The Cold War: The Berlin Crisis 1958 and the Berlin Wall 1961 - Episode 28

00:04:26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoD8uVVrkTI

Summary

TLDRThe video covers the Berlin crisis and the subsequent construction of the Berlin Wall. It explains the ideological and economic tensions between the capitalist West and the communist East in the late 1950s. Khrushchev's call for the removal of Western troops from West Berlin is highlighted, alongside the strategic importance of Berlin as a flashpoint in the Cold War. The eventual decisions leading to the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 are discussed, portraying its effects on East German economy and US propaganda. This event symbolizes the broader struggle between two ideological camps during the Cold War.

Takeaways

  • 📉 Increased tensions in Berlin by the 1950s.
  • 🕊️ Khrushchev's desire to show Soviet strength.
  • ✈️ 3.6 million East Germans fled to the West.
  • 🔒 The Berlin Wall was built on August 13, 1961.
  • 🌍 West Berlin as a capitalist showcase.
  • 📣 Propaganda tool for the US after the Wall's construction.
  • 🚧 End of the Houston Doctrine recognition.
  • ⚡️ Nuclear war alternatives considered by Kennedy.
  • 📆 Chronological importance to the Cold War.
  • 💔 Economic implications for East Germany.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:26

    The video discusses the Berlin crisis and the Berlin Wall, beginning with the context of the 1950s when West Berlin received substantial financial support, showcasing capitalism in contrast to communist East Berlin. By 1958, the USSR feared US nuclear missile deployment in West Germany, prompting Khrushchev to issue a six-month ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of Western troops from West Berlin and the recognition of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Although the West rejected the ultimatum, diplomatic efforts continued, raising concerns in West Germany about potential abandonment by the West. The situation escalated by 1961 as East Germans fled to West Berlin, prompting the construction of the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961, which symbolized the division and served as a propaganda tool for the US, showcasing capitalism's appeal. The video concludes by emphasizing the Berlin crisis as a significant event during the Cold War.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What triggered the Berlin crisis in the 1950s?

    The Berlin crisis was triggered by fears of Soviet technological advancements and US military presence in West Berlin.

  • What was Khrushchev's ultimatum to the West?

    Khrushchev's ultimatum demanded the withdrawal of Western troops from West Berlin and proposed that Berlin be declared a free city.

  • What was the significance of the Berlin Wall?

    The Berlin Wall represented the division between capitalist West Berlin and communist East Berlin, impacting East German emigration and Cold War propaganda.

  • How many East Germans fled to the West before the Berlin Wall was built?

    Approximately 3.6 million East Germans fled to West Germany before the Berlin Wall was constructed.

  • What were the consequences of the Berlin Wall's construction?

    The Berlin Wall solidified the economic divide and served as a propaganda tool for the US, illustrating the failings of communism.

  • How did the US respond to the Berlin crisis?

    The US rejected Khrushchev's ultimatum and sought to avoid direct confrontation, despite concerns of being abandoned by allies.

