Berlin Blockade Document Analysis

Document Analysis

1. What type of document is this? What is its purpose?      


     Source A and Source B are both government reports from the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) to President Truman. The purpose of the documents are to mention to the president the possible threat they could be facing from the Soviets and what options are available for them to take. 
 

2. When was it written? Why is that significant?  


     The documents were written on June 30, 1948. The date the documents were written is significant because the reports were written during the time of the events taking place between the Soviets and America. Source A, was written 2 days after the conference held in Karlshorst, between Russian officials and members of the German industrial committee. Source B, was written 7 days after the justice administration of the Soviet Zone issued a directive on the judicial measures to be taken in connection with currency reform.   


3. Who created the document? Who received the document?     
 
     The documents were created by the Director of Central Intelligence, R.H Hillenkoetter and were received by president Truman. 

4. Who is Marshal Sokolovsky?     
 
     Marshal Sokolovsky was a Russian official who led the other Russian officials at the conference in Karlshorst. Sokolovsky was the one who stated the three possibilities the Soviets could take in regards to the United States including; starting a war, lift travel restrictions in Berlin, or leave Berlin to the West.   


5. How did the CIA get information of the meeting between Marshal Sokolovsky and German members of the German industrial committee? 


      The CIA got their information of the meeting between Marshal Sokolovsky and German members of the German industrial committee from a spy, a trusted comrade to the United States who obtained information from the conference and reported it back to U.S officials.   
 
  

6. What were the three Soviet alternatives as they presented themselves when this document was written? What policy did the Soviets pursue over the course of the next nine months? Why?   


     The three Soviet alternatives as they presented themselves when this document was written were; to start a war with the U.S, lift travel restriction on Berlin, or leave Berlin entirely to the West, giving them the rail line. The Soviets knew war was impossible due to bad harvest prospects. They didn't want to lift travel restrictions on Berlin because they thought that would make the Russians loose control. Therefore, the Soviets figured the West could feed all of Berlin. Tulpanov, stated that 2,000 tons of food would be needed daily in order to feed the Germans in the Western sectors. 




7. Stalin stated in a speech on February 9, 1946, "he [Stalin] blamed the last war on 'capitalist monopolies' and warning that, since the same forces still operated, the USSR must treble the basic materials of national defense such as iron and steel, double coal and oil production, and to delay the manufacture of consumer goods until rearmament was complete." Who are the "capitalist monopolies?" How does this statement enlighten the Soviet viewpoint against the United States? Were the Allies justified in cancelling the shipments of German reparations to the Soviets at the end of World War II? Why did the Soviets rely so heavily on Germany for food and industry?        


     The "capitalist monopolies" are the enemies of Stalin; the U.S.A, Britain, and France. This statement enlightens the Soviet viewpoint against the United States because it exemplifies the  Soviet viewpoint that the United States was their enemy even though they were supposed Allies. The Allies were justified in cancelling the shipments of German reparations to the Soviets at the end of World War II because they were preventing war with the Soviet Union and reducing communist threat to the U.S. After the war, the Soviets needed iron, steel, coal, and oil to build up their troops and their defense. The soviets relied so heavily on Germany for food and industry because Germany was able to produce more amounts of food and supplies due to Germany's industrial advantages. They had industries that the Soviets didn't have, which made the Soviets rely on Germany for food and industry.