Transcript Berlin Crisis: JFK and Khrushchev

The Berlin Crisis of 1961
JFK with Khrushchev in Vienna, Austria
June 3,1961
These two
men met at the
U.S. Embassy
in Vienna.
The Meeting:
This was significant as
the summit was the first
time the two leaders had
met, and Soviet Premier
Nikita Khrushchev was
determined to prove his
apparent superiority over
the young, seemingly
helpless & inexperienced
Kennedy.
The Focus of the Meeting: Berlin
The Summit was
dominated by the
discussions over
the city of Berlin.
In 1961, this is what the city of
Berlin looked like:
Half of
the city
of Berlin
belongs
to the
Soviets
When JFK went to
Vienna in June 1961,
there was no wall….
Khrushchev’s Threat:
Get Out or Else
Khrushchev threatened to sign a peace
agreement with East Germany that would
prevent Western access to Berlin by turning over
control of the access roads and air routes.
Kennedy was shocked at the tone and threats
made, but refused to give up the American policy
of containment of communism in Europe in the
face of Soviet pressure.
Threat or a Promise?
Khrushchev told Kennedy, "Force will be
met by force. If the U.S. wants war, that's
its problem." "It's up to the U.S. to decide
whether there will be war or peace."
Kennedy’s Response
Kennedy replied, "Then, Mr. Chairman,
there will be a war. It will be a cold, long
winter."
Outcome of the Vienna Meeting
Kennedy managed to
stall Khrushchev, and
make it clear that the
United States was
NOT willing to
compromise on a
withdrawal from
Berlin, regardless of
whatever pressure
Khrushchev may
exert.
Frustration Builds
The two leaders became
increasingly frustrated at the
lack of progress of the
negotiations.
After the summit,
Khrushchev realized he had
underestimated Kennedy.
Kennedy later claimed of
Khrushchev, "He beat the
h*&^ out of me."
Kennedy Responds after Vienna
Kennedy responded on June 28,1961 and July
25, 1961 with a public statement of the U.S.
determination to defend the status of Berlin,
including Western access rights
He made no mention of freedom of movement
between East and West Berlin. This may have
encouraged the Soviet and East German
governments to begin construction of the Berlin
Wall on August 13, 1961.
Two Months Later: A Wall
The Berlin Wall was built on the
night between 12th and 13th
August 1961.
The Berlin Wall was built at the line
of demarcation between the
eastern sector of Berlin and the
western sectors. Before the Wall
was built the border was open.
Historians have long argued over whether East
German leader Walter Ulbricht or his Soviet
counterpart Nikita Khrushchev was ultimately
responsible for the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Why a Wall?
The Soviets were very concerned with:
a) the growing military strength of West
Germany, including the installation of
tactical nuclear weapons
b) East German citizens moving from East
to West Berlin.
After the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy adopted a policy
of containment toward the Soviet Union. He traveled to
West Berlin in June 1963 to show his support for the
people there and to demonstrate that the United States
would pursue a hard-line anti-communist foreign policy.
More than 2 million Germans received Kennedy
enthusiastically. He gave one of the most unforgettable
speeches in history. He reassured the citizens of West
Berlin of the commitment of the United States to the city
and its defense. To demonstrate this point, Kennedy
uttered the unforgettable sentence, "All free men,
wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and,
therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words: Ich Bin
Ein Berliner." (I am a citizen of Berlin.)