Berlin 1958-63: Increased tensions and the impact of the Berlin Wall Flashcards
Cold War crises, 1958-70
The refugee problem in Berlin, 1958
Due to West Germany having much higher standards of living (made possible by the Marshall Plan) and East Germany suffering from a low standard of living (as Comecon offered very little aid), three million East Germans, including skilled workers like engineers, technicians and teachers (the kinds of people that the Soviet Union needed to help rebuild its economy), left to West Berlin, before travelling to any other part of West Germany.
Khrushchev’s Berlin Ultimatum
To stop the flood of skilled workers from leaving East Germany, Khrushchev decided that if Berlin became communist, it would be much harder for them to leave. He started by demanding that Western countries should officially recognise East Germany as an independent country. They refused as they thought Germany could still be reunited.
So, on 27 November 1958, Khrushchev issued his Berlin Ultimatum, demanding:
- Berlin should be demilitarised and Western troops withdrawn
- Berlin should be a free city
The West had six months to make these changes or the control of transport would be handed over to East Berlin. This meant that, if transport lines were closed, the Western powers would have to talk to the government, acknowledging East Germany as a legitimate country.
Impact of Berlin Ultimatum on international relations
The West was outraged and saw Khrushchev’s actions the Soviet Union trying to spread communism, but Khrushchev saw his demands as essential action to stop people from migrating.
By 1958, both USA and Soviet Union had large numbers of nuclear weapons, but neither side was willing to use them.
Free city
A city with its own independent government. Khrushchev did not really mean to make Berlin independent - he wanted it to be controlled by the Soviet Union.
The summit meetings of 1959-61: Geneva, May 1959
First meeting between foreign ministers was held in neutral Switzerland. Both sides put forward proposals for how Berlin should be governed, but no agreement was reached.
The summit meetings of 1959-61: Camp David, September 1959
Eisenhower and Khrushchev met face-to-face for the first time at the presidential ranch. There was still no agreement about a way forward for Berlin, but the Soviets agreed to withdraw the Berlin Ultimatum. The meeting appeared to establish better relations between the two leaders.
The summit meetings of 1959-61: Paris, May 1960
The Soviet Union announced that they had shot down an American U-2-spy-plane as it flew over USSR. The Americans claimed that it was a weather plane, but after interrogation, the Soviet Union found out that the pilot, Gary Powers, had been on a spy mission. Eisenhower, although he was embarrassed, he refused to apologise, so Khrushchev walked out of the meeting. No decisions were made in the meeting.
The summit meetings of 1959-61: Vienna, June 1961
Khrushchev believed he could get his way with Kennedy since he thought he was inexperienced, so he renewed his Berlin Ultimatum.
Kennedy refused to make any concessions and no final decision was made on Berlin in the meeting.
The personal relationship between the two leaders became strained after this meeting.
After the meeting, Kennedy decided to increase spending on American armed forces - it seemed that USA was prepared to fight over Berlin.
John F. Kennedy
He was one of the youngest men ever to be elected President, so people, including Khrushchev, assumed he was inexperienced, but his assumption proved wrong, as seen in the events of Berlin and Cuba. He followed a policy of building up the USA’s military forces, but at the same time trying to resolve difficulties through talks.
Building the Berlin Wall
As tensions between the Soviet Union and the West increased, many more people decided to leave to West Berlin, so on the night of 12 August 1961, East German troops built a barbed wire fence around Berlin and between East and West Berlin. Soon, work on a concrete wall stretching 165 km began. East Germany’s refugee problem was solved.
Impacts of the Berlin Wall: The impact in Berlin
Since the wall cut through the centre of Berlin, buildings and homes were demolished displacing several people.
Many people tried to escape quickly while it was still being built and many died in the attempt.
People were divided from their families living on the other side of the wall, not able to see them for a very long time.
Impacts of the Berlin Wall: The impact on the Soviet Union
Negative outcomes - Khrushchev had to abandon plans to unite Germany under Soviet control; the wall showed that the Soviet Union had to ‘lock’ people in to stop them leaving (given a choice, they seemed to prefer capitalism over communism).
Positive outcomes - the wall stopped people from leaving to West Berlin; It sent the message that communism would survive in Berlin and any attempt made to reunite Germany would fail.
Impacts of the Berlin Wall: The impact on the USA
Negative outcomes - the Soviet Union closed the border without asking the USA; the people who wanted to escape from communism couldn’t anymore.
Positive outcomes - the wall showed that Khrushchev had to accept Western control in Berlin; West Berlin became an emblem of freedom and defiance against communism.
‘Ich bin ein Berliner.’ speech by Kennedy
Kennedy’s reputation improved when he went to West Berlin in 1963 to celebrate their freedom in contrast to the restrictions in the East. There, he was treated as a celebrity after he gave his speech.
Impacts of the Berlin Wall: The impact on international relations
Negative outcomes - the two sides had been arguing about Berlin since the Second World War and things had become so bad that a concrete wall had to be built dividing Germany; the wall became a powerful symbol of differences between the East and the West.
Positive outcomes - now that the border between East and West Berlin was closed, there was less chance that the USA and Soviet Union would go to war over it; so the building of the wall reduced tensions in some ways.
