1. Germany After WWII

3. Germany Shadow of Empire built up over past century Lost territory in East to Poland At Yalta Conference(and Potsdam), Allies agreed to split Germany into 4 Zones controlled by USA, Great Britain, France, and Soviet Union

5. Germany Occupied All four allied countries maintained their occupying forces in their respective zones Germany was not allowed to have any military force whatsoever Factories, ports, and other important aspects of the German military industrial complex were shut down

6. Allied Zones Merge In 1949, the American, British, and French zones merged to become the Federal Republic of Germany, commonly called West Germany Adopted a parliamentary republic Executive made up of a president and a chancellor Legislative assembly called the Bundestag

7. Soviet Union Zone The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was also created in 1949 Centrally-controlled command economy was technically ruled by the German Socialist Party In reality most directives controlling the state came from the Soviet capital, Moscow (Communism)

8. Economics Both W and E Germany struggle initially due to high cost of war and local destruction West Germany rebounded considerably well economically due to assistance from the Marshall Plan American effort to provide money, goods, and other economic assistance to Western European countries after WWII in exchange for greater social and diplomatic influence

9. Economics East Germany, however, faltered under its Soviet (Communist) directives Life for those in East Germany was far harder than for its former countrymen in West Germany