"A shadow has fallen upon the scenes so lately lighted by the Allied victory. Nobody knows what Soviet Russia and its Communist international organization intends to do in the immediate future, or what are the limits, if any, to their expansive and proselytizing tendencies. I have a strong admiration and regard for the valiant Russian people and for my wartime comrade, Marshal Stalin."
Winston Churchill Iron Curtain Speech.
This speech was given by Churchill in 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. Churchill states his cautiousness of Soviet Russia's intentions a year after winning World War II. Even with this slight at Soviet Russia he gives Stalin and his people praise for their effort in World War II. In his speech he addresses how war between the superpowers can and should be avoided, yet he acknowledges that war is also a possibility. He states that nobody really wants war yet no one was willing to back down. This sets the scene for Germany as Berlin served as an important city in Germany and was sought for by the Soviets and American's. No one backed down and tensions rose.
Berlin During The Cold War
At the end of World War Two Berlin was split into 2 zones.
The British, American's, French, and Soviets split each zone as the British,
American's, and French took West Berlin while the Soviets took East Berlin. As
the Cold War began Germany itself was eventually divided into East and West
Germany. Berlin happened to be located in Soviet controlled East Germany and
was hundreds of miles inland cutting it off from free West Germany. This caused
further escalation between the Soviets and Americans as Stalin mounted a
blockade cutting off West Berlin from its allies and supplies. The United States
answered this blockade with an airlift where for 300 days until the blockade
was lifted American's flew over Berlin and dropped supplies into the city. At one point an allied supply plane landed every 62 seconds in West Berlin dropping off food and aid. This embarrassed Soviet Russia and caused further escalation into the Cold War.
Eventually the Soviets grew angry and threatened to lift the 1948 agreement separating the 2 zones void and claim all of Berlin to itself. The Soviets did this out of desperation as their East Berlin was suffering a major emigration where its people would flee from the oppressive and dwindling state of East Berlin into the prosperous and free Western Berlin. They were losing a significant amount of people every month where the total eventually totaled more than 10,000 people a month. President Eisenhower began discussing a plan of disarmament with the Soviets and plans went well until an American plane was shot down by the Soviets and proved to be an American spy plane. Some historians believe that it was impossible to declare a treaty because neither side was willing to give up Berlin to the other. This shut down all disarmament communication between American's and Soviets for 27 years. In order to keep people from leaving East Berlin the Soviets built the Berlin wall in August of 1961. Soviet Russia built a massive wall surrounding West Berlin and cutting it off from everybody. It was a symbol of communism and the Iron Curtain. It would continue to stand until 1989.
The Berlin wall was very fortified in most places but some places were only covered in barbwire and small walls. Other places had walls on two sides and created a "no mans land" because it was easy for guards to shoot potential escapees. Guards were ordered to shout a warning and then to shoot at attempted escapees. It is estimated that more than 230 people were killed trying to escape. Some guards were even tempted to escape. Although the wall stood as a massive heavily guarded barrier, many East Germans still continued escape attempts as they came up with elaborate plans from boats, car boots, digging tunnels, and even hot air balloons.
Berlins unique situation made it the center of Soviet and American espionage. It is thought that Berlin had more spies and spy equipment per acre than any other place in the world. This included wire tapes on phone calls and secret spy tunnels. Due to the close proximity it was easy for spies on both sides to get close to the enemy. Both sides attempted to steal secret documents or learn about the others troop movements and gain the upper hand. The lack of trust between the two sides caused the two sides to become independent of each other which really hurt both sides of Berlin and kept it under poor conditions.
The wall and separation between East and West Berlin caused the reconstruction to go very slow and Berlin was very poor off economically during this time. East Berlin was really affected because many of its scholars and working class people fled to free West Berlin leaving them without a labor source and educated people. After 38 years political pressure finally brought the Berlin Wall down. A few parts of the Berlin Wall remain with painted mosaics on them to signify a peaceful revolution. Many people consider the falling of the Berlin Wall as the end of the Cold War.
Eventually the Soviets grew angry and threatened to lift the 1948 agreement separating the 2 zones void and claim all of Berlin to itself. The Soviets did this out of desperation as their East Berlin was suffering a major emigration where its people would flee from the oppressive and dwindling state of East Berlin into the prosperous and free Western Berlin. They were losing a significant amount of people every month where the total eventually totaled more than 10,000 people a month. President Eisenhower began discussing a plan of disarmament with the Soviets and plans went well until an American plane was shot down by the Soviets and proved to be an American spy plane. Some historians believe that it was impossible to declare a treaty because neither side was willing to give up Berlin to the other. This shut down all disarmament communication between American's and Soviets for 27 years. In order to keep people from leaving East Berlin the Soviets built the Berlin wall in August of 1961. Soviet Russia built a massive wall surrounding West Berlin and cutting it off from everybody. It was a symbol of communism and the Iron Curtain. It would continue to stand until 1989.
The Berlin wall was very fortified in most places but some places were only covered in barbwire and small walls. Other places had walls on two sides and created a "no mans land" because it was easy for guards to shoot potential escapees. Guards were ordered to shout a warning and then to shoot at attempted escapees. It is estimated that more than 230 people were killed trying to escape. Some guards were even tempted to escape. Although the wall stood as a massive heavily guarded barrier, many East Germans still continued escape attempts as they came up with elaborate plans from boats, car boots, digging tunnels, and even hot air balloons.
Berlins unique situation made it the center of Soviet and American espionage. It is thought that Berlin had more spies and spy equipment per acre than any other place in the world. This included wire tapes on phone calls and secret spy tunnels. Due to the close proximity it was easy for spies on both sides to get close to the enemy. Both sides attempted to steal secret documents or learn about the others troop movements and gain the upper hand. The lack of trust between the two sides caused the two sides to become independent of each other which really hurt both sides of Berlin and kept it under poor conditions.
The wall and separation between East and West Berlin caused the reconstruction to go very slow and Berlin was very poor off economically during this time. East Berlin was really affected because many of its scholars and working class people fled to free West Berlin leaving them without a labor source and educated people. After 38 years political pressure finally brought the Berlin Wall down. A few parts of the Berlin Wall remain with painted mosaics on them to signify a peaceful revolution. Many people consider the falling of the Berlin Wall as the end of the Cold War.
A civilian helps with the breakdown of the Berlin Wall.
Guards search for potential escapees.
An East German guard attempts to escape by jumping across the Berlin Wall.