Berlin wall crisis Flashcards
What was the Berlin Crisis of 1961?
A major Cold War confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States over the status of Berlin, culminating in the construction of the Berlin Wall.
What did the Berlin Wall symbolize?
The deep division between East and West and a turning point in Cold War tensions in Europe.
How was Berlin divided after World War II?
Berlin was divided into four sectors controlled by the U.S., Britain, France, and the Soviet Union.
What was West Berlin’s status in relation to East Germany?
West Berlin became a capitalist enclave inside communist East Germany.
What was the impact of East Germans fleeing to the West?
About 3 million East Germans fled to the West, creating a ‘brain drain’ that threatened East Germany’s stability.
What demand did Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev make regarding Berlin?
He demanded the withdrawal of Western forces from West Berlin and threatened to sign a separate peace treaty with East Germany.
What occurred at the Vienna Summit in June 1961?
Khrushchev reissued an ultimatum demanding Western withdrawal from Berlin, which President Kennedy refused.
What happened during the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961?
East Germany began erecting a barbed wire barrier that quickly became a concrete wall encircling West Berlin.
What measures were taken to secure the Berlin Wall?
Approximately 32,000 East German troops and workers sealed the border, and the Wall included guard towers and a ‘death strip.’
How many people died trying to escape over the Berlin Wall?
At least 260 people died trying to escape over the Wall during its existence.
What was the military standoff at Checkpoint Charlie?
A confrontation between U.S. and Soviet tanks at the Berlin border crossing that ended peacefully after negotiations.
1961
What was President Kennedy’s response to the Berlin Crisis?
He increased U.S. military presence in West Berlin and delivered his famous ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech in 1963.
How did Western leaders respond to the Berlin Wall?
They condemned the Wall as a symbol of communist oppression but took no direct military action.
What was the Cold War significance of the Berlin Wall?
It became the starkest symbol of the Iron Curtain and demonstrated the lengths to which communist regimes would go to prevent defections.
What long-term impact did the Berlin Wall have?
The Wall stood until 1989, symbolizing Cold War repression and shaping U.S.-Soviet relations.
