In 1948, the USSR blockaded West Berlin, so as to get rid of Western influence from Berlin, as, when Germany was split into four, Berlin was in the Soviet Sector. However, Stalin had already agreed to split Berlin into four as well, as it was the capital; and it produced much more money. With this piece of evidence, we know that Stalin g g g was not to be trusted, as you would also see throughout this essay. As a result of this blockade, Truman decided to fly in the vital supplies to Berlin, as had been very they had been cut off from all this. This angered Stalin and he could have shot down all the planes with the supplies very easily, but then that would have led to another war, but this time, with nuclear weapons that were well developed. All of this angered Stalin because he thought that the USA were thinking of themselves as the World’s policemen, and that they were acting all good in front of everyone, and making out the USSR to be the villains. Stalin had also hoped for an appalling winter, so as to when this happens, the West Berliners would get starved out. However, in result to all of this, it was unsuccessful. This had humiliated Stalin so much; he had to just unblock Berlin.
Because the USSR had been so aggressive, the West became determined to prevent the USSR from ever threatening them again. As a result, in 1949, NATO was formed. NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. This Organisation consisted of twelve Western countries that came together and act as ‘a shield against aggression’ and act as a defensive alliance. Furthermore, in 1951, Greece and Turkey joined NATO; this troubled Stalin as these two countries were very close to the USSR. Stalin then spoke out and said that NATO was not a defensive alliance, but an offensive alliance, and that America was trying to attack the USSR.
In retaliation, the USSR set up The Warsaw Pact. Stalin had set this Pact up so that he could attack back in case NATO attacked the USSR. Stalin also set up troops in all of the Warsaw Pact Countries, so that they could remain there and they could attack quickly if NATO did. As a result, USSR and the USA are building up allies and have split up Europe into two militarised camps.
