4.1 Berlin 1958-63 Flashcards
When did Khrushchev create the Berlin Ultimatum?
November 1958
Why did Khrushchev create the Berlin Ultimatum?
To kick Britain, France and America out of West Berlin
What were the demands on the Berlin Ultimatum?
- Berlin be demilitarised and Western troops withdrawn.
- Berlin become a free city with its own independent government (Soviet controlled)
How long did Khrushchev give the West to comply with the demands on the Berlin Ultimatum?
6 months
What did the Berlin Ultimatum fail to do?
To force the West to recognise East Germany a a legitimate country. Both Eisenhower and Adenauer (West German president) believed West Germany was the real Germany.
What did the Berlin Ultimatum lead to?
A series of talks with Khrushchev to try to resolve the ‘Berlin problem’: the summits.
How many summits were there?
4
Where and when were the different summits held?
Geneva (1959)
Camp David (1959)
Paris (1960)
Vienna (1961)
What went well and what went wrong in Geneva?
What went well:
Khrushchev was invited to visit the USA.
It is the first time the leaders meet since World War 2.
What went wrong:
No agreements were made.
What went well and what went wrong in Camp David?
What went well:
Better relations between leaders. First face to face meeting. USSR agreed to withdraw Berlin Ultimatum.
What went wrong:
No agreements about Berlin were made.
What went well and what went wrong in Paris?
What went well:
Nothing.
What went wrong:
No decision made. U-2 incident lead to mistrust.
Eisenhower refused to apologize. Khrushchev walked out of the meeting.
What went well and what went wrong in Vienna?
What went well:
Nothing.
What went wrong:
Khrushchev took advantage of Kennedy’s inexperience and renewed Berlin Ultimatum. Relations more tense, Kennedy increased spending on military.
Leaders wanted to strong and didn’t want to give in to the other leader, so they refused to make concessions.
How many East Germans had moved to West Germany by 1958?
3 million (1/6 of the population).
In just one day in August 40,000 people crossed from East to West Berlin.
Why did so many East Germans move to West Germany?
- Terrible living conditions
- Lack of jobs in East
- Jobs available in West
- More freedom in West - Civil rights
- East - no freedom/civil rights -> Secret police
- Strict leader - Walter Ulbricht
- Economic stability in West
What was the Death Strip?
Along the 43km section of the Berlin Wall, there were two walls, one facing East and the other West which were separated by a ‘no-mans land’ zone (nicknamed the ‘Death Strip’) packed with:
Booby traps
Barbed wire
Minefields
Car barriers
Guards in lookout towers with machine gun nests and searchlights.
When did the construction of the Berlin Wall begin?
12th August 1961.
How long was the Berlin Wall?
165km.
What were some positive outcomes of the Berlin Wall?
USSR - It stopped people from escaping to West Berlin. It meant that Communism would survive in Berlin and the West would never reunite Berlin to make it Capitalist.
USA - Meant that Khrushchev accepted the fact that East Berlin was theirs and West Berlin would never be. West Berlin became a symbol of freedom and defiance against Communism.
Overall - Refugee issues no longer an issue. Berlin was established. Khrushchev can’t bully Kennedy anymore.
What were some negative outcomes of the Berlin Wall
USSR - Kgrushchev abandoned plan to reunite Germany. Bad image for Communism and good image of Capitalism.
USA - USSR closed border without consulting USA. People wanting to escape communism no longer could.
Overall - Hostility continues between leaders - Khrushchev had to admit defeat that Communism is not considered as good. - Kennedy unable to do anything makes a speech. International outrage.
