Flashpoints In Europe And The Impact On International Relations Flashcards
How many Germans left East Germany and moved to West Berlin?
2 million
Why did the USSR want to end the movement of East Germans and seal off West Berlin?
Economic motive - a lot of people that left were highly skilled - the communist government couldn’t afford to lose them
Ideological motive - the sight of thousand of Germans fleeing communist rule for a better life under capitalism undermined communism generally
Political motive - West Berlin was a centre for western espionage, enabling the west to gather information about activities behind the iron curtain
How many were killed trying to escape the west and when was the last death?
100
June 1989
how did Khrushchev hope to pressure the west into leaving Berlin in 1958?
Threatening to give east Germany access points to the city, but it failed smh
