The division into East and West Germany along with the Berlin Airlift contributed to starting the heightening of tensions between the USSR and USA. At the end of World War 2 in 1945, the American, British and French forces were coming from the West to defeat Germany and Russia were coming from the East. Following the end of of WW2, the Yalta and Potsdam conferences took place, which were Allied peace conferences and it was concluded that Germany would be split into four occupation zones (one of each of the powers), with the East was for Soviet Union, whilst the West was the U.S.A., Great Britain and France. Berlin was technically in the Soviet part of what was then the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany; however they agreed to split it at the conference which took place in June 1945. However there were several issues with the division, particularly the issues of government with the west wanting a capitalist government and the East wanting a communist government. Briggs, an Australian historian who writes modern history textbooks, agrees with this orthodox view, said:
“Continual failure by the foreign ministers’ conferences from 1946 on the reunification of Germany led the American, British and French to openly plan the establishment of a provisional German government within their occupation zones.” (Briggs J, 2010, p.18.)
Also, West Berlin’s living standards were much better. Chris Butler, a historian who wrote the Flow of History articles, said the very much orthodox opinion: “… It was a constant reminder to East Germans all around of the much better standard of living in the West.” (Butler C, 2007: online.) The living standards due to capitalism being more appealing meant that defections were slowly on the rise, with over 129,000 fleeing to the West in 1949 alone. In 1948 Stalin tried to gain control of West Berlin by cutting off its routes to West Germany. This plan proved ineffective as America and Britain airlifted supplies into West Berlin, which became known as the Berlin Airlift, which lasted until Stalin gave up: which explains why so many were fleeing to the West in 1949. The division of Germany and the Berlin Airlift would have definitely contributed to the rising tensions.
“Continual failure by the foreign ministers’ conferences from 1946 on the reunification of Germany led the American, British and French to openly plan the establishment of a provisional German government within their occupation zones.” (Briggs J, 2010, p.18.)
Also, West Berlin’s living standards were much better. Chris Butler, a historian who wrote the Flow of History articles, said the very much orthodox opinion: “… It was a constant reminder to East Germans all around of the much better standard of living in the West.” (Butler C, 2007: online.) The living standards due to capitalism being more appealing meant that defections were slowly on the rise, with over 129,000 fleeing to the West in 1949 alone. In 1948 Stalin tried to gain control of West Berlin by cutting off its routes to West Germany. This plan proved ineffective as America and Britain airlifted supplies into West Berlin, which became known as the Berlin Airlift, which lasted until Stalin gave up: which explains why so many were fleeing to the West in 1949. The division of Germany and the Berlin Airlift would have definitely contributed to the rising tensions.