Introduction
German question of 1945-90 is a set of territorial, political, and military problems arising from Hitler’s defeat in World War II and the formation of two German states, the FRG and the GDR (River 2018). The question of Germany’s destiny, its state structure, and postwar borders were on the agenda of the meetings of representatives of the leading countries – members of the anti-Hitler coalition (the USSR, Great Britain, and the USA) in the years of the World War II, including at the Teheran Conference in 1943 and the Crimea (Yalta) Conference in 1945.
Discussion
After Germany’s capitulation, their position was finally agreed upon at the Berlin (Potsdam) Conference in 1945 and laid down in the documents adopted at it. The victorious powers agreed to consider Germany as a single economic and political unit to carry out its demilitarization, denazification, and democratization. The eastern border of Germany was set along the Oder and Western Neisse rivers.
In the conditions of the Cold War, the increasing contradictions between the USSR and its Western allies, the withdrawal of the latter from the implementation of previous decisions on Germany, and the refusal to pursue a joint course in German affairs with the USSR led to the formation in May 1949 on the basis of American, British and French occupation zones of the Federal Republic of Germany and, as a counter step, to creation on the Soviet zone of occupation of Germany in October. 11949, the German Democratic Republic. The split of Germany led to a serious aggravation of the situation in Europe and in Germany itself.
Speaking of foreign policy, it is worth considering the factor of Germany’s division according to political spheres of influence and federalism of districts. As far as we know, the division of Germany into two republics had a negative impact on global trends and the development of international relations among other states. Many countries did not want to deal with a single country which is divided into two political blocs, unable to manage domestic problems. This greatly diminishes the possibility of interaction and of obtaining trade relations. 2It is also important to consider the political aspect, which affects the development of two countries within one territory. They belonged to countries that fought among themselves in different arenas, without open confrontation but with ostentatious activity.
Obviously, the Soviet Union could not afford to trade with a country with which it was in confrontation and which owned the other half of Germany. This hit the FRG economy hard and did not allow it to develop at the projected pace. However, it had a much greater impact on the GDR because it was a planned economy. It depended heavily on domestic resources, which the country was limited to at the time, as well as aid from other countries, which the Soviet republics were forbidden to do due to maintaining the closed nature of the country and the absence of foreign propaganda. It is also worth remembering that the USSR at the time was one of the strongest countries in the world market, but within the state itself, there was a movement for democracy and rejection of the authoritarian method of government. 3The same could be said for East Germany, which was lagging behind the other countries of its commonwealth and needed financial influence.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be said that the Cold War influenced the development of Germany as it exists today, slowing its growth and preventing it from reaching its full potential.
Bibliography
Krause, Scott H. 2018. Bringing Cold War Democracy to West Berlin. Routledge.
MacGregor, Iain. 2020. Checkpoint Charlie. Scribner.
River, Charles. 2018. Germany and the Cold War. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
Footnotes
- MacGregor, Iain. 2020. Checkpoint Charlie. Scribner.
- Krause, Scott H. 2018. Bringing Cold War Democracy to West Berlin. Routledge.
- River, Charles. 2018. Germany and the Cold War. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.