Impact Of The Building Of The Berlin Wall 1961-63 - Cold War Crisis

Question 1

Why was the refugee issue in Berlin become a problem for the USSR by 1957?

Answer 1

Flow of refugees was humiliating for the USSR as the life in the West(Capitalism) was better than the East (Communism) and many skilled workers had left the East for a better life and better pay

Question 2

What is the importance of the Berlin Wall?

Answer 2

• Berlin was where the Soviet Union and Trizonia met
• The houses were also bricked up to prevent anyone escaping
• There were 10cm high needles behind the wall to prevent everyone escaping
• Students dug a tunnel undergound (135m - 136m long) to escape East Berlin and luckily escaped showing how desperate people were to escape Soviet Control

Question 3

What are the positives of the Berlin Wall for the USSR?

Answer 3

• The wall stopped refugees lawing for the west through East Berlin
• The wall sent the West a message that communism would survive in Berlin, and that any attempt to reunite Germany under Western control would fail

Question 4

What are the negatives of the Berlin Wall for the USSR?

Answer 4

• Khruschev had to abandon plans to unite Germany under control
• The wall showed the Soviet Union had to lock people to stop them leaving
• Given a choice, people prefered Capitalism over communism

Question 5

What are the positives of the Berlin Wall for the USA?

Answer 5

• The wall showed that Kruschev had been forced to accept Western control in West Berlin, and that he did not think he could get away with bullying Kennedy anymore
• West Germany became an emblem of freedom and defiance against communism

Question 6

What are the negatives of the Berlin Wall for the USA?

Answer 6

• The Soviet Union had closed the border without consulting USA
• Those people who wanted to escape from communism couldnt anymore

Question 7

What were the consequences for Germany with the Berlin Wall?

Answer 7

• Escape from East-West became very difficult
• Divided families for 28 years
• Germans felt let down by the USSR and US

Question 8

What were the consequences for the USSR with the Berlin Wall?

Answer 8

• Avoided conflict but made the USSR look agressive
• Solved the refugee crisis

Question 9

What were the consequences for the USA with the Berlin Wall?

Answer 9

• Increase in tension
• Wall was a symbol of East/West division
• JFK’s visit to Berlin in 1963 and his speech ‘Ich Bin Ein Berliner’ showed support for west berliners but was openly critical of the wall

Question 10

Summarise the Berlin Crisis

Answer 10

• Refugee Crisis
• Ultimatum - Tells West to get out of Berlin
• Summit meetings
• Berlin Wall
• JFK’s visit - ‘Ich Bin Ein Berliner’