Journal of East China Normal University (Philosoph ›› 2019, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (4): 71-81.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2019.04.008

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Reexamination on Stalin's Policy towards Germany after the World War Ⅱ (1945-1953): Based on the Records of the Meetings with Leaders of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany

GE Jun   

  • Online:2019-07-15 Published:2019-07-22

Abstract: After the World War II,there was some tension in Stalin's solution to the German Problem, which caused ambiguity of the Soviet Union's goal in German policy. At first Stalin pursued a unified Germany with a "coalition government" and hoped that it would become a buffer zone of security between the Soviet Union and the West. However,with the break of the Cold War and the failure of the "coalition government" policy in Eastern Europe,Stalin tacitly approved of the establishment of the GDR's government. On the other hand,he still demanded the struggle for the reunification of Germany as the most important political task,and he did not support the official socialist construction in East Germany for a long time. The "Stalin Note" on March 10th,1952 was his last attempt to prevent the integration of the FRG into the western alliance. After the failure of his attempt,Stalin finally accepted the fact of the German split,but he was unwilling to allow the Soviet Union to assume the responsibility of splitting Germany. Stalin's attitude towards the German Problem led to the disagreement in the highest Soviet leadership on the German Problem after his death.

Key words: Stalin, German Problem, SED, GDR