The Causes of the Berlin Crisis, 1948 (Edexcel GCSE History)

The Causes of the Berlin Crisis - Summary

After the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, the Allies decided to split Germany into four zones occupied by the USA, Britain, France and the Soviet Union.

However, as tensions between the West and East increased following the end of the Second World War in August 1945, it was clear that the Allies had differing views on how to best govern Germany.

Economic differences between the capitalist West and the communist East prompted the countries of the USA, Britain and France to join their zones together to create Trizonia. Stalin and the Soviet Union saw this as the West’s attempts to weaken the Soviet zone in Germany. This was made worse by the creation of a new currency called the Deutschmark that all but split Germany in two.

As a result, the Soviet Union shut off the land routes in Soviet-controlled Germany,  preventing Trizonia from accessing their zone in Berlin. This became known as the Berlin Crisis.

The Division of Berlin

• At the Potsdam Conference, it was agreed that Germany and also Berlin would be split into four zones of occupation:

  • Each zone was to be controlled by the USA, Britain, France and the Soviet Union

• The division was only meant to be temporary, while a new German government was created

• A joint organisation called the Allied Control Commission (ACC) was in charge of the running of Germany

• However, tensions between the West and East led to disagreements between the four zones on how to best treat Germany

• In March 1948, the representative for the Soviet Union’s zone stormed out of a meeting held by the ACC

How did the four zones want to treat Germany?

Bizonia, 1947 and Trizonia, 1948

• Germany had been split into four zones of occupation in 1945

• In 1947, the USA and Britain merged their zones to create ‘Bizonia’

• After the walkout of the Soviet representative in March 1948, France merged their zone with the USA and Britain to create ‘Trizonia’

• In March 1948, Germany was split into two main zones:

  • The Western countries of the USA, Britain and France controlled the western zone

  • The Soviet Union controlled the eastern zone

The creation of 'Bizonia' and 'Trizonia'

• As with Germany, Berlin was also split into different zones:

  • By 1948, Trizonia controlled West Berlin and the Soviet Union controlled East Berlin

• The 'Iron Curtain' separating the capitalist West from the communist East was now centred in Germany and Berlin

Soviet Reaction to the Creation of the Deutschmark

• In June 1948, the three Western countries created a new currency for Trizonia known as the Deutschmark

  • This decision infuriated Stalin and further increased tensions between the West and East

How did the Deutschmark impact 'Cold War' relations?

• Stalin was determined to protect the Soviet zone in Germany and ensure that it remained communist

• He planned to block Trizonia’s access to their zone in Berlin, which itself was in the heart of Soviet-occupied Germany

• This became known as the Berlin Blockade