WHY WAS GERMANY A SOURCE OF TENSION?

West, larger population, greater industrial output Had received Marshall Aid Economic miracles in 50s and 60s Standard of living rapidly increased East, forced collectivization Many tried to flee to the West ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES IN THE GERMANYS

West, democracy East, no free elections since 1946, rigidly Stalinist Riots in 1953, workers rose up Put down with Soviet tanks No further efforts to reunite as one country Seemed risky Still potential for the conflict POLITICAL DIFFERENCES IN THE GERMANYS

Remained divided after the Berlin Crisis in 1948 Clearly inequalities in the zones West Berlin appeared successful Political freedoms and open lifestyle East Germans seeking to escape through Berlin Could travel through West Berlin to East Berlin by train Emigration easy , one-sixth of the German population moved BERLIN CRISIS

1958, Khrushchev proposes formal recognition of two Germanys Demanded Berlin demilitarization, Western withdrawal, free city Threatened to take control of corridors, clever Dangerous situation West could not give in Resist could mean war Khrushchev’s line of thinking Fear of West Germany getting nuclear weapons Concern over East economy Pressure from leader of the GDR BERLIN CRISIS

Khrushchev dropped his ultimatum Allies forced to discuss German question 1959, foreign ministers’ conference at Geneva No agreement 1959, second summit, no agreement May 1960 summit called off after U-2 Walter Ulbricht became frustrated with his people leaving for West Khrushchev seeks concessions with JFK in 1960 BERLIN CRISIS

Flexible Response More conventional forces Larger nuclear arsenal CIA work Economic aid in proxy conflicts Negotiations with Soviets Communism changing, more diverse geographically and in assistance Broadened the range of options for resisting communism Not just humiliation of nuclear war KENNEDY AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSE

Kennedy met Khrushchev for the first time, Vienna Summit 1961 Soviets thought they could exploit Kennedy’s lack of foreign policy experience, failure of Bay of Pigs Renewed ultimatum on Berlin Kennedy: Berlin “An island of freedom in a Communist sea” More nuclear spending and fallout shelters Number of refugees increased 40,000 on August 12 Khrushchev gave in to Ulbiricht Close East German border to Berlin Barbed wire to concrete wall CRISIS OF 1960

WHAT DID THE WALL MEAN? Soviet propaganda admittedly ineffective Had to create a barrier to keep people there Khrushchev freed from the situation though, meant Ulbricht let up Did not sign a separate peace treaty to give access routes to GDR Ulbricht able to consolidate control Horrifying for citizens of Berlin, front lines Settled the question of Germany in the Cold War Constant complaints from US Tank confrontation at Checkpoint Charlie USA relieved no war

SYMBOLISM OF THE WALL powerful symbol of the division of East and West Iron Curtain was a reality Kennedy visits Berlin Hundreds killed attempting to defect East German guards instructed to shoot to kill 1989, vivid symbol of political reality: Cold War ending

PAPER 1 PRACTICE