8/17/2019 Interview (Christopher)

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Berlin Wall Interview

Interviewers: Lena and Liesel Kemmelmeier   Interviewee: Christopher Church

 C hristopher Church is an assistant professor at the University of Nevada Reno Department of

History department. He specializes in social movements in the 19th and 20th centuries.  

Interviewer: How did Post-War Berlin impact the Cold War?

Christopher: Berlin became the site of the first show-down between the United States and theUSSR. The Soviets occupied Berlin during the war and, with an ee toward the postwar worldand a penchant for reparations, the were reluctant to relin!uish control of the cit to the "lliedpowers. The cit was split into four #ones: $rench, British, "merican, and Soviet. The "lliesmerged their #ones into %est Berlin, while the Soviets &ept their portion as 'ast Berlin. The

USSR felt outnumbered b the "llies, and so the imposed the Berlin Bloc&ade to preventsupplies from entering the %estern half of the cit. This prompted what was &nown as the Berlin

 "irlift, in which the United States began bringing in supplies via airplane. "t this point, outrightwar could have erupted, but because of the immediate memor of the Second %orld %ar, coolheads prevailed. The showdown over Berlin had become a theater of the Cold %ar.

Interviewer: How did weapon developments (such as those of the atomic om!pla" a si#nificant role in the Cold War?

Christopher: (ne ma)or reason that the Cold %ar remained cold was the development ofweapons of mass destruction on both sides. The United States developed the bomb in *+,with the USSR close on its heels in *++, while Britain followed in the earl s and $rance inthe earl /s. The USSR tested Tsar Bomba in *+/*. The most powerful bomb ever produced.Tsar Bomba made a mushroom cloud that stretched nearl / miles across and shatteredwindows almost / miles awa 0farther than from Reno to San 1iego2. The US followed suitthe ne3t ear with a hdrogen bomb times more powerful than those used on 4apan in*+. %ith all sides having such powerful weaponr, it was clear that outright war could result inannihilation of all parties involved. This became &nown as mutuall assured destruction, and itwas a large reason wh the United States and USSR never went to war directl. The did,however, fight pro3 wars all over the world, both sides providing conventional--or non-atomic--weaponr to the combatants. %hile there were numerous pro3 wars after *+, the best

&nown e3amples too& place in 5orea, 6ietnam, and "fghanistan.

 

Interviewer: How would "ou descrie the hostilit" etween the $oviet %nion and%$ durin# the Cold War?

8/17/2019 Interview (Christopher)

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Christopher: The hostilit between the USSR and the US during the Cold %ar was one ofuneas tension. Both sides felt that their wa of life was better, and that the other7s wasdestroing the world and e3ploiting its people. So the "mericans thought Communism was eviland produced propaganda against it, while the Soviets felt the same about capitalism. %hilemuch of the war was carried out through espionage, as well as through the pro3 wars 8mentioned before, it was clear to both sides that outright war could erupt at an moment. This iswh US schools taught 91uc& and Cover9 routines championed b a cartoon named Bert theTurtle. 'verone &new that atomic destruction was two &e turns and a button push awa. Theclosest both sides came to outright war was when the USSR armed their pro3, Cuba, withatomic weapons in *+/. Cuba is onl + miles from 5e %est, $lorida, and missiles so close tothe United States made everone fear that the Cold %ar would become hot. The United Statesbloc&aded Cuba, and as Soviet ships approached, it could have resulted in a declaration of war.Than&full, the Soviet ships turned awa, and after a tense two wee&s of negotiations and anaval showdown, things cooled bac& off. So, the Cold %ar went through stages, at times gettingworse and at times better--what we call a detente, or rela3ing of relations--but at all points, itwas mar&ed b an uneas tension.