Berlin Wall Flashcards
What happens during the building of the Berlin Wall?
On August 13th people woke up to find a barbed wire wall dividing the city.
The barrier split east and west which meant fa likes were torn apart.
3 days later concrete blocks began to replace the wire.
In the east people risked death to try and escape through the last gaps in the wall.
What was life in the West like due to the Berlin wall?
- they had not enough space to build buildings
- they were isolated and relied on the allies to give them resources and defend them.
- full of consumerism and shops and goods.
- highly militated by police
What was life in the East like due to the Berlin wall?
- no consumerism or shops
- money had no value, schools and transport were free.
- compulsory military service. East was a police state so the always watched citizens. If they found a citizen suspicious they would be followed by a spy.
- equal pay and cheap to live their
Reasons the USSR would give to the building of the Berlin Wall?
Berlin blockade failed this was the next step in solving the problem.
Chance to consolidate control over another satellite state.
Khrushchev wanted the complete removal of all allied troops from the city.
He was angry the Americans had refused to apologise for the U2 incident of espionage (spying)
Soviets believed there were spy centres in the east that the USA used to spy of soviets. The wall would not protect against US spies.
Reasons the USA would give to the building of the Berlin Wall?
To stop highly skilled workers and well qualified workers form leaving East Berlin.
To save the reputation of communism and ensure its survival.
West Germany became more prosperous after the Deutschmark and this became obvious to those in the east who began to leave.
West Berlin was an embarrassment to the USSR, which had been transformed through US economic aid into a showpiece of capitalism.
What were the consequences of the building of the Berlin wall for Berlin?
The number of people defecting from East to West had reduced
There was no war over the Berlin issue. This had been avoided by the wall
It stabilised the economy of East Germany- only one currency existed after the wall
The official number of deaths attempting to cross the wall was 136 but some say it could have been as many as 200.
What were the consequences of the building of the Berlin wall for Kennedy/USA?
it was a propaganda victory for the Americans. The could portray Khrushchev as a dictator, like Stalin.
Kennedy was criticised by some for not reacting in an aggressive manner to the wall.
What were the consequences of the building of the Berlin wall for Khrushchev/SU?
Many questioned Khrushchev’s motives and asked if the communism system was so perfect why turn it into a prison?
East Germany gained more control over its citizens.
The USSR had to give us all hope of taking control of the whole of Berlin.
What were the consequences of the building of the Berlin wall for Cold War tensio?
Tension increased as Khrushchev was seen as aggressive and reactionary.
Berlin became the battle ground of the Cold War for the next 30 years.
What happened in Berlin in October 1961?
Diplomats and troops would regularly cross over to East Berlin to see how the Soviets would react. However of the 27th October soviet tanks pulled up outside checkpoint Charlie and refused to let any further access to the east. A US tank also pulled up at this point. For 18 hours they US and Soviet tanks remained at a stand still and finally started to retreat a couple meters per hour. The international reaction was relief as this avoided war.
