New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Berlin, 1958-61: increased tensions

I can explain why disagreements about Berlin led to an increase in tension between the USA and the USSR between 1958 and 1961.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Berlin, 1958-61: increased tensions

I can explain why disagreements about Berlin led to an increase in tension between the USA and the USSR between 1958 and 1961.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. By 1958, over 3 million people had left East Germany via Berlin to live in West Germany.
  2. Khrushchev issued the Berlin Ultimatum to put pressure on the Western powers to abandon Berlin.
  3. Between 1958 and 1961, leaders from the USA and the USSR met four times to try and resolve disagreements over Berlin.
  4. The Paris Summit (May 1960) failed when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union.
  5. The Vienna Summit (June 1961) failed when Khrushchev unsuccessfully attempted to bully new US President, John F Kennedy.

Common misconception

The Berlin Crisis was solely about the status of West Berlin.

While the status of West Berlin was a significant aspect of the Berlin Crisis, it was not the only factor. The crisis was also influenced by broader Cold War dynamics, including the arms race and competition for influence in Europe.

Keywords

  • Prosperous - wealthy and successful

  • Refugee - someone who has been forced to leave their home country because of war, persecution, natural disaster, or violence, and seeks safety in another country

  • Ultimatum - a demand that if rejected will bring about an end of peaceful talks and could lead to forceful action

  • Summit - a meeting between leaders to discuss significant issues or make important decisions

Share a copy of the specification (or topic booklet) with students so they can see how the different topics fit together.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which keyword describes a period between c. 1945 and c. 1991 of intense rivalry and tension between the USA and the USSR?
Correct Answer: Cold War, The Cold War, the Cold War, cold war, the cold war
Q2.
Which keyword describes when countries compete with each other to build up their military strength?
space race
Correct answer: arms race
running race
Q3.
Which of the following events increased tensions between East and West between 1945 and 1958?
the Cuban Missile Crisis
Correct answer: Soviet creation of satellite states
Correct answer: the Berlin Crisis
US creation of satellite states
Correct answer: US development of the atomic bomb
Q4.
Which of the following events led to the escalation of tensions between East and West in the 1950s?
the US' announcement of the policy of containment
Correct answer: the escalation of the arms race
existing ideological differences
Correct answer: the Soviet invasion of Hungary
Q5.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - the Soviet creation of satellite states
2 - the US development of the atomic bomb
3 - the USA committed to a policy of containment
4 - the Berlin Crisis
5 - the escalation of the arms race
6 - the Soviet invasion of Hungary
Q6.
Which US president committed the country to a policy of containment in 1947?
John F Kennedy
Franklin D Roosevelt
Correct answer: Harry S Truman

6 Questions

Q1.
Complete the sentence: By 1958, over people had left East Germany via Berlin to live in West Germany.
one million
two million
Correct answer: three million
Q2.
Which keyword describes a meeting between leaders to discuss significant issues or make important decisions?
Correct Answer: summit, Summit
Q3.
What did Khrushchev issue on 27th November 1958?
the East German Ultimatum
Correct answer: the Berlin Ultimatum
the Berlin Demand
Q4.
How many times did leaders from the USA and the USSR meet to try and resolve disagreements over Berlin between 1958 and 1961?
three times
Correct answer: four times
five times
Q5.
Why did the meeting in Paris in May 1960 fail?
the Americans refused to attend
the Soviets and Americans once again could not agree
Correct answer: an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the USSR
Khrushchev unsuccessfully attempted to bully US President JFK
Q6.
Complete the sentence: West Berlin acted as a ‘ to the West’, which meant that people in East Berlin could clearly see the differences in the quality of life between East and West.
Correct Answer: Window, window

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