aug 17, 1961 - Construction of Berlin Wall Begins

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In 1945 with the death of Adolf Hitler and the successful Russian invasion and occupation of Berlin World War Two came to an end. To maintain control of Germany the Allies split Germany into two sections; East and West. The eastern part was controlled by the Soviet Union and the western by The United States, Britain, and France. Even though Berlin was well inside of the Soviet side it was also split up similarly. For the next decade and a half tensions between sides in Berlin rose. In 1948 the Soviets made a blockade around western Berlin attempting to push out the Allies but they Airdroped supplies into the city for the next year until the blockade stopped. Then in 1961, the Soviet Union in control of East Berlin began to be frustrated with the amount of people leaving to go west. In July 1961 around 30,000 people moved from East Berlin to West Berlin. On August 12, 1961, 2,400 people left in one day. In response to losing so many people, Premier Khrushchev the leader of East Berlin gave the order to close the border under the guise of “keeping out fascism and capitalism”. The Berlin Wall's construction kept most people out and completely stopped the flow of people across the city. However, some people still tried to escape over the wall but many were killed in the process.
Works Cited:
“Berlin Wall , Dates & the Fall.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
“When Was the Berlin Wall Built?” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/video/Overview-building-Berlin-Wall-1961/-195576. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

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