Cold War, Berlin Wall Crisis-1961

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YEAR 12 HISTORY

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

By Ben Pike

BERLIN WALL CRISIS-1961

The Berlin Wall Crisis in June 1961 was a key conflict during the Cold War, the Berlin Wall was a result of years of disagreement between superpowers America and the Soviet Union, or on a broader scale Capitalism and Communism. Following the Potsdam Conference, Berlin became a key point of conflict between the East and the West, as it lay well within the borders of Eastern Germany, controlled by the Soviet Union. According to Soviet Union leader Khrushchev this ‘border control’ resulted in the relieving of the German Democratic Republic’s economy and restored discipline in East Germans lives. President Kennedy and the West also benefited, this came in the form of propaganda, images of death and escape from East Germany were used to promote capitalism as a superior social system. Ultimately the wall stopped the looming presence of war. At a domestic level the crisis resulted in families and friends in Berlin being broken apart and unable to contact each other. The crisis clearly transformed the Cold War, détente became evident in the superpower relationship after 1961. The Berlin Wall Crisis changed the Cold War, and left its mark on the Berlin population for decades after the actual crisis ended, the Berlin Wall didn’t fall until 1990.

When Kennedy and Khrushchev met for the first time in early June 1961 at the Vienna Conference, Kennedy was still inexperienced in foreign politics while Khrushchev was a hardened negotiator and leader. After the Bay of Pigs incident, Kennedy in the eyes of Khrushchev was weak, and an amateur when it came to negotiation. Khrushchev hoped to convince Kennedy to hand West Berlin over to the Soviets, Kennedy refused. Kennedy voiced the need to preserve the existing balance of power, however Khrushchev indicated that the Soviet Union should not be expected to cooperate in helping the stability of capitalism. After the food shortages of 1960 in East Germany, due to the Soviet collectivisation coupled with lack of opportunities, food rationing and harsh working conditions, thousands of East Europeans and Germans fled to West Berlin daily. In the space of 11 years the population of the German Democratic Republic had fallen by 1.2 million. A lot of these immigrants were young and skilled, thus weakening the Soviet or Eastern Bloc. This huge loss of population was a major embarrassment to the Soviet Union, Khrushchev recognising this problem, realised something needed to be done to stem the flow of human capital leaving his influence. Khrushchev demanded a six month solution to the Berlin problem, to be completed on Soviet terms. Kennedy responded saying there is no possibility of resolution until the soviet threats are lifted. Khrushchev then proposed a peace treaty with East Germany, which would mean the East Germans would have control over links to the outside world and also prevent a united Germany. This treaty did not eventuate, and at the conclusion of the conference Kennedy mobilised the American military in West Berlin fearing a forceful occupation of Berlin.

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Tension between the two superpowers continued to rise and on the 25th of July 1961, America’s position on Berlin was announced. Kennedy described West Berlin as an island of freedom in a sea of communism, and stated that the west “cannot and will not permit the Communists to drive us out of Berlin, either gradually or by force”. He then announced a substantial increase in the US defence budget amounting to $3.25 billion. Kennedy’s speech gave a clear message, America is willing to fight over the fate of Berlin. At the same time East Germans were pushing for Khrushchev to forcefully ...

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