members involved
US; Kennedy and Eisenhower
USSR: Kruschev
E Germany: Walter Ulbricht (communist)
W Germany: Konrad Adenauer (Capitalist)
long term causes
- Refugee problem (2.7 million escaped to west between 1949-61; skilled workers attracted to high wages and freedoms in western berlin)
- unpopular east german government= embarrassement to USSR trying to advocate for socialism
- West Berlin as positive propaganda for west= proved that capitalism was better; could lead to unrest in Eastn Europe (had to be dealt with)
- West Berlin; base for Western Spies since WW2; poses problem for USSR
- First Ultimatum (peace treaty to eisenhower); to establish German states and Berlin as a free state
- Berlin under 4 country controll Kruschnev wants to invrease soviet influence
- Soviet pressures from China
short term causes
- U2 incident may 1960
- failure of 1st and 2nd ultimaum
- Pressure from East Germany
- US leadership change
- economic devastation in E Germany
crisis?
- Challenge (kremlin(: kruschnev has inconsistent policies and feels that USSR is responsible for EG failures; provides a lot of assisatance
- Kennedy and Krushchev meet in Vienna; meeting goes badly and USSR wants to show strength by denotating nuclear bomb in atmosphere
- Ulbricht and Kennedy want to stop recource/population flow; ERECT A WALL AN DSHOOT ANYONE WHO TRIES TO CROSS IT
- Results in Soviet-Ameican standoff; US backs off in order to avoid war over a border
- Results in 2 state division of germany
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT
- GERMANY SPLIT INTO TWO NATIONS: E and W Germany
- German Atlantic Alliance breaks down; US inability to defend W Germany; W Germany develops relationship with France
- BERLIN WALL AS VISUAL DIVISION BETWEEN SOVIETS AND WEST (Intensifies Iron Curtain)
Wall shows Soviet Block weaknesses soviets refuse direct representation; - Khrushchev sees wall as successes as he managed to unify E Germany
- Shows that US and USSR Want to avoid direct confrontation
- Event itself does not affect cold war after it happened
- Tensions reduced
- Refugee problem had been solved which reduced tensions
- East Germany no longer feared a brain drain and Eastern Europe would no longer be exposed to the attractions of capitalism
- Propaganda Victory for USSR; It allowed Khrushchev to avoid war whilst appearing strong
- Propaganda Victory for USA; Kennedy visited West Berlin in 1963 to show his solidarity with the people there
I”ch bin ein Berliner” – propaganda victory –
Soviets had to wall people in to win
MARC TRACHTEN BER
threat of W Germany gaining nuclear weapons as main reason USSR and E Germany felt security threat
Harrison
Ulbricht used mass exodus from E to preserve soviets in closing border
PATRICK MEYER
China thought Khruschev too soft on west; Khrushchev wants to show Chinese critics that Soviets can take actions against west
EAST GERMANY
- walter ulbircht; wants to stop recource/people flow to w germany in order to develop economiy
- communist and socialst
- weak economy
- emigration of skilled workers
- cheaper goods
WEST GERMANY
konrad adenauer; doesnt want comminism in his country
capitalist and democratic
strong economy (adoption of marshall plan)
more skilled workers
more work and expensive goods
U2 incident
USSR shoots down US SPY plane; heightens tensions between US and USSR; leads to failure of Paris Conference in Berlin; Krushchev less willing to compromise over berlin
krushchevs first ultimaum
- peace treaty sent to Eisenhower
- Kruschev (with pressures and criticisms by China and other communist states) wants to increase soviet sphere of influence in Germany; proposed peace treaty to reunify German states and establish Berlin as Free State + wants to promote peaceful co-existence and reunification +
- also wants Berlin to be demilitarized and changed as a ‘free city’
- Feels that USSR is responsible for EG failures
kruschnevs second ultimatum
- hopes to have more luck with Kennedy than Eisenhower
- Failure of Khrushchev 2nd ultimatum – Khrushchev gave JFK 6 months to leave West Berlin or declare war (Vienna Conference June 1961). Kennedy’s refusal called Khrushchev’s bluff – led to wall as alternative
- Kennedy increases military spending and civil defence programme in response
reactions to Kruschevs first ultimatum
=US: REFUSES (sees it as an ultimatum); USSR SEES REFUSAL AS THREAT (fear of nuclear weapons and soviet security)
W GERMANY; Adenauer rejects proposal (ONLY WANTS DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, NOT 2 STATE)
pressures from E Germany
Pressure from East Germany – East German President Walter Ulbricht pressured Khrushchev to make a decision, suggesting that force would be used if the USSR did nothing to stop refugees escaping
effects of US leadership change
US LEADERSHIP CHANGES (Kennedy to Eisenhauer; USSR tries to deal with Kennedy but Vienna peace meetings fail; USSR detonates nuclear bomb in atmosphere); results in USSR sending troops to Berlin
- Kennedy also suffering huniliation after bay of pigs incident
policies of kruschnev
peaceful coexistence
- destaliniazation speech + pressures from china; has to prove himself
date of berlin crisis
1958-61
economic differences between E and W Germany
- W gemrmany larger; more industrial output an population
- W germany recieves Masrhall aid; undergoes ‘economic miracle’; higher standard of living
- E Germany; forced collectivatiaion and socialization bad for economy; lower living standards and hardship
political differences between E and W Germany
- W Germany is a democracy
- E Germany; no free elections and stalinist; discontent in riots and workers in revolt; soviets squash revolution
what did the wall mean for krushchev?
- a defeat; visible admission that the communist propganda message failed; soviets had to create barrier to keep people in east
- he regains control over situation and frees himself from ulbricht pressures
- pressure from china
what did the wall mean for ulbricht?
-didn’t get his peace treaty with Soviets for access routes to Berlin but with soviet assistance; consolidates communist control in GDR
what did the wall mean for berlin citizens?
- families and friends cut off
what did the wall mean for the cold war?
- iron curtain physical symbol
- war had been averted
- focus of cold war moves away form turkey
