1961 - Berlin Wall

• What was the Berlin Wall?

  in 1961, East German troops closed the border to stop anyone from crossing the border into west germany , within a few hours barbed wire fences were put up and trains were stopped from crossing the border - fences zigzagled through the city, dividing streets and buildings . Eventually the fence was replaced with a concrete wall - to stop educated people from leaving berlin
• What was the Vienna summit?

  An attempt to repair the relations damaged by U2 crisis and Paris peace summit . Khrushchev dominated discussions, didn’t take Kennedy seriously
• What happened in October 1961?

  A American diplomat was refused entry to east Berlin - There was a stand off at the border , with tanks , it was averted when Khrushchev and Kennedy both agreed to withdraw.
• What was kennedys response to the wall?

  Initially anger, he was practical as long as West Berlin remained free , east Berlin was not worth the war.

  June 1963, Kennedy travelled to west Berlin where he visited the wall and looked over to the east - he gave a speech that made clear the USA remained committed to fighting communism
• How was Berlin divided?

  the west - capitalist

  The east - controlled by USSR