1944 → US → drew up Morgenthau Plan → involved breaking up Germany + dismantling its industries → so that it would never be strong enough to wage war again.
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implementation of 4 zones of occupation in Germany → took reference from that plan
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However with increasing tensions between East and West from 1945 onwards → Truman began to see → Germany → as possible future ally against USSR.
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Br. + Fr. → were also keen → for Germany → to start rebuilding its economy → as controlling their zones was a drain on resources.
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Early 1948 → US, Fr, Br → combined their zones → into single economic unit → known as Trizone
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new currency was also introduced.
To Stalin → seemed that US → was rebuilding his old enemy.
- he could not stop allies → but thought he could make a point by forcing them out of Berlin
- June 1948 → he carried out Berlin blockade → during which the USSR cut rail + road links → from allied zones to west Berlin.
- also disrupted water and power supplies.
- seemed like clever scheme
- if allies stayed in Berlin → people there would suffer
But Truman → not prepared to be driven out of Berlin
- to counter blockade → he ordered Berlin Airlift.
- For almost year → US and allies → supplied West Berlin with → coal + food + medicine by air.
- While western media → praised courage + endurance of air crews → Soviet media criticised the constant flights as unsafe.
- Stalin eventually gave up → lifted the blockade in → May 1949