Reconstruction of Germany

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Reconstruction of Germany
By Michelle, Matt and Eric
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• Thesis
• The U.S. government made the right decision to
  partake in the reconstruction of Germany because
  it insured the future of both the U.S. and
  Germany.

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Occupation Zones

• Allied leaders met at Potsdam in 1945
• Their final decision was to divide Germany up
  into four separate zones which would be occupied
  by France, Britain, the US and the USSR
• French in the Southwest
• British in the Northwest
• US in the South
• USSR in the East
• Berlin was divided into East and
• West Berlin
• East Berlin was communistic while West Berlin was
  Democratic

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• After WWII, no one could decide who deserved
  control of Germany. So, Germany was divided into
  the four zones.
• Russia claimed they deserved Germany, because of
  the massive amounts of civilian and military
  causalities Russia sustained during the war.
• Since Germany was such a central country, we did
  not want the USSR to have complete control of it.
  
• Both sides, the U.S. and Russia, had different
  visions for the future of Germany.
• If the U.S. had not been involved in the
  reconstruction of Germany, it may still have been
  a communist powerhouse today.

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Berlin Airlift and Berlin Blockade

• On June 24, 1948, the USSR stopped all shipments
  to Berlin from West Germany, which is known as
  the Berlin Blockade.
• The Airlift was the solution to the Blockade.
• If the United States had not been occupying, they
  would not have been able to assist so readily.
• The U.S. supplied West Berlin with 13,000 tons of
  food, fuel, and other items daily.
• A total of 200,000 flights were made.
• 1.5 million tons of supplies delivered
  altogether.
• Blockade ended on May 12, 1949.

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• Citizens of East Berlin were sneaking into West
  Berlin, so the Soviets constructed a wall to
  prevent this.
• The true reason for the blockade was that the
  Soviets were worried their section of Berlin
  would lose all power.
• The U.S. stated it was flying in food and
  supplies for not only U.S. soldiers stationed in
  East Berlin, but the citizens themselves.
• If the U.S. had not had territory so close to
  East Berlin, no relief may have been given to the
  Soviet Sector.

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It must be the policy of the US to support free
peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation
by armed minorities or outside pressures-Preside
nt Truman, March 1947

• This was the theme present within the policy that
  became known as the Truman Doctrine.

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The Marshall Plan

• General Marshall, the secretary of state in 1947,
  announced a plan to give economic aid to Europe
  and prepare a scheme for economic recovery.
• Encouraged strong economies and free
  institutions.
• The Soviets are worried that this may help
  Germany become an economic powerhouse once again,
  and they persuade smaller nations to refuse the
  Marshall Plans aid.
• The U.S. invested over 5,000,000,000 into France
  Turkey, and other European nations.
• The Goal of the U.S. government in regards to the
  Marshall Plan was to maintain or create
  democratic nations.

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The Berlin Wall

• Berlin was separated into East and West Berlin.
• East Berlin was a satellite of Russia, meaning it
  was under the complete control of the Soviets.
• On August 13, 1961, the German Democratic
  Republic came under the leadership of Erich
  Honecker.
• He ordered to block off East Berlin and the
  German Democratic Republic from West Berlin with
  barbed wire and antitank obstacles.
• Only a couple days later the barbed wire turned
  into the building of a solid wall.
• After August 23, 1961, the citizens of West
  Berlin could no longer enter East Berlin.
• On July 1, 1990 an economic and social union
  between East and West Germany was formed, and the
  wall was destroyed almost completely by 1991.

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Conclusion

• The Berlin Blockade could have been handled
  differently because the Soviets could have
  improved the living conditions of the citizens of
  Berlin East so they would not want to leave.
• The Berlin Airlift would not have been necessary
  if the Blockade had been avoided.
• Imperialism was an American ideal present during
  the reconstruction of Germany. Germany was
  completely destroyed, and the United States took
  up every opportunity to maintain control and
  influence over Germany.
• Liberty was another ideal present during the
  reconstruction of Germany because the United
  States supported free nations through The Truman
  Doctrine and The Marshall Plan. The United
  States felt that the communist nations were
  unjust and wanted to do everything in their power
  to support them.

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Therefore

• It was in the United States best interest to
  take part in the reconstruction of Germany
  because if not for the United States, Germany
  could have once again become a communist
  superpower.