Why Was Germany A Source of Tension?
• West, larger population, greater industrial output
• Had received Marshall Aid
• Economic miracles in 50s and 60s
• Standard of living rapidly increased
• East, forced collectivization
• Many tried to flee to the West
Economic Differences in the Germanys
• West, democracy
• East, no free elections since 1946, rigidly Stalinist
• Riots in 1953, workers rose up
• Put down with Soviet tanks
• No further efforts to reunite as one country
• Seemed risky
• Still potential for the conflict
Political Differences in the Germanys
• Remained divided after the Berlin Crisis in 1948
• Clearly inequalities in the zones
• West Berlin appeared successful
• Political freedoms and open lifestyle
• East Germans seeking to escape through Berlin
• Could travel through West Berlin to East Berlin by train
• Emigration easy
• 1945-61, one-sixth of the German population moved
Berlin Crisis
• 1958, Khrushchev proposes formal recognition of two Germanys
• Demanded Berlin demilitarization, Western withdrawal, free city
• Threatened to take control of corridors, clever
• Dangerous situation
• West could not give in
• Resist could mean war
• Khrushchev’s line of thinking
• Fear of West Germany getting nuclear weapons
• Concern over East economy
• Pressure from leader of the GDR
Berlin Crisis
• Khrushchev dropped his ultimatum
• Allies forced to discuss German question
• 1959, foreign ministers’ conference at Geneva
• No agreement
• 1959, second summit, no agreement
• May 1960 summit called off after U-2
• Walter Ulbricht became frustrated with his people leaving for West
• Khrushchev seeks concessions with JFK in 1960
Berlin Crisis
• Flexible Response
• More conventional forces
• Larger nuclear arsenal
• CIA work
• Economic aid in proxy conflicts
• Negotiations with Soviets
• Communism changing, more diverse geographically and in assistance
• Broadened the range of options for resisting communism
• Not just humiliation of nuclear war
Kennedy and Flexible Response
• Kennedy met Khrushchev for the first time, Vienna Summit 1961
• Soviets thought they could exploit Kennedy’s lack of foreign policy experience, failure of Bay of Pigs
• Renewed ultimatum on Berlin
• Kennedy: Berlin “An island of freedom in a Communist sea”
• More nuclear spending and fallout shelters
• Number of refugees increased
• 40,000 on August 12
• Khrushchev gave in to Ulbiricht
• Close East German border to Berlin
• Barbed wire to concrete wall
Crisis of 1960
What Did the Wall Mean?
• Soviet propaganda admittedly ineffective
• Had to create a barrier to keep people there
• Khrushchev freed from the situation though, meant Ulbricht let up
• Did not sign a separate peace treaty to give access routes to GDR
• Ulbricht able to consolidate control
• Horrifying for citizens of Berlin, front lines
• Settled the question of Germany in the Cold War
• Constant complaints from US
• Tank confrontation at Checkpoint Charlie
• USA relieved no war
Symbolism of the Wall
• 1961-1989 powerful symbol of the division of East and West
• Iron Curtain was a reality
• Kennedy visits Berlin
• Hundreds killed attempting to defect
• East German guards instructed to shoot to kill
• 1989, vivid symbol of political reality: Cold War ending
Paper 1 Practice