A Divided Berlin Flashcards
How was divided Berlin advantageous for the US?
It gave them a foothold inside the Soviet Eastern Bloc
What did many Germans do and why?
Crossed over from East Berlin to West Berlin because they didn’t like having a communist government, East Germany was repressed
Why was East Germans crossing to the western side problematic for the USSR? (Give two reasons)
- Many skilled workers left for west Germany, this resulted in a shortage of skilled workers in the east
- It made it look like people preferred west Germany to east Germany
Why didn’t the USSR push the west out of Berlin by force?
A war would start and the USSR knew they couldn’t win because the USA had developed the hydrogen bomb by 1952
What was Khrushchev’s six-month ultimatum?
He demanded that the western powers must leave Berlin in six months - or else.
When did Khrushchev put forward his demand for the western powers to leave Berlin?
1958
How did the USA respond to Khrushchev’s ultimatum? (3 marks)
- Didn’t want to leave Berlin as it would be too humiliating
- Yet.. they didn’t want to start a war either
- Instead the USA suggested a conference to sort out the problems
How many big conferences were there and what were they known as?
4 Summits
When was the Paris summit and why was it important?
1960: It was a disaster, Eisenhower refused to apologise for an american spy plane in the USSR and the summit collapsed
When and where was the final summit and what is it’s significance?
1961, Vienna: Neither side was willing to back down, Kennedy began to prepare the USA for nuclear war.
Khrushchev backed down as he knew he couldn’t win a nuclear war, but how did he sort out his problem in Berlin?
He built the Berlin wall
When was the Berlin wall built?
August 1961
Why was the Berlin wall so awful for the German people?
Anyone trying to cross the border was shot at and many people were killed
What was the importance of JFK’s visit to west Berlin in 1963?
His speech made West Berlin into a symbol of freedom
