Cold War: Crisis 1: The Berlin Crisis - 1961

Question 1

What was the role of Berlin in the Cold War?

Answer 1

Berlin had been a source of tension between the superpowers since 1945. In 1961 it again reached crisis point.

Question 2

Causes: Why was the Berlin Wall built?

Answer 2

• The high standard of living in West Berlin contrasted sharply with the condition in communist East Berlin – it continually reminded people in the eastern areas that communism was not a successful system to live under.
• It was estimated that 2.7 million people had crossed from East to West Berlin between 1945 and 1960. Many of these were young, skilled, professional people – the East was suffered a ‘brain drain’ as these educated men and women left to make new lives in the West. It seemed likely that this would continue if their exit route through West Berlin was not blocked.
• Khrushchev also suspected the USA of sending spies into East Berlin and from there into the Eastern bloc through West Berlin.
• Khrushchev gave the USA a 6 month ultimatum to get out of Berlin or go to war.
• In 1959 there were two summit meetings at Geneva and Camp David to negotiate what to do with Berlin.
• The USA and USSR then met in May in 1960 at Paris to continue negotiations. However, during the discussions an American U-2 spy plane got shot over the USSR and the pilot, Gary Powers was captured.

Question 3

Events: What happened?

Answer 3

13 August 1961 – The East Germans began building a wall around West Berlin. This was initially a barbed wire fence, which was gradually replaced with concrete.

• All movement between East and West was stopped.
• For several days Soviet and US tanks faced each other across the divided Berlin streets.

Question 4

Outcomes: What were the consequences?

Answer 4

• The flow of refugees was reduced to a trickle. Between 1961 and 1989 (when the wall came down), only 5000 people managed to escape across it.
• Western nations were given a propaganda victory, as it seemed that communist states needed to build a wall to stop their citizens leaving.
• The wall became a symbol of the division of East and West.