Berlin Crises (1948-9, 1958-61)

What caused the war, conflict or dispute? What was the style of war, conflict or dispute? What were the types of settlements which concluded the war, conflict, dispute? 

USA East Berlin/ USSR supply air lift showed determination West German blockade free food/ food rations > denied  East Berlin/ USSR

Soviet offense: German Blockade Results: divided Germany, cont'd 4-power control, NATO  FRG (Federal Republic of Germany) GDR (German Democratic Republic) 4-power continued  NATO West Germany in NATO Warsaw Pact  

More unified Western nations End of 1949 Germany would not reunite - Soviets did not recognize Allied nations (visa versa)  No peacetime policy for USA - Marshall Plan (economically), NATO (militarily)  No formal peace treaty with Germany - no formalized borders, Poland in danger More unified Western nations 

Nuclear arms race  West Berliners encouraged East Berliners to escape their hardships  one sixth of Germany moved to west Berlin 

dispute was only restricted to the borders of Germany However, there were conferences that took place outside of Germany (Geneva, Paris, US)   Kennedy wanted to continue and expand work of CIA There was the use of spies as espionage continued  refugees 

What is the message of this political cartoon?

" We intend to have a wider choice than humiliation or an all-out nuclear war"  - JFK 

This cartoon of 14 July 1948 by EH Shepard for the British magazine Punch shows Stalin watching as storks fly coal and food into Berlin. This cartoon by the British cartoonist Illingworth appeared in the Daily Mail on 9 September 1948. 

3. WHAT WERE THE TYPES OF SETTLEMENTS WHICH CONCLUDED THE WAR, CONFLICT, DISPUTE?

Measure of Victory Victory measured by how willing the other side would make concessions US & Western Allies USSR Berlin Airlift- 1.5million tons of supplies Berlin Wall- stopped 200,000 people leaving each year Reform currency of the three zones to accelerate economic recovery Berlin Ultimatum

Major Players First Berlin Crisis Second Berlin Crisis

Result of Berlin Crisis Stalin embarrassed Stalin lifts blockade Allied Success I Negotiation deadlocked Stalin’s permission for Berlin Wall Stalemate II

Second Berlin Crisis Camp David Sept 1959 Eisenhower invited Khrushchev for talks Khrushchev withdrew ultimatum Paris Summit May 1960 Soviet missile shot down US U-2 spy plane Eisenhower refused to apologize, summit cancelled Vienna Summit June 1961 First meeting b/w Kennedy & Khrushchev- failure No progress in negotiations

BERLIN WALL Second Berlin Crisis Aug 3-5- barbed wire fence erected June- Khrushchev gives permission to prepare for physical division of Berlin Number of refugees increased to over 20,000 a month– double the rate of 1950s Aug 13- complete Berlin wall Re-imposes 6-month deadline for West Berlin to become an international demilitarized zone West did not react to barbed wires BERLIN WALL

The United Nations “a threat to the peace within the meaning of Chapter VII of the Charter” Oct 4- Berlin question debated in Security Council Oct 5- resolution was voted 9:2 in favour of raising all restrictions on traffic to Berlin Oct 25- vote for resolution- USSR vetoed Preoccupation with other issues May 4, 1949- agreement signed to lift blockade

First Berlin Crisis (1948-1949) Second Berlin Crisis (1958-1961) Result of the Crises First Berlin Crisis (1948-1949) Second Berlin Crisis (1958-1961) Allied Success Stalemate Stalin The Allies Berlin Wall Embarrassed Germany became more pro-Western stopped flow of refugees from East to West Lifted Berlin Blockade Sped up formation of FRG/GDR Consolidated Communist control over East Germany Formed NATO in April 1949 Threat of immediate war disappeared

The Final Result Stable US was against it but didn’t protest it Improved East Germany’s economy US was against it but didn’t protest it No longer hot spot for war