The Berlin Wall Flashcards
Reasons for growing tensions leading to the wall
West Berlin was a living advertisement for benefits of capitalism
By 1962 more than 2 million people highly skilled people fled to the West damaging the East German economy this is known as the Brain Drain
In 1960, Khrushchev attended a meeting in Paris, again hoping to persuade the west to leave, but he stormed out of the meeting.
he stormed out due to a U2 spy plane had been shot down over the USSR. The pilot, Gary Powers, was captured and interrogated.
Key events of the Berlin Wall
August 1961 Khrushchev ordered the building of a wall around the city of Berlin that made the division permanent
Armed guards patrolled the wall and had orders to shoot those trying to cross into West Berlin
US view of the Berlin Wall in Public
USA publicly protests but didn’t do anything to risk war
US view of the Berlin Wall in private
Glad as the Berlin border had been a point of tension and the wall removed that problem
How did the Berlin Wall impact relations?
The Berlin Wall became the prevailing symbol of division during the Cold War.
140 people died trying to cross the wall. Increased the view of the Iron Curtain as a barrier to prevent people leaving.
President Kennedy was able to use the wall as propaganda for the west.
This all heightened tensions
