THE BERLIN WALL

Another Cold War crisis Background East – West rivalry Berlin divided – contrast the two halves.

WEST: Prosperous, helped by US, attracted people from the East. Seen by USSR as infection in the heart of Communist East Germany.

EAST: Much less prosperous and under Communist control. Policies of forced collectivization.

Flow of refugees from East Germany or East Berlin to

West

1949-129,2451949-129,245

1951- 165,6481951- 165,648

1953- 331,3901953- 331,390

1955- 252,8701955- 252,870

1957- 261,6221957- 261,622

1959- 143,9171959- 143,917

1961- 1961- 207,026207,026

1962- 1962- 21,35621,356

1963- 1963- 42,63242,632

1964- 1964- 41,87641,876

What they wanted

The West Prevent USSR

from gaining control of East Germany

To see a united, democratic Germany

The East Maintain control over

East Germany Make the West

recognise it as an independent state

Stop the flood of refugees especially the skilled and professional ones – much needed in E Germany

1958-Soviet demandsNATO should: Recognise GDR Withdraw troops from West

Berlin Hand their access routes

over to the East German government.

Khrushchev bluffed that he would hand East Berlin over to the GDR. West

refused and Khrushchev backed down.

The Crisis of 1961 June-Vienna SummitKhrushchev pressured new American

President John F KennedyDemanded withdrawal of Western forces

from West Berlin – Kennedy refused July – Western powers reject

Khrushchev’s Vienna demands July 23 – Flow of refugees from East to

West = 1000 a day July 25 – Kennedy repeats support for

West Berlin and announced increase in arms spending.

Berlin, 1961. Berlin Wall at Zimmerstrasse. West Berliners watching over the Wall to the

East.

Berlin Wall being built – separation.

Events cont’d 13-22 August –

Khrushchev and East German government under Walter Ulbricht orders barbed wire barrier across Berlin, followed by a wall of concrete blocks

All of West Berlin encircled apart from a few access points

This was against the Four Power agreement reached in Paris on 20 June 1949.

Standoff between US and Soviet tanks at Checkpoint Charlie, 1961.

Did Kennedy really mind the wall?

•He had protected West Berlin and he never promised to protect East Berlin?

•He had stood up to Khruschev

•A PR victory for capitalism.

Results Important results for Berlin, Germany

and the Cold War BerlinBerlin was divided, free access ended

between East and West, many families split, many attempted to escape to the West-between 1961 and 1989, 86 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall

In the last phase of the wall's development, the "death strip" between fence and concrete wall.

Berlin, 1963. John F. Kennedy visiting Berlin on June 26, 1963.

Results cont’d Kennedy accepted the

Soviet action. He refused to use US troops to pull down the wall to avoid war.

Kennedy looked weak but West turned it into propaganda – why if Communism was so attractive was a wall needed?

1963 – Kennedy visited West Berlin – pledged continued support – ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ (I am a Berliner) – famous speech

Khrushchev lost face by failing to remove the West from Berlin