Berlin Crises (jan 1, 1958 – dec 30, 1961)

Description:

• Between 1949 and 1961 an estimated 2.7 million East Germans left for West Germany, and Berlin was the centre of this process as defectors. (Brain Drain)
• Khrushchev was so troubled with the Brain Drain that in November 1958 he gave a speech in Moscow in which he gave the West an ultimatum. He demanded that, as Berlin lay in East Germany, the Western powers should withdraw their troops from Berlin within six months.
• Eisenhower did not want to give in to Khrushchev’s demands, and believed a military presence was necessary to protect West Berlin’s freedom.
Geneva Conference - May 1959
• The two leaders were seeking a new agreement on Berlin. Although no solution to the ultimatum was found, relations between Khrushchev and Eisenhower improved.
Camp David Summit - September 1959
• Demonstrated the respect the two leaders had for each other. Eisenhower said: “It is vital that we understand each other better”. Although no agreement on the long-term fate of Berlin was reached, the ultimatum on Berlin was withdrawn by Khrushchev.
Paris Summit – May 1960
• U2 US spy plane shot down over the USSR 13 days before the summit.
• USA claimed U2 plane was a weather monitoring plane.
• Eisenhower refused to apologise about the incident and Khrushchev walked out.
• Things set to be discussed: nuclear weapons and the need for a Test Ban Treaty, Berlin: The Soviets were annoyed that East Germans were continuing to escape to the West, Cuba: the Americans were concerned about the recent revolution.
• Summit ended in failure.
The Berlin Wall – 1961
• John F Kennedy took office in January 1961 promising an uncompromising attitude towards the Soviet Union.
• Khrushchev believed he might be able to dominate the younger and inexperienced Kennedy.
• Reissued the ultimatum on Berlin at a conference in Vienna in June 1961 and once again gave the US six months to withdraw.
• Kennedy refused to withdraw the American troops and in fact increased defence expenditure in Berlin.
• On 13 August 1961, the Soviets in East Germany sealed off East Berlin by constructing a barbed wire barrier. Soon replaced by a concrete wall, complete with lookout towers and armed guards who had orders to shoot anyone trying to cross into the west.
US Response – 1961
• President Kennedy sent his Vice-President and a US General to Berlin, alarmed.
• US tested how far they could push the USSR and regularly sent troops and diplomats into the Soviet sector through Checkpoint Charlie as allowed by the Four Powers Agreement made in Yalta.
• On 27 October 1961 the US stationed tanks on its side of Checkpoint Charlie.
• Fearing the US tanks might try to break down the Wall or pass into its sector, the Soviets responded with a show of force and Red Army tanks pulled up to their side of Checkpoint Charlie.
• Lasted 18 hours until diplomatic agreements made both sides slowly withdraw.
• 26 June 1963, President Kennedy visited Berlin and made famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech in which he stated that Berlin was a symbol of freedom and the struggle against communism.

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