Berlin refugee crisis, ultimatum & summit meetings

The refugee problem in Berlin

1. In 1949, Germany had divided into West German and East Germany. West Germany received Marshall Aid and so living standards and salaries became much higher than in East Germany.

2. The government in East Germany was unpopular and there were riots against it in 1953.

3. East Germans could easily travel to Berlin, cross from East Berlin to West Berlin, and then travel freely from West Berlin to West Germany.

4. By 1958, three million East Germans had crossed to the West. This was over a sixth of the population.

5. This caused a problem to East Germany, as a lot of the people were leaving were engineers,

technicians and teachers, who they needed to help rebuild the economy.

6. This led Khrushchev to issue the Berlin Ultimatum and eventually to build the Berlin Wall.

Khrushchev’s Berlin Ultimatum

1. To end the refugee problem, Khrushchev wanted Berlin to become part of East Germany and for western powers to leave.

2. In November 1958, Khrushchev demanded that the Western countries should recognise East Germany as an independent country but they refused.

3. On 27 November he issued his ultimatum.

4. This demanded that Western troops should leave Berlin and Berlin should become a free city.

5. If the West had not agreed within six months, Khrushchev said he would hand over control of all routes into Berlin to the government of East Germany.

6. The West was outraged and accused Khrushchev of trying to spread communism.

7. They did however agree to a number of summits to discuss the problem.

The summit meetings of 1959-61

1. At Geneva in May 1959 the foreign ministers met. No solution was reached but it was agreed Khrushchev and Eisenhower would meet in person.

2. At Camp David in September 1959, the Soviets agreed to withdraw the Ultimatum and that they would hold talks again in the summer.

3. At Paris in May 1960, the Soviets announced that they had shot down an American U-2 spy plane,and that the pilot, Gary Powers, had admitted to being a spy.

4. When Eisenhower refused to apologise, Khrushchev walked out of the meeting.

5. At Vienna in June 1961, Khrushchev believed he could get the better of the new AmericanPresident, John Kennedy, whose reputation was weakened by the Bay of Pigs.

6. Khrushchev renewed the Berlin Ultimatum.

7. Kennedy refused to make any concessions and the meeting ended.

8. As a result, relations between Kennedy and Khrushchev were strained.

9. Kennedy also decided to increase spending on the American armed forces by over $2 billion.