1) What is a “bloc”?

A group of Allies or closely linked states

2) What was the outcome of the London Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1947?

Bitter accusations from both sides, turned US & GB to look to each other for

economic co-operation across Western Europe.

3) What was the Brussels Pact?

Agreement signed by Belgium, Britain, France, Luxembourg & the Netherlands

that promised mutual defence

4) What were the Americans hoping to see happen in Western Europe?

A United States of Europe forming, similar to USA.

5) Why did this not happen?

Countries, including Britain, refused to give up their own economic power.

6) What was the ‘powerful instrument’ controlling the Soviet Eastern Bloc?

COMINFORM

7) Why did Stalin not like Yugoslav leader Tito?

Didn’t like his independent thinking- talked about a South Eastern European

Federation

8) What did Stalin do? (3)

Withdrew support for Yugoslavia, demanded that they answered to Moscow, forced other members of

Eastern Bloc to expel Tito from Communist Leaders group.

9) What treaty defined the rights of Britain, France and the USA in newly created West Germany?

Occupation Statute

10) How did the Soviets respond to this?

The Berlin Blockade

11) What was their reason for doing this?

Feared the Soviet zone would be swamped with devalued Reichsmark.

12) How long did people think Berlin could last?

A matter of weeks

13) How did the West respond?

The Berlin airlift- transport of raw materials and food by plan along the

three “corridors” to Berlin.

14) Why were the USSR afraid to interfere?

Believed the bluff that the planes were accompanied by B-29 bombers carrying

atomic bombs

15) Why did talks on 2nd August fail?

Stalin wrongly interpreted the West’s willingness to talk as a weakness, and was uncompromising in his demands.

16) Why did the Soviet programme ultimately fail?

Warm winter in Berlin allowed constant flow of transport and reduced needs of

German people.

17) What was this the first test of?

US policy of Containment