2.1: berlin 1958-63, berlin wall

• | the refugee problem, 1958

  • west germany received marshall aid & had a high standard of living
  • east germany had less aid from USSR & economic policies were unsuccessful so many east germans suffered from a low standard of living & shortages of basic goods
  • communist regime was increasingly unpopular
  • many restrictions & were constantly monitored by secret police
• | the refugee problem, 1958

  • many east germans chose to leave & move to west germany & it was easy to cross the border
  • 1958: 3 million east germans had crossed to the west
  • brain drain! people left so they could earn higher salaries in west germany like doctors & engineers
• | khrushchev's berlin ultimatum

  • if the west left berlin, it would be harder for east germans to get into west germany but khrushchev knew they wouldn't agree to leabe
• | khrushchev's berlin ultimatum

  • 27 november 1958
  • berlin should be demilitarised & western troops withdrawn
  • berlin should be a free city
• | impact of berlin ultimatum

  • west was outraged by his demands & saw it as another example of USSR trying to spread communism
  • both sides had lots of nuclear weapons & didn't want war so instead there were a series of talks to solve the berlin problem