The Berlin Crisis 1961
The importance of Berlin and the causes of the crisis
At the Vienna Summit 1961, American President John F Kennedy refused to remove NATO troops from Berlin.
There was a growing contrast between life in the West and life in the East.
In West Berlin and West Germany, the economy recovered well. This meant many jobs and decent wages.
In East Berlin and East Germany, the economic situation was much worse. Food and housing were scarce, jobs were fewer and less well paid. Freedoms were also restricted.
The video below describes communism in East Germany.
West Berlin was a ‘Window to the West’. This meant that people living in East Berlin could see how life was in the West. Many tried to escape for what they thought was a better life in the West.
Many of those who escaped were young, trained professionals.
Soviet and East German leaders were determined to stop the flow of refugees to the West. It had now reached 3 million, with 3,000 leaving each day.