Figure 1.--The Berlin Wall was finally breached on November 9, 1989 as crowd of East Germans surged through Check Point Chrlie at the Brandenberg Gate. East and West Beliners began assaulting the Wall by hand with sledge hammers.
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Figure 1.--The Berlin Wall was finally breached on November 9, 1989 as crowd of East Germans surged through Check Point Chrlie at the Brandenberg Gate. East and West Beliners began assaulting the Wall by hand with sledge hammers. |
The most visible aspect of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall and the Wall The Communists built between East and West Germany. Until 1961, East Berliners and other East Germans could take a subway car to flee to fleet to West Berlin and on to West Germany. The number of East Germans fleeing to West was an embarassment to the Communists who after all claimmed to be creating workers' paradices. The glaring differences between the vibrant economic life of Berlin and the gray, drugery of a Communist People's Republic was particularly apparent. The number of trained professionals in particular threatened the economy of East Germany. The Wall changed this. It did stop the flow of people West, although heart rending sites of small numbers of people braving the increasingly leathal dangers of the Wall moved West Germans. President Kennedy visited Berlin in 1962 to demonstrate American resolve in this vvulnerable outpost of freedom. He told Berliners. "There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin. Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us." The Wall effectively separated Germans for nearly 30 years. Once completed only small numbers succeeded in crossing it. Many died in the process.
Berlin had been the capital of NAZI Germany. It was here that Hitler made his last stand. The Battle of Berlin in which the Red Army conquered the city in the last major World war II battle in Europe (April 1945). After the NAZI surrender, Berlin was divided into occupation zones as had been previously determined at the Yalta Conference. As the Cold war veveloped, Berlin became a dangerous flash pont as here American and Sioviet tanks faced each other and it was the weakest point of the Western defense. Stalin's attempt to force the Western Allies out resulted in the Berlin Air Lift (1948). Stalin eventually backed down, but during the 1950s, Berlin became an increasing concern to the East Germans..
The city of Berlin was by itself of only minor importance. Actually it was very costly for the West Germans to make West Berlin a viable symbol. It was, however, a very important symbol for the Germans. American offiucials, including President Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy considered it a key symbol of American resolve. If Ameruica backed down in Berlin, American allies would question the value of American security pledges. The imopact on NATO could have been potentially devestating.
Until 1961 there was an open border between East and West Berlin--the only open border between the Communists and the West. Since World War II, daily about 0.5 million million people cross the border separatingh different pars of Belin. Most of the traffic was Eat Berliners crossing into West Berlin. East Berliners could attend movie theaters showing Wester films. Many had jobs in the srong economy if West Berlin, heavily subidized by the West German Government. Many shopped in the well stocked stores in West Berlin. Items like jeans, fashionable dresses, and seamless panty hoses which were unavailable in East Berlin shops were reaidly available in West Berlin shops. There were many other luxuries available such as tropical fruits. In addition, East Berliners and other East Germans could simply take a subway car to flee to West Berlin and on to West Germany.
The number of East Germans fleeing to West was an embarassment to the Communists who after all claimmed to be creating workers' paradices. The glaring differences between the vibrant economic life of Berlin and the gray, drugery of a Communist People's Republic was particularly apparent. The number of trained professionals in particular threatened the economy of East Germany.
Newly-electedf President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Khrushchev met for direct talks at a summit conference in Vienna (June 4, 1961). The discussions touched on a range of topics, including Laos, nuclear disarmament and ideological musings. The discussions, however, were dominated by the discussioins over Berlin. Khrushchev threatened to sign a peace agreement with East Germany that would impinge on Western access to Berlin by turning over control of the access roads and air routes. Kennedy was shocked at the tone and threats made. Khrushchev told Kennedy, "Force will be met by force. If the US wants war, that's its problem." "Its up to the US to decide whether there will be war or peace." "The decision to sign a peace treaty is firm and irrevocable, and the Soviet Union will sign it in December if the US refuses an interim agreement." Kennedy replied, "Then, Mr. Chairman, there will be a war. It will be a cold winter."
