How did the Berlin Wall become a
symbol of the Cold War?
Learning objective – to be able to explain
the reasons why the Berlin Wall was build
and consider its impact on the Cold War.
I can describe the key
reasons why the
Berlin Wall was built.
Grade D
I can explain the
causes of the Berlin
Wall and consider
the impact that it
had.
Grade B
I can evaluate the
impact of the Berlin Wall
on the Cold War.
Grade A
Starter – what does this graph tell you
about defections from East to West Berlin?
How was Germany divided from 1949?
West Germany was first
led by Konrad
Adenauer, who looked
to the west for support.
West Germany’s
emphasis on consumer
goods and aid from the
Marshall Plan led to the
1950s being a period of
prosperity.
Both sides refused to
recognise the
legitimacy of the other.
East Germany was led
by Walter Ulbricht and
followed a planned
economy along Stalinist
lines.
East Germany had an
emphasis on heavy
industry over consumer
goods.
East Germany had a
lower standard of living
compared with West
Germany, which made
Ulbricht very
unpopular.
Growing division of Germany in
the late 1950s.
Why?
 USA and USSR unable to agree upon
how Germany should be governed.
What?
 Diplomatic tensions as both sides did not
recognise the part of Germany it did not
control.
 East German government was very
unpopular and a steady stream of
refugees escape from the East to the
West through Berlin.
 2.6 million people escaped East
Germany for West Germany between
1949 and 1961. Many of these people
were high quality professionals.
Khrushchev’s Berlin Ultimatum –
1958-61
Why?
 Khrushchev was desperate for foreign
policy success as he was criticised over
his handling of the Hungarian Uprising.
 Khrushchev was alarmed at the rate of
defections from East Germany.
 Khrushchev wanted control over the
whole of Berlin.
What?
 In 1958, Khrushchev issued his Berlin
Ultimatum – in effect, he demanded the
US, French and British troops out of
Berlin.
 He aimed to stop the flow of refugees
leaving Berlin and he wanted to
humiliate the USA.
What was the American reaction to
the Berlin Ultimatum?
Why?
 USA did not formally recognise the
existence of East Germany and were
committed to German reunification.
What?
 This led to the USA refusing the
Berlin Ultimatum and stayed in
Berlin.
 Despite a series of summits between
1959 and 1961 at Paris, Camp David,
Vienna and Geneva, no progress was
made on the Berlin question other
than Khrushchev repeating his
demand and America resisting it.
Tensions rise - 1961
Why?
 Khrushchev became more bullish in his approach
towards the USA.
 The failed conferences and summits as well as the
U2 incident had made Khrushchev suspicious of
the West.
 Khrushchev saw new US President, John F.
Kennedy, as weak and inexperienced and
someone he could bully.
What?
 No progress was being made with the Berlin
question.
 US committed more money to defence spending
and building nuclear fallout shelters.
Significant?
 A stalemate was reached as both sides refused to
compromise.
A Wall in Berlin? - 1961
Why?
 Khrushchev realised that the USSR
could not win a nuclear war. USA had
20 times the amount of nuclear
bombs and they were placed close
enough for the USSR unable to react
in time.
 Kennedy’s refused to withdraw from
Berlin, called Khrushchev’s bluff who
was forced to back down from his
ultimatum.
 The refugee problem continued and
Khrushchev had to block that route
to the West.
The Berlin Wall is built - 1961
What?
 On the night of 12th August 1961, on
orders from Moscow, East German
soldiers and police put up a barbed
wire fence around West Berlin.
 The fence was then reinforced with a
high brick wall topped with barbed
wire, with a no man’s land created
stuffed with mines and machine gun
towers which were heavily guarded.
 Anyone caught trying to cross the
wall was shot. 171 people would be
shot between 1961 and 1989.
The Berlin Wall is built - 1961
Significance?
 The Berlin Wall stopped the refugee crisis.
 Khrushchev avoided war and direct
confrontation with America but still
appeared strong and defiant.
 Kennedy was seen as all talk and no action
failing to confront Khrushchev.
 Confrontation of USA and USSR tanks at
Checkpoint Charlie in October 1961, led to
fears that the Berlin Wall had not ended the
Berlin Crisis. Only a secret message from
Kennedy to Khrushchev eased tension.
 Kennedy made his famous ‘Ich bin ein
Berliner’ Speech in 1963.
Task
Group the following statements in the following groups –
 Causes of the building of the Berlin Wall.
 Consequences of the building of the Berlin Wall.
For each group decide on the three most significant events and explain their significance.
The USSR realised it
could not win a
nuclear war.
The East German
economy lost skilled
workers.
The problem of the
division of Berlin was
solved.
Refugees were
unable to leave East
Germany.
Many people escaped
East Germany to
West Germany.
Khrushchev avoided
war with America.
The East German
government was
unpopular.
Kennedy refused to
back down.
Peter Fechler killed –
the first victim of the
Berlin Wall
An important symbol
of the Cold War was
created.
Kennedy showed
solidarity with West
Berliners.
Kennedy increased
the defence budget.
Task
This visual hexagon activity
helps you make links
between the different areas
of the Berlin Wall being built.
In pairs, make links between
each hexagon and write two
sentences for each link
explaining them fully.