Berlin Crisis 1961 Flashcards
What was the 1958 Berlin ultimatum?
This was where Krushchev accused the allies of breaking the Potsdam agreement and he gave them 6 months to move out. He said Berlin could be a free city.
Describe the meetings that followed the ultimatum?
1959 - Eisenhower visited the US in 1959 and a meeting in Camp David was arranged to discuss Berlin and nuclear weapons.
9 days before the meeting in Paris on 14 May 1961, the Soviet Union made allegations that they had shot down a U-2 plane near Sverdlovsk and Eisenhower refused to apologise. This led to Krushchev storming out of the preliminary meeting.
What were the problems with the west?
West Germany had joined NATO in 1955 and joined the European Economic Community in 1958. They were becoming stronger every day economically and Krushchev feared the military threat.
What happened at Vienna, June 1961?
Krushchev hoped to push Kennedy around but he did not know Kennedy had reasserted the Truman doctrine and Kennedy refused to accept the treaty and withdraw his troops. He increased defence spending by 3.5 million and the SU did by 30% in July.
When was the 50km wall built?
On 13 August, 1961.
What were the results?
Families were split and travel restrictions made meeting with family difficult.
Kennedy had not started war.
The Soviet Union had broken the 1949 agreement.
This showed the division in the world.
The fear of economic collapse in the east evaporated.
Tension was eased.
This showed Berlin was still a tool of the West Superpowers.
John F Kennedy made speeches in 1963 in west Germany to 2.5 million.
What were the causes of the Berlin crisis?
West Berlin was a symbol of capitalist prosperity.
The ‘brain drain,’ - 4 million fled to the west from the east.
Forced collectivisation of agriculture and the end of private trading were unpopular.
Shortages in supplies.
The West was said to be used as a base for espionage.
Berlin was a gap in the Soviet Union.
