zones of occupation. The USA, Britain and France controlled their zones together.

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West Berlin

  • West Berlin was controlled by the USA, Britain and France.
  • It became an island in the middle of the Soviet-controlled Eastern zone.
  • East Germany (controlled by the USSR) grew almost everything eaten in West Berlin.
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New currency

  • In June 1948, a new currency was introduced in West Germany: the Deutsche Mark.
  • Lots of people in the Soviet Zone of Berlin tried to get hold of the new currency.
  • The Marshall Plan's money had also made West Berlin very prosperous relative to East Berlin.
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The Berlin Blockade, June 1948

  • In June 1948, the USSR closed all transport links into West Berlin.
    • British, French and US troops were forced to leave the city.
    • This blocked all supplies into Berlin.
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The response

  • The Western powers did not want to look weak by pulling out of Berlin, which could not survive without supplies.
  • They also did not want to create a major incident by breaking through the road and rail links.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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