| Front | Back | | --- | --- | | How do Traditionalist and Revisionist historians differ on the primary cause of the breakdown of the wartime alliance? |

Traditionalist view: The USSR caused the breakdown by aggressively expanding its control into Eastern Europe.
Revisionist view: The USA caused it by using its economic power to aggressively dominate Europe.

| | What is the Post-revisionist view of the breakdown of the wartime alliance? | The breakdown was caused by mutual misunderstandings and security concerns on both sides, rather than one-sided aggression. | | How did the differing post-WWII visions of the Western Allies and the USSR create structural tension in 1945? |

Western Allies: Wanted to establish democratic, capitalist nations across Europe.
USSR: Wanted to install communist governments in Eastern Europe to act as a buffer zone against future invasions.

| | Why did the issue of Poland cause deep mistrust among the Allies in 1945? | The Allies disagreed over whether Poland should have a democratic government (favoured by the West) or a Soviet-aligned communist government. | | In 1946, Winston Churchill delivered the Iron Curtain speech, which symbolized the growing ideological and physical division in Europe. | In 1946, Winston Churchill delivered the Iron Curtain speech, which symbolized the growing ideological and physical division in Europe. | | Why did disputes over German reparations help break down the wartime alliance? | The USSR wanted to economically strip Germany to rebuild its own war-torn economy, while the Western Allies wanted to rebuild Germany's economy to ensure European stability. | | How did the Marshall Plan (1947) and COMECON deepen the division of Europe? |

Marshall Plan: Offered US economic aid to rebuild Europe, which the USSR saw as an imperialist threat to buy influence.
COMECON: Created by the USSR to economically bind Eastern Europe to Moscow, cementing two rival economic blocs.

| | The USA introduced the Marshall Plan in 1947 to rebuild European economies, prompting the USSR to establish COMECON as an economic counter-bloc. | The USA introduced the Marshall Plan in 1947 to rebuild European economies, prompting the USSR to establish COMECON as an economic counter-bloc. | | Why did the Western Allies' introduction of a new currency in June 1948 trigger the Berlin Blockade? | Stalin saw a stable, Western-backed currency in West Berlin as a threat to Soviet economic influence and an attempt to unify Germany on Western terms. | | What mechanism did Stalin use during the Berlin Blockade (1948–49) to try and force the Western Allies out of Berlin? | He blocked all road, rail, and canal access to West Berlin, cutting off all land-based food and fuel supplies to the Western sectors. | | How did the Western Allies bypass the 1948 Berlin Blockade without starting a direct military conflict? | They launched the Berlin Airlift, flying food, coal, and medical supplies into West Berlin continuously for nearly a year. | | During the Berlin Airlift (1948–49), the Allies flew over 277,000 flights to deliver 2.3 million tons of supplies to West Berlin. | During the Berlin Airlift (1948–49), the Allies flew over 277,000 flights to deliver 2.3 million tons of supplies to West Berlin. | | How did the resolution of the Berlin Blockade in May 1949 accelerate the formal division of Germany? | Stalin's failure to force the Allies out led directly to the official creation of two separate states: the Western-aligned FRG (West Germany) and the Soviet-aligned GDR (East Germany). | | The division of Europe was militarized by the creation of NATO in 1949 and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact in 1955. | The division of Europe was militarized by the creation of NATO in 1949 and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact in 1955. | |

How did the geopolitical division of Germany change between 1949 and the construction of the Berlin Wall shown here in 1961?

1949: Germany split into two distinct states (FRG and GDR).
1961: The Berlin Wall was built to physically seal the border and stop East Germans from escaping to the capitalist West.

| | Contrast the political systems of the FRG (West Germany) and the GDR (East Germany) after 1949. |

FRG: A capitalist democracy with free, multi-party elections.
GDR: A communist, Soviet-aligned one-party state.

| | Contrast the economic developments of the FRG and GDR in the 1950s. |

FRG: Experienced the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) with rapid capitalist growth.
GDR: Suffered from slower, state-controlled socialist economic growth.

| | What was the primary social and economic motive for the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961? | To stop the massive "brain drain" of East Germans (especially highly educated and skilled workers) fleeing to the more prosperous West. | | In 1949, West Germany became the FRG (Federal Republic of Germany) and East Germany became the GDR (German Democratic Republic). | In 1949, West Germany became the FRG (Federal Republic of Germany) and East Germany became the GDR (German Democratic Republic). | | Why was Berlin geographically vulnerable to Soviet leverage during the Cold War? | West Berlin was a capitalist enclave located deep inside the Soviet occupation zone of East Germany, making its supply lines easily interceptable by the Soviets. |

Paper 1 - The Move to Global War6 subtopics

Paper 1 - Rights and Protest6 subtopics

Paper 1 - Conflict and Intervention6 subtopics

Paper 2 - Independence Movements5 subtopics

Paper 2 - Emergence and Development of Democratic States5 subtopics

Paper 2 - Authoritarian States7 subtopics

Paper 2 - Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars4 subtopics

Paper 2 - The Cold War: Superpower Tensions and Rivalries4 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of Europe18 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of the Americas18 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of Asia and Oceania18 subtopics

IB History Breakdown of the Wartime Alliance Flashcards

Flashcards for Breakdown of the Wartime Alliance

Flashcards for Breakdown of the Wartime Alliance - IB