Diplomacy with and Toward Germany
Diplomacy after WWII: The end of WWII meant the end of Nazi Germany and the tentative cooperation between the United States and the USSR. With the common enemy destroyed the United States and USSR attempted to work together to help Europe recover, but drastically differing ideologies and feelings of distrust and fear made diplomacy between the last two major super powers difficult and proverbial lines were drawn. The remaining European countries, most notably Germany, were divided and were left little choice but to choose sides in a cold war that lasted decades.
The Allies attempted to work with each country to establish democratic governments and stimulate economic growth. Countries were encouraged, through the newly established United Nations and America’s European Recovery Program, to work together on join operations. The United Nations became a diplomatic stage, allowing countries to mediate their issues without getting involved in aggressive actions. The formation of NATO led to a strengthening of diplomatic relations between the Allies and other western nations but it did damage to relations with communist nations such as Russia.
The USSR tried to work with the Allies but conflicting ideas led to a lack of trust and diplomacy failed. A cold war began where the United States and the Soviets began an arms race with the Allies afraid of communism invading the rest of Europe and Stalin afraid of the Allies undermining his control over Russia and its satellites. To Stalin the existence of NATO reinforced this idea and made him even more wary of the Allies, further damaging diplomatic relations.
Changes: The landscape of Europe was drastically changed by the time peace was declared. The balance of power across the globe was altered with five countries being kicked “from the ranks of the great powers—France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and even Britain” (Lyons, 2010), leaving America, the beacon of capitalism and liberal democracy, alongside the communism and totalitarianism of Stalin’s USSR. Every country in Europe, both Eastern and Western, struggled to rebuild and had to face the realities of failing economies, desperate populations and changing governments.
The Allies attempted to work with each country to establish democratic governments and stimulate economic growth. Countries were encouraged, through the newly established United Nations and America’s European Recovery Program, to work together on join operations. The United Nations became a diplomatic stage, allowing countries to mediate their issues without getting involved in aggressive actions. The formation of NATO led to a strengthening of diplomatic relations between the Allies and other western nations but it did damage to relations with communist nations such as Russia.
The USSR tried to work with the Allies but conflicting ideas led to a lack of trust and diplomacy failed. A cold war began where the United States and the Soviets began an arms race with the Allies afraid of communism invading the rest of Europe and Stalin afraid of the Allies undermining his control over Russia and its satellites. To Stalin the existence of NATO reinforced this idea and made him even more wary of the Allies, further damaging diplomatic relations.
Changes: The landscape of Europe was drastically changed by the time peace was declared. The balance of power across the globe was altered with five countries being kicked “from the ranks of the great powers—France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and even Britain” (Lyons, 2010), leaving America, the beacon of capitalism and liberal democracy, alongside the communism and totalitarianism of Stalin’s USSR. Every country in Europe, both Eastern and Western, struggled to rebuild and had to face the realities of failing economies, desperate populations and changing governments.
http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/ffap/Unit_11_Cold_War/151_Map_Cold_War_Europe_678w.GIF
The Fate of Germany: Germany had been invaded on both sides but the Soviets captured Berlin before the Allies. Once the country surrendered “the Soviets and the Western Allies divided Germany into occupation zones” (Lyons, 2010), including Berlin, although the city itself rested deep within USSR territory. The powers tried to cooperate but drastically differing ideas led to a political battle over how Germany would move forward after the war.
By late 1946 “the British and Americans abandoned all hope of cooperation with the Soviets and merged their zones under one administration” (Lyons, 2010), with the French joining them by March of 1948. The Allies desired a democratic Germany while the USSR wanted communism to take over. After the joining of the Allies’ zones they announced the preparations of creating a federal West Germany. By May of 1949 an independent and federal West German state existed “and the Soviets responded by creating a Communist East German republic in their zone” (Lyons, 2010), confirming a divided Germany.
In the end, Germany learned from its experience under the Nazi regime. Despite their lack of success with democratic governments, the German people eventually found something that worked.
By late 1946 “the British and Americans abandoned all hope of cooperation with the Soviets and merged their zones under one administration” (Lyons, 2010), with the French joining them by March of 1948. The Allies desired a democratic Germany while the USSR wanted communism to take over. After the joining of the Allies’ zones they announced the preparations of creating a federal West Germany. By May of 1949 an independent and federal West German state existed “and the Soviets responded by creating a Communist East German republic in their zone” (Lyons, 2010), confirming a divided Germany.
In the end, Germany learned from its experience under the Nazi regime. Despite their lack of success with democratic governments, the German people eventually found something that worked.
References
Images
- Lyons, M. (2010). World War II: A short history (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, (63-66)
- The Soviet Era. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.geographia.com/russia/rushis07.htm
Images
- Google. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search
- Individual Url’s under each image
Credit: Amanda