Berlin Crisis of 1961

WHOLESALE

COLLECTIVIZATION

• The Third Party of Congress of East Germany ordered a 5 Year Plan (1951- 1955)

- 1953, 37,000 people left

• Second 5 Year Plan (1956- 60)

- “modernization, mechanization, automation”

• 7 Year Plan ( 1959- 1965)

- Between 1949 and 1961, 2.5 million people emigrated.

EAST GERMAN PROPAGANDA

On left: campaign poster for the communist partyUp above: propaganda poster for the 5 year plan that came before the 7 year plan

1958 Ultimatum

Sovie

tsA

llies

On November 27 1958, an ultimatum was issued ordering the Allies to clear out of Berlin in 6 months

- or the Soviets would sign a peace treaty in which access agreements for Allies would be under the GDR’s control

In response the French, British, and Americans refused and maintained their access to West Berlin

In 1959 the Soviets withdrew their deadline

Goals of Khrushchev

1) German Peace Settlement

2) Achieving a detente with the U.S.

3) Maintaining and strengthening the alliance with China

4) Supporting revolutionary movements of “national liberation” around the world

Khrushchev’s Reasons for Berlin Crisis

1) Protection against threat of West German nuclearization

2) Defense in case of possible collapse of East German Regime

3) Exercise in nuclear balance4) Pressure from Kremlin,

China, and Ulbricht5) Counter FRG’s expanding

role in NATO6) More authority in Communist

bloc7) To gain international

recognition as a Communist leader*

Soviet Threats• Mid- 1950s - The U.S.’s indestructibility disintegrates when the S.U. deploys long-range jet bombers. • October 1957 - Fears grow when the S.U. launches Sputnik, first artificial earth satellite.• Next 2 Years - Apprehension reaches it’s climax with the S.U.’s development of the intercontinental ballistic missile and West wondered if the S.U. was leading the field.

In the Berlin Crisis, the West had to be careful. One wrong step could lead to war and then nuclear destruction.

Sputnik being prepared for take-off

Fears of Kennedy

1. All of Europe would enter into a war over the Berlin Crisis.

2. There would be a repeat of the East German Uprising of 1953.

3. East German protesting in the streets against DDR/Soviet control would increase the chance of war.

4. Political tensions might erupt and may lead to quick, careless decisions.

Geneva Summit Conferences (1945 – 1972)

o Britain: Prime Minister Anthony Eden

o France: Premier Edgar Faure

o America: President Dwight Eisenhower

o Russia: Premier Nikita Khrushchev

Picture of Foreign Ministers at 1955 Geneva Summit Conference in front of the Palais des Nations.

Summit Conferences

July

18

- 23

, 19

55

May 1

1, 1

95

9

German Reunification European Security Disarmament Proposal of Open Skies Plan Greater East- West contacts through

travel and exchange of information

West• Peace Treaty would be

signed if German became United through free elections

• 4 power occupation would be maintained until Berlin became capital of Germany

• European Security Plan must be linked to German Reunification

Soviet Powers• West Berlin be

transformed into demilitarized free city

• Separate Peace Treaties to be signed with 2 German Regimes

• Zone be created in Central Europe where armies* were banned

Meeting ended with an optimistic note.

Meeting failed.

Khrushchev’s Visit to the U.S.(September 15- 27, 1959) At the meeting

President Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Khrushchev decided the world’s most important issues were general disarmament and the situation in Berlin

They also agreed have further discussion at the Paris Summit

Chinese and Ulbricht's Pressure

UlbrichtWanted Khrushchev to prove his loyalty to the worldwide Socialist cause

FAILURE FOR PARIS SUMMIT

May 1, 1960 – A pilot’s CIA U- 2 spy plane was shot down over USSR. territory. The Soviets declared it an act of betrayal and the relationships between the two worsened.

Eisenhower refused to apologize for the incident. In result, Khrushchev left the talks of the Four Power Paris Summit on May 16.

Khrushchev examining the U-2 Plane.

Vienna SummitJune 3rd to June 4th 1961

The summit meeting was between President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.

Khrushchev renewed the crisis over Berlin during the meeting.

Vienna Summit

Berlin UltimatumKhrushchev demanded West Berlin to become a demilitarized, neutral city. He also insisted for a finalization of a peace treaty.*

If the conditions were not met in 6 months, a separate peace treaty would be signed between East Germany and the Soviet Union.

"German soil [would] never again give birth to forces that could plunge the world into a new and even more devastating war”.

Any attempt by the Western Powers to violate the GDR’s territory would be viewed as “an act of aggression”

East Germany became a puppet to the Soviet Union and West Berlin was no longer accessible to the Western Allies.

Khrushchev threatened to end the Allie’s occupation and access rights of troops in West Berlin.

“It is up to the U.S. to decide whether there will be war or

peace.”

“Then, Mr. Chairman, there will be war. It will

be a cold winter.”

John F. Kennedy's Reaction

JFK pushed the armaments program that had started in February.

A public statement by Lyndon B. Johnson in West Berlin showed the U.S’s determination to defend Berlin.

Johnson promised the people of West Germany that the US would not hand them over to Communism and would pay any price to defend their democracy.

He admitted there was a chance of losing lives of millions of Americans to preserve West Germany.

Kennedy decided if he did not take a tough stand on Berlin, he risked losing all of Western Europe.

“We seek peace, but we shall not surrender.”

Asked congress for an additional 3.25 billion dollars in military spending

Requested an increase of the army to 1 million men

Commenced operation “Stair Step”

J.F.K.'s Nationwide Speech (July 25, 1961)

August 13th 1961: All crossing points between East and West Berlin were sealed off.

Construction of Berlin Wall

October 1961

General Lucius DuBignon Clay An American general best

known for his military work with Germany

Considered the “father” of Berlin Airlift (1948 – 1949)

September 1961 – May 1962: Kennedy’s personal representative in Berlin, with the rank of ambassador

The Stand Off

Border police began to require papers for access to East Germany. This action violated 4 power

agreement.

American M-48 tanks pulled up to Checkpoint Charlie to establish America’s resolve to defend West

Berlin.

10 American M-48 tanks

pulled up to Checkpoint

Charlie to find out if the

Soviet´s were willing to start

an armed conflict.

10 Soviet tanks drove up to

Checkpoint Charlie facing

only 150 feet away.

After 16 hours, a Soviet

Union tank retreated

followed by an American.

ClipCheckpoint Charlie October 1961

Why is Checkpoint Charlie event important for understanding the Cold

War?

The confrontation at Checkpoint Charlie was an intense instant of the Cold War, a moment in history when the U.S. established it´s resolve to stand up for Berlin. One mishap could destroy the world.

Soviet Union’s De Facto Partition (November 9th)

1) Big Four Agreement – West Berlin must be a free city with free access

2) East German Pledge – respect the agreement between Moscow and the West

3) Western Powers and West Germany – respect sovereignty of East Germany