Building of Berlin Wall

Question 1

When was the Berlin wall built?

Answer 1

August 1961

Question 2

Why was the Berlin wall built?

Answer 2

•Standard of living in West was better than East & was constant reminder of how unsuccessful communism is
•2.7mil people crossed from E to W between 1945 (brain drain)
•Khrushchev thought USA was sending spies into E Berlin
•Khrushchev gave USA 6month ultimatum to get out or go to war

Question 3

What was the brain drain?

Answer 3

All the smart people from East Berlin left to live in the West

Question 4

When were the 4 summit meetings?

Answer 4

Geneva - May 1959
Camp David - September 1959
Paris - May 1960
Vienna - June 1961

Question 5

What happened in Geneva?

Answer 5

•Both sides suggested how Berlin should be run but no agreement was made
•Eisenhower invited Khrushchev to USA to talk

Question 6

What happened in Camp David?

Answer 6

•No agreement on Berlin was made
•Soviets agreed to withdraw ultimatum
•Meeting established better relations

Question 7

What happened in Paris?

Answer 7

•USSR announced they had shot down American U-2 spy plane
•Eisenhower refused to apologise
•Khrushchev walked out

Question 8

What happened in Vienna?

Answer 8

•J.F Kennedy became president
•Khrushchev renewed ultimatum of 1958
•Kennedy was concerned but wanted to not appear weak

Question 9

What were the events of the Berlin Wall?

Answer 9

•Built wall around West Berlin - originally barbed wire fence & gradually replaced with concrete
•Allies didn’t stop building of wall
•Movement of East and West was stopped
•US & Soviet tanks sat across the street facing each other

Question 10

What were the consequences of the Berlin Wall?

Answer 10

•Flow of refugees reduced (only 5000 escaped after built)
•West got propagandiser victory as East had to build a wall to block it out
•Wall was symbol of division
•Peace was maintained
•construction of wall led to stand-off between superpowers
•US promised to remove troops if USSR did which ended stand-off