Berlin Wall: Correa n Alvarez

By:Santiago Correa

Sebastián Alvarez

BERLIN WALL

Cold War takes place

1945

Allies aproach to Berlin.

Hitler suicide

The leaders of the “big three” gather together to decide what is going to happened after they win.

USA and USSR emerged as the new world superpower.

USA: CapitalistUSSR: Comunism

The tension between this two increased and cold war began!!

THE YALTA CONFERENCE

FEBRUARY 9-11 1945

The big three: Winston Churchil (Great Britain)Franklin D Roosvelt (USA)Joseph Stalin (USSR)

1: Each country in eastern Europe liberated from the Germans by the red army would hold free elections

2: The United Nations would be form to prevent future conflicts

4: Germany was to be divided into four zones. One for each and france. As Berlin, would be in the soviet zone, it too would be divided into four sectors, with each country taking control of one sector.

3: When Germany was beaten, the allies would enter the war against Japan

Berlin was divided into East for Soviets and West for Americans

BERLIN BLOCKADEDIn 1948, anew kind of money called “Deutschmark” was introduce into Berlin with the purpose of bringing back prosperity to German people.Stalin TOTALLY rejected that. He wanted Germans to pay and fear him

On June 24 1948 the soviets closed all roads and railways running from the western half of Germany into Berlin. Stalin hoped that the western powers would do nothing and leave him in control of Berlin.

The western allies became one to create: The federal republic of Germany a capitalist and democratic country, who used airplanes to get resources and food into their country.

EAST Vs WEST!!

West Berlin:-Rule under capitalism-Received large amounts of money under the Marshall plan.-Was rebuilt and soon began to prosper.West Berliners could enjoy life again, they were able to vote and speak without fear of arrest

East Berlin:Rule under communism-Was a harsh place-Many buildings remain abandoned and destroyed-East Berliners didn't enjoy freedom of speech

KENNEDY AND KHRUSHCHEV• More than 200,000 people were defecting to the West every year• East Germany was losing its skilled workers!!• In June 1961 the leaders from USA and USSR met in Vienna• Khrushchev thought Kennedy was inexperienced and would crack under pressure• The Soviet told the American that he wanted the western power out of Berlin or

there would be war• Kennedy told the US army to prepare, they both build nuclear weapons.

Berlín wall was constructed 1961

Khrushchev backed down, he realized Kennedy was determined to hang on to west Berlin.He order the construction of a wall to stop the flood of people defecting This wall would seal East Berlin off from the west. Its construction began August 13The Western powers did nothing to stop the wall being built.“A WALL IS BETTER THAN A WAR” said KennedyThis wall eventually divided friends and families, no one could cross it!

ESCAPING TO THE WEST

EARLY ESCAPES:In the first days of the wall lots of people managed to escape from East-West.People try to escape by swimming across the teltow canal, some others jump high from their buildings into blankets held by people in the other side, Driving very fast cars etc..It wasn't long until east German guards prevent this by surrounding the entire wall and shooting everyone who tries to escape.

Murders! Murders!On August of 1962, the whole city saw what happened to a seventeen year old boy who was fire with machine guns when trying to escape, the boy was laying in the ground dying painfully and the guards just threw it away, citizens were really mad about this and lots of manifestations and protest took place around the world, however the Soviets didn't care at all!!

Strengtening the wallDuring 1960 s the East Germans reinforced the wall, which made it almost imposible to escape. The cinder blocks were replaced by solid concrete, for example. Behind the wall (on the Eastern side) there was a piece if open ground about 100 m wide, which was known as “Death Strip” This was over locked by tall watchtowers and floodlights.Guards with dogs patrolled constantly, it was an awesome barrier. However the East Germans dream of being free was bigger and this didn't stop them from trying.

¡¡The wall goes down!!

1989

On October 7, Gorbachev visited the East Berlin and told people “To take democracy if they wanted it” and a huge manifestation over 100,000 people took place, calling for elections.That same month the leader Honecker was replaced with Krenz, who said that people were free to travel to west Berlin if they wanted.BERLIN WAS NO LONGER A DIVIDED CITY.

This encourage people from all Europe to protest against communist demanding democracy, In December of this year Communist came to a violent end in Romania.

The wall is opened !!!

1989

FREEDOM

Together again

Bibliography:

• : http://www.dailysoft.com/berlinwall/• : http://www.newseum.org/berlinwall/• http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook.html• www.berlin-life.com/berlin/wall • http://history1900s.about.com/od/coldwa1/a/berlinwall.htm• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/berlinwall• http://student.valpo.edu/klowden/germany/• http://www.euinfrastructure.com/news/construction-of-the-berlin-wall/• http://blog.affordablelamps.com/2009/11/10/history/

• http://www.betterregulation.irlgov.ie/eu4u/1950.html• The Cold War Heinemann library, Chicago, Illinois by: David Taylor