Post World War Ii Germany

Introduction

After The surrender of 1945, Germany was a country in shame, her once proud people, Prussian to Bavarian, were let down. The Third Reich was over, and the series of nations that would rise from the ashes would have much more in store for them. It would be another 40 years or so before she would be once again united, and encounter the taste of prosperity.

Part 1, A Divided Germany

I. Occupied Germany

After the surrender, Germany was split into 4 sectors. The French, The British, The Americans, And The Soviets. Once again, the Allies found each-other in a position in which they could not allow germany to rise once more. After the "denazification", plans were drawn up to re-stabilize Germany. But many saw it as putting Germany down further more. The so called "Morgenthau Plan" was a plan made to lower Germany's industrial capability. The German armed forces were dismantled, meaning the destruction of any sort of war factories in the German homeland. Civilian industries that could pose a threat to the se-rounding nations if there was to be another war were banned as well. Germany's heavy industry was cut down by 50%. And several industrial caps were introduced. Germany all in all was reduced to the likes of a third world country.

Map Showing Occupied Germany, 1946

II. Suffering of the German People.

As the was was lost, all German people who had settled in the lands that the Nazi regime had conquered were told to pack up and return to the German homeland. Noticeable mainly in the chaos that issued after the Red Army advanced on poland. More than 1 million people died, 3.6 million expelled, and the few lucky 1 million were designated as Poles. Although they were disappointed of loosing their Germanic background, their lives depended on it. As the trains that lead to Germany were ill equipped and several people died of starvation or froze to death. And in the German homeland, famine was very-well wreaking havoc. Daily nutrition intake of the Germans was down to around 1200 calories. A crisis overlooked by the allies, whom their laws did not allow aid to the German people. The situation worsened in the winter. For every three children that died on the European continent, two were German. Sever hostility was shown to the Germans, many of their women and children abused by Soviet soldiers. As well as being starved purposely.

German people after being expelled from Poland

III. Debts, the Price of Defeat, and Two New Nations

The German currency was in a mess, which did not comfort the german people of the fact that they had to pay the Allies. Inflation was at a high. But that was quickly settled when the Allies introduce a new currency, the "Deutsche Mark" This did help the looming 7 billion marks(2 billion dollars) of reparations to be payed. One way they made them pay this sum was in forced labour. Of which 4,000,000 Germans were put into. Prisoners in France were used to clear minefields. Hundreds died of this. This went on till 1948. By then a new war was about to begin, a war between Democracy and Communism... "The Cold War" This was an aspect that would divide germany into two nations, The former Allied sect becoming West Germany ( The Federal Republic of Germany) and the Soviet influenced,communist East Germany (The German Democratic Republic).

Part 2, East and West

I. West Germany, The Federal Republic of Germany

The new German state was gradually formed when the allies began to slowly hand over power to german officials. Made official by the economic merging of all the three Allied zones, and a new constitution. By 1955 they were independent enough to, without opposition, join NATO. And with the wake of the cold war, America was quick to remilitarize West Germany as a defense from the Soviet threat. But of-course this was met with opposition. Thus the EDC(European Defense Community) was formed. In which other european nations had right to control their own army's, but West Germanys army was to be controlled only by the EDC. This failed though as the French refused to ratify it. Giving way to a treaty that offered West Germany her own military. The Treaty of Brussels (treaty for the Western Union) was modified to include West Germany, giving her the right to bear arms once more, and in the process formed the Western European Union. The new nation had benefited from all this, as well as currency reforms. West Germany's economy had recovered at an amazing pace. GDP(Gross Domestic Product) increased by 35%. Poverty and starvation had disappeared. The living standards of the West German people improved greatly, and lastly the government was stable.

Volkswagen, a symbol of West German Economic Prosperity.

II. East Germany, The German Democratic Republic

The Soviet sector was itself turned into a nation, just as the West had done. By 1949, another Germanic Nation was made to exist. And they had adopted there predecessors ways of government as well, Communism. The USSR and all her allies recognized the country instantly, but but the west was not so keen on another communist nation, to them it was another issue they would have to deal with in the future. Nonetheless, there was no open objection, and no forceful action was taken. Thus creating one of the largest Cold War fronts. Life in the east was very different from the west. The nation still recovered, but it had taken more time than the west as their businesses are all state owned. Limiting their capacity for growth.

III. Berlin and Relations

Berlin was split in two, being the communists in the east, and the liberals in the west, of whom were literally surrounded by the East Germanic State. The liberal West Berlin was around 200KM from the mainland, deep in communist territory, and the only way to get in was by plane. There were clear differences between east and west berlin. Advertisements and businesses fill the streets in the west, while the east seams nothing but plain buildings. This difference could be noticed clearly by the East Germans, so they began to pour into the west. This could not be tolerated by the East. Thus the Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961.