The construction of the Berlin Wall was seen at the time as a Soviet action carried out by thir East German puppets to pressure the United States. In fact the motivating force for the Wall was East German leader Walter Ubrich who for years was pressuring Khruschev and the Soviets to allow him to close the border. Khrushchev for several years restrained Ulbricht. In fact Ulbricvht was not puppet. He considered himself to be a more sophisticated Communist than Khrushchev and was close to arrogance in his delings with Khrichev. Ulbricht was determined to get Soviet support to close the border which he thought was needed fior the future of his regime. The correspondence between Ulbricht and Khrushchev makes for some fascinating reading. Ulbrict bombarded Khriuchev with multiple-page letters insiusting that the border be closed and detailing the problems created by trained proifessiionals fleeing East Germany. Khruscchev wrote Ulbricht saying that if he would imprive conditions, people would not want to leave. Ulbricht replies, blaming post-World War II Soviet repriration policy! Khrushchev writes Ulbricht saying that it took the Soviets 16 years to gain recognitiion by the United States. Recognition of East Germany by thec Unite States after only 10 years would be an insult to the Soviet Unioin. Khrushchev thought that Ulbrich should wait at least 7 years. [Harrison] Khrushchev finally gives Ulbricht the go ahead and palanning begins in secreat. Khrushchev met with the leaders of the Communist parties of the Commecon in Moscow, a kind of rubber stamp event (August 3-5, 1961).
The most visible aspect of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall and the Wall The Communists built between East and West Germany. East German leader Walter Ulbricht in the afternoon of August 12 secretly signed the order to close the border. The East German army, police and the "Kampfgruppen" in a well coordinated operation began building the Wall at midnight on Sunday August 13, 1961. It eventually surrounded all of West Berlin. Streets as well as railway and the S-Bahn links were broken. Stations of the U-Bahn were closed. Even cemeteries were cut in two. Crossings were strictly controlled at the few breaks in the Wall, notably Checkpoint Charlie
Ulbricht got his Wall. In the poriocess, however, he lost his creditability in Moscow. Khrushchev was not about to carry out the threat made in Vienna to turn over control of the access routes to Ulbricht. This was in fact levers that could be used to escalate the Cold War. He decided to keep cointrol himself.
The Wall was built entirely within the East German sector. There was no action taken against Western access to West Berlin. The United States thus took no action beyond diplomatic protests. President Kennedy said privately to his advisers, "A wall is a hell of a lot better than a war."
Berlin was a learning experience for Khrushchev. The lesson he took from the Berlin incident that carefully prepared plans executed in secreat presenting the Americans would not challenge a fact-acampli with military action. This he tried to execute again in Cuba.
President Kennedy visited Berlin in 1963 to demonstrate American resolve in this vvulnerable outpost of freedom. He told Berliners. "There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin. Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us." Along side the President was the Schoeneberger Saengerknaben Choir which served as an inspiration for the people of Berlin during the darkets days of the Cold War. President Kennedy's speech along with Prime-Minister Churchill's Iron Curtain speech are probably the two best remembered public statements during the Cold War.
The Wall was a massive undertaking. The Berlin Wall was initially a barbed wire barrier around Berlin. Ulbricht was determined, however, to have cement barrier. He wanted a formidable barrier to make a visual statement. He was determined to fiorce the East German people to come to terms with Communism. The Wall eventually extended 155 km. It was a barbed wire barricade and concrete wall
with an average height of 3.60 meters. There were barriers, gun posts, motion sensors, and mine fields preventing East Berliners from even approaching the Wall itself. The barrier between East and West was also constructed all along the border between East and West Germany.
The Wall changed this. It did stop the flow of people West, although heart rending sites of small numbers of people braving the increasingly leathal dangers of the Wall moved West Germans. Considerable engunity was used by those attempting to cross the Wall. There were tunnels. Some tried baloons. Others took their chances with mine fields. Some tried to hide in concealed car compartments. Oneperson tried to escape under the motion / works of a steam locomotive. He suceeded. The guards didnt look there. The Wall effectively separated Germans for nearly 30 years. Once completed only small numbers succeeded in crossing it. Many died in the process.
Reagan believed in confronting the Soviets more forcefully. He rejected the "detente" appriach of previous administrations. President Regan traveled to Berlin in 198? and in the same Platz where President Kennedy had delivered his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, demanded "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!".
Following the success of Solidarity in Poland, the people of East Berlin began to demonstrate against the Easter German DDR Government. Large scale demonstrations became increasingly common. DDR officials prepared to use the security services to supress the street demonstrations. Chairman Gorbechev ibn a departure from his predecessors refused to approve such measures. Unable to forcibly supress the demonstrations, DDR officials wre forced to resign. The Berlin Wall was finally breached on November 9, 1989. The SED government announced that travel restrictions for East Germans had been lifted. That night the people of East Berlin surged into the western part of the city. Hundreds of thousands of Berliners celebrated throughout the night. Even more East Berliners crossed the next day. Soon Berliners with hammers and chissels and slefge hammars began demolishing the hated wall by hand.
Harrison, Hope. Driving the Soviets Up the Wall (2004).
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