THE BERLIN WALL 1961 BY TARYN AND MEL

THE LEAD UP During the Vienna conference in June 1961, US President John F. Kennedy and Russian leader of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev became ruthless opponents Kennedy thought that Khrushchev’s plan was to promote communism through manipulating nationalist governments in the Third World through a series of decolonization or national liberation wars, and thus bring these raw-material-rich regions of the world under communist control Khrushchev believed that Kennedy was manipulating nationalist governments in the Third World through a series of dollar diplomacy approaches to the elites, in order to bring these raw-material-rich regions of the world under US control Khrushchev believed that he would be able to bully Kennedy into handing over West Berlin, but Kennedy refused

In 1960, East Berlin suffered food shortages due to ‘Soviet-style’ collectivization, which encouraged thousands to leave, as they were sick of the lack of opportunities, rationing of food and harsh working conditions, which was contrasted with the conditions of the citizens in West Berlin. By March 1961, over East German’s had fled East Germany, which was a complete embarrassment to the Soviet Union and weakened the Soviet Bloc. This meant the loss of well educated and skilled citizens and further threatened the East German economy. As the population of the German Republic had fallen by 1.2 million from the 1950’s to 1961, Khrushchev decided something must be done, and proposed a peace treaty with East Germany, which would have given the East German’s control of roads, rail and canal links, but would also prevent a united Germany and give Russia furthered national security Kennedy’s response was to mobilize US military in West Berlin. Kennedy’s past dealings with Khrushchev at Vienna meant he had toughened to the task of avoiding being driven out of Berlin. US would stand firm. Kennedy initialised his position on Berlin through the heightening of defense budgets, with an additional $3.25 billion dollars spent, calling up reserves troops and the use of new weapons. This reflected that the United States was willing to risk war over the fate of Berlin. Khrushchev was being forced by the East Germans to utilise military forces to remove US forces from West Berlin. In July, Khrushchev was warned that urgent action must be taken. It was suggested that he should simply close the border.

THE WALL On August 13, 1961, East German police surrounded West Berlin and the building of the Berlin Wall using barbed wire fence began through Berlin between Eastern and Western boundaries. On the 19th, a concrete and brick wall was built. This was followed by guard posts and minefields being created. The wall extended to 120km and completely encircled West Berlin. Khrushchev’s aim to prevent Germans fleeing from Communism was successful through the cutting off of West Berlin citizens from East Berlin, and was known to Khrushchev as ‘border control’.

The Impact The economy apparently began to improve- prices of consumer goods in East Berlin lowered, and these products would be bought by West Berliners before returning home. Demand for food products in Berlin dropped as West Berliners could not shop there anymore, meaning that consumer products were only exclusively available to East Berliners. The Wall was symbol of communist oppression in the West, and many, nearly 5000, managed to escape over the Wall, but as it became more fortified, there were less escapes, with 5000 captured, and more deaths, approximately 191 deaths and 120 injured. The building of the Wall transformed the Cold War, as the beginning of the détente can be traced back to the construction of the Berlin Wall, based on West Germany’s tolerance of East Germany’s defined territory and its willingness to communicate with East Germany.

The Impact Video.

The end Kennedy visited Berlin- “I am a Berliner” Four power Agreement Opening of Hungarian border to East German refugees. Making the wall defunct. - November- Wall was opened and unofficially destroyed by Berliners East and West Germany were officially united.