Berlin Crises

The Berlin Crisis (The Berlin Blockade and Airlift)

After World War 2, Germany and Berlin was split into 4 different zones. These zones would harden over time into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

Agreements at the Potsdam Conference

At Potsdam (July 1945), the Allies agreed that Germany, and within Germany, the city of Berlin, would be divided into four zones of occupation. One would be run by each of the USA, Britain, France and the USSR.
The USA wanted a united, capitalist Germany.
- On the other hand, the Soviet Union wanted Germany to be divided and under the communist sphere of influence. This would make sure that Germany could not attack the Soviet Union again.

Joining the zones

On the 6th of September 1946, The US Secretary of State James Byrnes said 'the US has formally announced its intention to unify the economy of its zone with any or all other zones'.
On the 1st of January 1947, the USA and Britain joined their German zones. This created a new quasi-country called 'Bizonia'.
In April 1949 AD, the French part of Germany joined Bizonia to make 'Trizonia'.

Tensions around Trizonia

Trizonia began to get funding under the Marshall Plan (and West Germany would receive $1.45bn in funding from the Americans).
Stalin and the Soviets thought that the creation of Trizonia broke the agreements made about the end of the war at Yalta and Potsdam.

Further tensions in Berlin - economy and food

After the creation of Trizonia, West Berlin was controlled by France, Britain and the USA. Berlin was positioned in the Eastern part of Germany, which was controlled by the Soviet Union.
- So Berlin was very reliant on Soviet-controlled Germany for food and other vital resources.
On the 20th of June 1948, Bizonia priorly introduced a new currency called the 'Deutschmark' in Operation 'Bird Dog'. Businesses could get Deutschmarks for Rentenmarks at a 1:1 exchange rate, but savers would get 1 Deutschmark for 15 Rentenmarks.
West Berlin was also becoming wealthier and more prosperous as it began to receive money from the Americans under the Marshall Plan.

The Berlin Blockade - June 1948

On the 24th of June 1948, 8 days after the introduction of the deutschmark, the USSR shut down all transport links into West Berlin. West Berlin was now isolated from Trizonia. Essentially no food or supplies from Trizonia could reach West Berlin.
The Western powers did not want to look weak and also wanted West Germany to be a strong economic force against communism.
However, attacking or breaking down the Soviet military blockades of roads and railway lines could cause a war between the Soviet Union & Trizonia allies.

The Berlin Airlift - June 1948 - May 1949

The Western allies, led by the USA decided that an airlift would be the best solution. It was peaceful, did not cause a war with the Soviet Union, but kept control of West Berlin. On the 26th of June 1948 until the 12th of May 1949, the Americans flew supplies into West Berlin.
- The pilots flying in the supplies were often called “Rosinenbombers” (raisin bombers) because they dropped confectionery, sweets, and other food from the skies.
- A new airport, Tegel, was built in West Berlin to help the Airlift run more efficiently.

Consequences of the airlift

The airlift was a peaceful show of strength from America. The USA peacefully mounted a huge operation to give West Berlin supplies. The Soviets looked mean and self-interested, having shut down rail and road links into West Berlin for clearly political reasons.
The operation was also a humiliation for the Soviet Union and Stalin. Whatever their plan had been, it failed.
The divisions between East and West hardened as a result of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift. On the 23rd of May 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany in West Germany, with Bonn as its capital. On the 7th October 1949, the Soviet Union would create the German Democratic Republic, a Soviet satellite state within Germany.

The Refugee Problem in Berlin

The living conditions in West Berlin were better than the living conditions in East Berlin.

Differences in living standards in Berlin

The living conditions in West Berlin were better than the living conditions in East Berlin.
Wages in West Berlin were higher than wages in East Berlin. The Hans Böckler Foundation has found that wages in areas that were in West Germany were still 17% higher than in East Germany in 2018. The difference was even greater in the 1950s.

Refugees and workers

Many East Germans were aware that living conditions were better and wages were higher in West Berlin.
Because West Berlin was a US-controlled haven in East Germany, people tried to move to East Berlin, then move to West Berlin and finally go from there to West Germany.
Between 1952 and 1961, it is estimated that 3.5 million East Germans migrated to West Germany.
This was a propaganda defeat for the Soviets - people were leaving their territory and moving to American-controlled territory. It also caused a problem for East Germany. Skilled workers tended to leave East Germany, so East Germany's output, productivity and wealth didn't rise as much.
- There was a shortage of skilled labour.

