The Cuban Missile Crisis
At the end of W.W.II Germany was divided into sectors which were controlled by the victorious countries. Berlin was divided into East and West. France, the UK and the US combined their sections to form West Germany. The East was controlled by Russia. West Germany was economically flourishing. They had good living conditions unlike the East. After the war, Russia raided East Germany’s factories, taking machinery needed for industry. This crippled East Germany’s economy. The Soviets made East Germany Communist. This form of government failed leaving East Germany in squalor.
In 1950, many people were leaving East Germany and going into the West. 20 percent of its population was leaving a year. The night of August 12th and 13th, 1961 a solution to the Soviets problem was put into action. Construction of the Berlin Wall was started. The Berlin wall was created by the Soviets to stop people from defecting into West Germany. This wall was 87 miles long. It was originally a wire fence. Inside it was a stretch of land known as the death strip. This was a barren piece of land that no one was allowed in. The 4th version of the wall was a Stützwandelement UL 12.11. This was the concrete wall. Over 5,000 people tried to escape. Some tried to fly over in a hot air balloon. Another person drove a train into the wall and escaped that way. Some guards would defect, using their uniforms to pass through.
In 1989, Hungary opened its borders. People swarmed to leave through Hungary into West Germany. Later Czechoslovakia also opened its borders. People began peacefully protesting the wall. Eventually the Soviets caved and allowed points to be opened in the wall, marking the end of the Berlin Wall.
In 1950, many people were leaving East Germany and going into the West. 20 percent of its population was leaving a year. The night of August 12th and 13th, 1961 a solution to the Soviets problem was put into action. Construction of the Berlin Wall was started. The Berlin wall was created by the Soviets to stop people from defecting into West Germany. This wall was 87 miles long. It was originally a wire fence. Inside it was a stretch of land known as the death strip. This was a barren piece of land that no one was allowed in. The 4th version of the wall was a Stützwandelement UL 12.11. This was the concrete wall. Over 5,000 people tried to escape. Some tried to fly over in a hot air balloon. Another person drove a train into the wall and escaped that way. Some guards would defect, using their uniforms to pass through.
In 1989, Hungary opened its borders. People swarmed to leave through Hungary into West Germany. Later Czechoslovakia also opened its borders. People began peacefully protesting the wall. Eventually the Soviets caved and allowed points to be opened in the wall, marking the end of the Berlin Wall.