West Germany: Democratic, received martial aid, became wealthy with a high standard of living.
East Germany: Under communist Soviet Union control, did not receive economic aid, unsuccessful economic policies, low standard of living.
Unpopularity of the East German Regime
Limits on freedom of speech and action.
The secret police closely monitored citizens.
1953: Riots against the government were suppressed by Soviet armed forces.
Exodus to West Germany
East Germans moved to West Germany for a better quality of life.
Easy access: Travel from East Berlin to West Berlin.
By 1958, 3 million East Germans (over 6% of the population) had crossed to the West.
Loss of skilled workers (engineers, technicians, teachers) seeking higher salaries.
Soviet Response
Khrushchev could not allow the situation to continue due to:
Loss of valuable people.
Propaganda disaster: People preferred capitalist West over communist East.
Khrushchev's plan: Integrate the whole of Berlin into East Germany.
Khrushchev knew that Britain, France, and The USA would not agree to leave.
Khrushchev's Berlin Ultimatum (November 1958)
Demanded Western countries officially recognize East Germany.
Demilitarization of Berlin and withdrawal of Western troops.
Berlin to become a free city.
The West had six months to comply, or Khrushchev would hand over control of all routes into Berlin to the East German government.
The aim was to force the Western powers to talk to the East German authorities about access to Berlin, thus recognizing East Germany as legitimate.
Western Reaction
Angered by Khrushchev's demands.
Saw it as an example of Soviet expansionism.
Khrushchev viewed it as essential to solve the problem of Western-controlled areas within communist Germany and stop the emigration of skilled workers.
Attempts to Resolve the Crisis (1958-1961)
Both The USA and The Soviet Union had large numbers of nuclear weapons, but neither side wanted this latest crisis to result in war.
Even the West German Chandler and Gennard, who was strongly opposed to recognizing East Germany as a legitimate country, believed that West Germany was the only real Germany, did not think the issue of Berlin was serious enough to justify a nuclear war.
Series of talks were held to try and solve the Berlin problem.
Geneva Summit (May 1958)
First summit meeting between foreign ministers.
Held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Both sides made proposals, but no agreement was reached.
Camp David (September 1959)
Eisenhower invited Khrushchev to The USA for further talks.
Eisenhower and Khrushchev met face to face for the first time at a presidential ranch.
No agreement on Berlin, but Soviets withdrew the ultimatum.
Improved relations, further talks planned in Paris.
U2 Incident and Paris Summit (May 1960)
The Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 spy plane on May 1.
The Americans claimed it as it was their weather airplane that had been blown off course, but they interrogated the pilot Gary Powers, who admitted to being a spy mission.
Eisenhower refused to apologize.
Khrushchev walked out, ending the meeting with no decisions made.
Vienna Summit (June 1961)
John F. Kennedy became US President in January 1961.
Kennedy built up military forces while trying to resolve issues with the Soviet Union through talks.
Khrushchev believed Kennedy was inexperienced and took a tough approach, renewing the Berlin Ultimatum.
Kennedy refused concessions, meeting ended with no decision.
Personal relationship between Kennedy and Khrushchev became strained.
Kennedy increased US military spending by over 2,000,000,000 to prepare for potential war.
Construction of the Berlin Wall (August 1961)
Increased tension led to more East Germans fleeing to the West.
On August 1961, 40,000 East Germans crossed to the West.
Acting on Khrushchev's instructions, East German leader Walter Ulbricht closed the border.
On the night of August 12, 1961, East German troops built a barbed wire fence between East and West Berlin.
Construction of a concrete wall, stretching around 165 kilometers, began.
Berlin and Germany were split, resolving East Germany's refugee problem.
Impact of the Berlin Wall
The wall cut through streets and buildings.
Many people tried to escape.
One woman threw a mattress out of the window into East Berlin and then jumped on it. She landed on the mattress but later died on her injuries.
The West Berlin Fire Service tried to help others ready to jump by catching them in blankets.
By the end of summer, the wall was finished along a 43 kilometer section that cut through the center of Berlin.
Two walls: one facing east, one facing west, separated by "No man's land" with booby traps, barbed wire, minefields, and lookout towers.
Berliners could not visit family and friends on the other side.
People working on the other side of the West Wall had to give up their jobs because they could not travel to the other side.
German border guards were instructed to shoot anyone attempting to cross; over 130 people were killed.
Peter Fechter was shot and left to die in No Man's Land in August 1962, as West Berliners yelled "murderers" across the border.
One reached West Berlin safely, but the other, Peter Fincher, was shot.
He fell back into East Berlin, lying dead for forty five minutes, as thousands of West Berlin's yelled murderers across the border.
These German guards eventually took the body away.
Impact on East-West Relations
Khrushchev's tough line on Berlin had forced Britain, France, and The USA to become involved in the talks about the future city.
However, it had also had an unfortunate side effect. As tension between East and West grew, so more of East Germans decided to cross the West just in case Khrushchev decided to close the border.