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Causes and results of the Berlin Crisis of 1948
Important dates and events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 1947 | Britain and the USA join their two zones together into Bi-zonia (two zones). |
| December 1947 | London Conference: America, Britain and France meet to discuss Germany's future. Russia is not present. |
| January 1948 | Russia starts to stop western literature being sold in the Soviet zone. |
| March 1948 | The USA offers Marshall Aid. Stalin forbids Cominform countries to take part. |
| April 1948 | Russia imposes a partial blockade of west Berlin - Allied transport into the city has to apply for a permit and is inspected. |
| 1 June 1948 | America, Britain and France announce they wanted to create a new country of West Germany. |
| 23 June 1948 | America, Britain and France introduce a new currency - this causes economic chaos in the Russian zone as everyone tries to get rid of their old money and change to the new currency. |
Now consider this quote from the US commander in Berlin, General Clay:
When Berlin falls, Western Germany will be next. If we withdraw our position in Berlin, Europe is threatened... Communism will run rampant.
General Clay
Results of the Berlin Crisis of 1948
- Germany was divided into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the Democratic Republic of Germany (East Germany) until 1990.
- The Iron Curtain became permanent.
- The Cold War broke out into open confrontation, and the two superpowers began an Arms Race.
- In 1949, the Allies set up the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as a military alliance to resist Soviet Russia.
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