The Berlin Ultimatum, November 1958

In November 1958, Khrushchev issued a memorandum (written document), claiming that Berlin should be absorbed into East Germany.
Krushchev threatened that all American, British and French troops should leave Berlin within 6 months.

Response to the ultimatum: summits

The ultimatum led to a series of summit meetings between the leaders of the great powers.
- The first summit happened in Geneva and the second summit happened in September 1959 at Camp David. The Camp David summit was led by the US President, Dwight Eisenhower, and Khrushchev.
The U2 Spy Plane Crisis undermined all progress at the 1960 Paris Summit. Talks broke down after the USSR shot down an American 'U2' spy plane in Russian airspace.

The Berlin Wall

The summits at Geneva, Camp David, Paris, and Vienna failed to resolve the USA and Soviet Union's differences.

The construction of the Berlin Wall

On the 13th August 1961, the USSR (Soviet Union) began to build the Berlin Wall.
Krushchev's Berlin Ultimatum of 1958 ordered Western troops to leave Berlin, but they did not.
The Berlin Wall was an effort to solve the refugee crisis and keep people in East Germany and East Berlin.
Initially, the Berlin Wall was a flimsy fence with razor wire at the top. Over time, it became a heavier concrete border between East and West Berlin.

The reaction to the Berlin Wall

The Allies (Britain, France, and the USA) kept control of West Berlin.
It was far harder for East German refugees to move into West Germany.
The Berlin Wall was a propaganda defeat for the Soviet Union. Having to build a wall to keep your citizens in is not a great look.
Although the Berlin Wall was not great, it was less violent than the events of the Hungarian Uprising and was a peaceful solution to the refugee crisis.

Crossing the border

Some refugees tried to cross the Berlin Wall anyway. On the 17th of August 1972, a man was shot by East German soldiers firing machine guns. Between 80 and 200 people are estimated to have been killed trying to cross the Berlin Wall.
Initially, foreigners were initially allowed to travel into East Berlin from West Berlin by crossing 'Checkpoint Charlie'. There was a tense stand-off between the Soviet army (including tanks) stopping American citizens from crossing into East Berlin on the 27th October 1961.

The international reaction

On a visit to West Berlin on the 26th June 1963, John F Kennedy, the US President who would be assassinated in November 1963, described himself as a 'Berliner' in a symbolic speech.

1Key Topics

1.1Conflict & Cooperation 1918-1939

1.1.1The Treaty of Versailles

1.1.2The Terms of Versailles 1

1.1.3The Terms of Versailles 2

1.1.4Versailles & the League of Nations

1.1.5LoN Successes & Failures

1.1.6LoN Failure - Upper Silesia

1.1.7LoN Failure - Corfu & Washington

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Treaties and Agreements

1.1.9The Great Depression

1.1.10Tension in Europe in the 1930s

1.1.11WWII & Failure of the League of Nations

1.1.12End of Topic Test - Tension in the 1930s

1.1.13Grade 9 - Conflict & Cooperation

1.2The Cold War 1945-c.1989

1.2.1Emerging US-Soviet Rivalry

1.2.2Communism in the 20th Century

1.2.3The Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan

1.2.4East-West Alliances

1.2.5Berlin Crises

1.2.6The End of the Berlin Wall

1.2.7End of Topic Test - East & West

1.2.8Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis

1.2.9The Cuban Missile Crisis

1.2.10Cold War Conflict - Vietnam

1.2.11Cold War Conflict - Afghanistan

1.2.12End of Topic Test - The Cold War 1945-1989

1.2.13Grade 9 - The Cold War

1.3From the End of the Cold War to 9/11

1.3.1Reagan & Gorbachev

1.3.2Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan

1.3.3End of Topic Test - End of the Cold War to 9/11

1.3.4Grade 9 - The End of the Cold War

2Changing Interpretations

2.1Changing Interpretations

2.1.1Appeasement

2.1.2The Responsibility for Cold War Tensions

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Appeasement

2.1.4Grade 9 - Changing Interpretations

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