Consequently, Britain had to incur additional debt to the US, and the US had to spend more for the survival of its zone, while the Soviets gained applause among Eastern Europeans — many of whom were impoverished by the war and German occupation — who plundered the belongings of expellees, often before they were actually expelled.
Storbritannien måtte således yderligere gældsætte sig overfor USA og USA måtte bruge ekstra penge på sin zone mens Sovjetunionen blev prist af østeuropæerne, hvoraf mange var forarmede af krigen og den tyske besættelse, og som plyndrede de fordrevne for deres bohave, ofte allerede inden de blev fordrevet.