The Berlin Wall Flashcards
What was the brain drain?
skilled & qualified workers leaving East Berlin for West Berlin, they were attracted to the freedom and the better standard of living
Why did people in East Germany flee to the West?
to escape the repression of the Communist regime eg after Hungarian Uprising, numbers fleeing increased
USA poured large amounts of aid into West Berlin; the bright lights of the West were an obvious attraction for those living a dull life in the East to grab
better standard of living + freedom in the East
What was the impact of the ‘brain drain’ ?
had a severe impact on the economy in the East
Undermined communism
left Ulbricht determined to find a solution, most obvious was to seal the border with West Berlin
When was the Berlin Wall built?
1961 12th August
What did Khrushchev demand?
that the Western powers withdraw from West Berlin within 6 months and hand over the access routes
Why did Khrushchev demand the Western powers to withdraw from West Berlin + hand over the access routes?
to increase pressure on the West to recognise the East German state
What was the Allies’ response to Khrushchev’s demands?
the refused to give way + simply ignored the request
Where and when did Khrushchev meet the new US president, John Kennedy?
In June 1961 in Vienna
he pressurised him to withdraw Western forces from Western Berlin within 6 months
What was Kennedy’s response to Khrushchev’s demands?
he refused to back down
he promised to protect freedom in West Berlin + announced increased spending on arms
What was the DDR’s response to Kennedy’s refusal to meet Khrushchev’s demands and the thousands of refugees leaving each day?
strict travel restrictions were imposed by the DDR
then despite Ulbricht’s comments that there was no intention of building a wall, a barbed wire was erected overnight on 12th Aug 1961
What was the barbed wire barrier soon replaced with?
a concrete wall
all routes to the west, with the exception of Checkpoint Charlie, were closed
What was the Western powers’ reaction to the Berlin Wall?
they chose not to intervene
neither side was prepared to risk military conflict
they did protest about the building of the wall, but since it was on territory within the Soviet sector, there was little to be done
Why did the Soviets argue that the Berlin Wall was needed?
as anti-fascist protection
but even some communists saw it as recognition of the failings of the regime
What was the impact of the Berlin Wall?
it divided Berlin physically and even divided families as free access to the West was prevented
impact for East + West
the actions of both leaders (Kennedy + Khrushchev) appeared weak
increased tensions
further allowed Ulbricht + the party to establish a totalitarian dictatorship, able to implement hard-line communist policies
What was the impact of the Berlin Wall for the East?
It helped to prevent the exodus of workers and stabilised the workforce, which ultimately improved economic progress
this gradually allowed some economic liberalisation + decentralisation to be introduced - helped to win support of population