View more video summaries

Get instant access to free YouTube video summaries powered by AI!
Subtitles
en
Auto Scroll:
  • 00:00:00
    [Music]
  • 00:00:05
    this I'm soaked and in this video we are
  • 00:00:08
    looking at the Berlin crisis and the
  • 00:00:09
    Berlin Wall so first of all we need to
  • 00:00:12
    look at the Berlin crisis now throughout
  • 00:00:15
    the 1950s the West had poured money into
  • 00:00:17
    West Berlin which made West Berlin into
  • 00:00:21
    an exemplary capitalist state and the
  • 00:00:23
    comparisons with the communist East
  • 00:00:25
    Berlin with visible to all nevertheless
  • 00:00:28
    by 1958 the US had fears about the
  • 00:00:32
    development of Soviet technological
  • 00:00:35
    advancements now this meant that Moscow
  • 00:00:38
    feared that the US would ultimately
  • 00:00:39
    place nuclear missiles in West Germany
  • 00:00:42
    now therefore Khrushchev wanted to
  • 00:00:45
    minimize US intervention in Germany and
  • 00:00:47
    he believed that the Soviets needed a
  • 00:00:50
    propaganda victory over the u.s. now any
  • 00:00:53
    success in Berlin would also validate
  • 00:00:56
    the USSR as the dominant communist power
  • 00:00:58
    with growing pressures from China
  • 00:01:01
    therefore on November 27 1958 the USSR
  • 00:01:06
    issued a six-month ultimatum to the West
  • 00:01:10
    now this stated that Western troops had
  • 00:01:12
    to be removed from West Berlin and
  • 00:01:14
    Berlin was to be declared a free City
  • 00:01:17
    now if the West were unable to negotiate
  • 00:01:20
    a suitable settlement the USSR would
  • 00:01:23
    negotiate a separate treaty with the GDR
  • 00:01:26
    now this would give all Soviet rights in
  • 00:01:28
    Berlin to the GDR and with threatened
  • 00:01:31
    Western occupation of West Berlin and
  • 00:01:34
    the West would therefore have to
  • 00:01:36
    recognize the existence of GDR making
  • 00:01:39
    the Houston doctrine irrelevant now the
  • 00:01:42
    Houston doctrine was part of the foreign
  • 00:01:44
    policy of West Germany and it stated
  • 00:01:47
    that West Germany would not maintain
  • 00:01:49
    diplomatic relationships with any state
  • 00:01:52
    that recognized the GDR now although the
  • 00:01:55
    West rejected the ultimatum in December
  • 00:01:58
    and they did want to lessen the
  • 00:01:59
    confrontation with the Soviet Union
  • 00:02:02
    now this meant that the British prime
  • 00:02:04
    minister
  • 00:02:05
    Howard McMillan visited Moscow in
  • 00:02:07
    February 1959 and Khrushchev
  • 00:02:09
    participated in Camp David talks with
  • 00:02:12
    Eisenhower
  • 00:02:13
    in September now these came to nothing
  • 00:02:16
    yet they did worry Konrad Adenauer that
  • 00:02:19
    the West may betray of West Germany so
  • 00:02:22
    the next big event in Germany happened
  • 00:02:25
    two years later and this was the Berlin
  • 00:02:27
    Wall and Khrushchev hadn't initially
  • 00:02:29
    aimed at avoiding closing the East
  • 00:02:32
    Berlin border but by 1961 he had a
  • 00:02:35
    little choice now this was because West
  • 00:02:38
    Berlin was a geographical loophole in
  • 00:02:40
    which many talented East Germans were
  • 00:02:42
    able to flee to the west now in fact
  • 00:02:45
    around 3.6 million Berliners had already
  • 00:02:48
    fled to West Germany and already in 1961
  • 00:02:53
    10,000 GDR citizens has emigrated to the
  • 00:02:57
    West now this would have affected the
  • 00:03:00
    economic growth of the country and it
  • 00:03:02
    was seen as an embarrassment that the
  • 00:03:04
    West was so desirable
  • 00:03:06
    therefore the East German Chancellor
  • 00:03:08
    water boys persuaded Khrushchev that
  • 00:03:12
    action was required
  • 00:03:13
    now this meant that on the 13th of
  • 00:03:15
    August 1961 work began to physically see
  • 00:03:19
    off but West Berlin with the use of
  • 00:03:21
    barbed wire and concrete so there were
  • 00:03:25
    many effects of a Berlin Wall and
  • 00:03:27
    firstly Khrushchev had effectively
  • 00:03:30
    handed the u.s. the finest propaganda
  • 00:03:32
    tool to show that capitalism was
  • 00:03:34
    superior now candy even made his egg bin
  • 00:03:38
    ein Berliner speech which offered
  • 00:03:40
    solidarity towards West Berlin now the
  • 00:03:43
    GDR immediate economic program however
  • 00:03:45
    was sold because skilled workers were
  • 00:03:49
    now unable to leave and the lack of a
  • 00:03:52
    response shown by the West shows that
  • 00:03:53
    they had reached some recognition of the
  • 00:03:56
    GDR and this was an end to the house
  • 00:03:59
    Stein doctrine and the war however did
  • 00:04:02
    also act as an alternative to nuclear
  • 00:04:04
    war and this can be shown by the fact
  • 00:04:06
    that Kennedy even said that the US would
  • 00:04:09
    consider nuclear weapons if everything
  • 00:04:11
    else failed in saving Berlin
  • 00:04:14
    so that is the story of Berlin in the
  • 00:04:16
    late 50s and the early 60s obviously a
  • 00:04:19
    crucial point of a cold war throughout
  • 00:04:22
    so thanks for watching and see you soon
  • 00:04:24
    but
Tags
  • Berlin Crisis
  • Berlin Wall
  • Cold War
  • Khrushchev
  • East Berlin
  • West Berlin
  • Capitalism
  • Communism
  • USSR
  • GDR