“The breakdown of the wartime alliance was the main reason for the division of Germany by 1949.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that the breakdown of the wartime alliance was the main reason for the division of Germany by 1949. Candidates may refer to the continuous series of meetings between the major powers after 1945 in which major differences emerged; the initial agreement around unity of the German state breaking down in the Potsdam Conference; larger issues of cooperation between the occupational forces were never fully resolved. Some candidates may argue that the Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1947 showed considerable disagreement between Soviet demands for reparations and the Western policy of making Germany self-sufficient or the Soviet division of Berlin being directly linked to no final agreement around reparations. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example Cold War tensions or Stalin’s desire for a buffer zone between east and west could be considered equally important in the division of Germany. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that the breakdown of the wartime alliance was the main reason for the division of Germany by 1949. There was some good knowledge and understanding of the period shown by stronger candidates. Weaker candidates lacked a sufficient knowledge base and discussed events post 1949, including the construction of the Berlin Wall.