Throughout history, empires have arisen and then fallen; one nation is dominant for a period of time, but eventually they fade away and another nation takes its place. The most dominant country at any point in history was defined as being so by its ability to control other nations, whether it be, as was the case most often, by conquering due to superior military strength, or, as is seen more recently, through wealth and economic strength. After World War Two, America and the Soviet Union were the two most powerful nations on Earth. While many European countries had been torn apart by the war and in need of much rebuilding, the United States had thrived economically due to the industries that emerged to support the war effort. The Soviet Union
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War memorials were set up so as to show communism in a good light. Communist resistance fighters had memorials dedicated to them and the whole idea of remembrance was used to discredit the Allies as a haven for Nazi sympathizers and the war as the triumph of communism over fascism. The process of denazification in the East was used as a means of nationalization. The land of Nazi sympathizers, who were often wealthy, was taken. The land was redistributed among the citizens. This process was often corrupt though since land was not split evenly among the people. Nationalization was justified as antifascist policy since no one would wish to appear sympathetic toward Nazis. A referendum took place in Saxony asking if voters wanted to put “the factories of war criminals and Nazi criminals into the hands of the people?” This passed, of course, and the property of these war criminals was put into the hands of not the people, but the state. Policy in Germany following the Second World War was used in such a way as to benefit the Allies in the West and the Soviets in the East. The framework for the states that were to emerge was established at this point as each side entrenched itself into the political and social framework of their respective …show more content…
The Allies were afraid of socialism, which was popular within West Germany, taking control of the area as it could be a means of Soviet expansion. A clause was proposed to be inserted into the constitution saying that the property of Nazis and war criminals would be passed to the state. This is quite similar to how the Soviets acted so the US American Deputy Military Governor, General Clay, insisted on a referendum. When the results revealed that the citizens were heavily in favour of this clause being inserted, General Clay simply overruled the clause and didn’t allow it to become part of the constitution. This shows that the Allies were more concerned with establishing a state in West Germany that would best serve the interests of the United States, namely the assurance that Soviet power would not extend too far and overtake that of the US.
In 1948, the Allied Zone introduced a new currency in order to get rid of a cash surplus, called the Deutschmark. The Soviet Zone also introduced their own new currency and included Berlin as part of the economic zone that would be using this currency. Though Berlin lay in the
War memorials were set up so as to show communism in a good light. Communist resistance fighters had memorials dedicated to them and the whole idea of remembrance was used to discredit the Allies as a haven for Nazi sympathizers and the war as the triumph of communism over fascism. The process of denazification in the East was used as a means of nationalization. The land of Nazi sympathizers, who were often wealthy, was taken. The land was redistributed among the citizens. This process was often corrupt though since land was not split evenly among the people. Nationalization was justified as antifascist policy since no one would wish to appear sympathetic toward Nazis. A referendum took place in Saxony asking if voters wanted to put “the factories of war criminals and Nazi criminals into the hands of the people?” This passed, of course, and the property of these war criminals was put into the hands of not the people, but the state. Policy in Germany following the Second World War was used in such a way as to benefit the Allies in the West and the Soviets in the East. The framework for the states that were to emerge was established at this point as each side entrenched itself into the political and social framework of their respective …show more content…
The Allies were afraid of socialism, which was popular within West Germany, taking control of the area as it could be a means of Soviet expansion. A clause was proposed to be inserted into the constitution saying that the property of Nazis and war criminals would be passed to the state. This is quite similar to how the Soviets acted so the US American Deputy Military Governor, General Clay, insisted on a referendum. When the results revealed that the citizens were heavily in favour of this clause being inserted, General Clay simply overruled the clause and didn’t allow it to become part of the constitution. This shows that the Allies were more concerned with establishing a state in West Germany that would best serve the interests of the United States, namely the assurance that Soviet power would not extend too far and overtake that of the US.
In 1948, the Allied Zone introduced a new currency in order to get rid of a cash surplus, called the Deutschmark. The Soviet Zone also introduced their own new currency and included Berlin as part of the economic zone that would be using this currency. Though Berlin lay in the