T2 A

• in 1949 germany had divided into East and West


  West Germany received Marshall Aid so living standards were much better than in East Germany
• when were the riots against the unpopular East German government?


  1953
• by 1958 3 million east Germans had crossed to West Germany 


  this was over a sixth of the population
• why was people leaving east Germany a big problem?

  because a lot of the were engineers, teachers and technicians who were needed to help rebuild the economy
• what led Khruschev to issue the Berlin Ultimatum?

  the refugee problem in Berlin
• to end the refugee problem, Khrushchev wanted Berlin to become a part of East Germany and for western powers to leave
• What was Khrushchevs Berlin Ultimatum?

  -November 1958 Khrushchev demanded that the western countries recognise East Germany as an independent country but they refused

  -November 27 he issued the Ultimatum

  -this demanded western troops leave Berlin and it becomes a free city

  -if the west had not agreed within six months Khrushchev said he would give control of all routes into Berlin to the government of East Germany

  -West accused Khrushchev of trying to spread communism

  -they agreed to a series if summit meetings to discuss the problem
• what happened in Geneva in May 1959 ?


  -foriegn ministers met

  -no solution met

  -agreed that Einsenhower ans Khrushchev would meet
• what happened at Camp David in September 1959 ?


  -soviets agreed to withdraw Ultimatum

  -would hold talks again in summer
• what happened at Paris in May 1960 ? 


  -soviets announced they shot down american spy plane

  -eisenhower refused to apologise

  -Khrushchev walked out of meeting
• what happened at Vienna in June 1961 ?


  -Khrushchev believed he could get the better of new president John Kennedy after his reputation weakened at bay of pigs

  -Khrushchev renewed Ultimatum

  -kennedy refused to make any concessions and meeting ended
• give a narrative account of the construction of the Berlin wall

  -East German leader Walter Ulbricht asked Kennedy to close border from east to West Berlin

  -12 August 1961 east german troops built barbed wire fence between east and west Berlin

  -a concrete wall stretching 165km then built

  -overtime it was reinforced with barbed wire, minefields, and car barriers

  -wall could only be crossed with correct paperwork

  -had a few heavily manned checkpoints

  -checkpoint Charlie
• what were the consequences of the Berlin wall?

  -German families and friends separated

  -some people made escape attempts like Peter fechter in 1962

  -refugee crisis ended

  -west Berlin became a symbol of freedom and defiance against communism

  -Kennedy very popular in West Berlin

  -obvious that germany would not be reunited

  -Kennedy said 'a wall is better than a war'

  -wall resolved some tension