The Berlin Wall: Causes and Consequences

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  • Created by: Lizz2002
  • Created on: 04-03-21 06:39
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  • The Berlin Wall:     Causes and Consequences
    • Problems in East Germany
      • Steady flow of emigrants were causing long-term economic damage
      • 20% of thier population had left
        • including skilled workers
      • East Germany was far behind the West in terms of economic devlopments
    • Reasons for the Wall by 1961
      • Railway construction that bypassed West Berlin meant that a frontier which not disrupt raillines
      • Number of emigrants had been rising: 36,000 in July 1961 alone
      • Khrushchev needed to show the world that Soviet economic policies worked and East Germany was failing due to migration
    • Building the Wall
      • 17th August 1961
      • Initially, it was a barbed wire fence that was reinforced over the next 30 years into two walls with a zone of death between them
      • By 1989, only 5000 managed to escape and around 140 died trying
    • Significance of the Wall
      • a symbol of failure as the communist regime had to force people to stay
        • Propaganda opportunity
      • USA's show of determination to not abandon West Berlin by sending in more troops
      • increased tensions and confirmed the status quo in Europe

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