Starter quiz
- Which keyword describes a period between c. 1945 and c. 1991 of intense rivalry and tension between the USA and the USSR?
- 'Cold War' ✓
- Which keyword describes when countries compete with each other to build up their military strength?
- space race
- arms race ✓
- running race
-
- Which of the following events increased tensions between East and West between 1945 and 1958?
- the Cuban Missile Crisis
- Soviet creation of satellite states ✓
- the Berlin Crisis ✓
- US creation of satellite states
- US development of the atomic bomb ✓
-
- 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
- the escalation of the arms race ✓
- existing ideological differences
- the Soviet invasion of Hungary ✓
-
- 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
- Which US president committed the country to a policy of containment in 1947?
- John F Kennedy
- Franklin D Roosevelt
- Harry S Truman ✓
-
Exit quiz
- Complete the sentence: By 1958, over ______ people had left East Germany via Berlin to live in West Germany.
- one million
- two million
- three million ✓
-
- Which keyword describes a meeting between leaders to discuss significant issues or make important decisions?
- 'summit' ✓
- What did Khrushchev issue on 27th November 1958?
- the East German Ultimatum
- the Berlin Ultimatum ✓
- the Berlin Demand
-
- 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
- four times ✓
- five times
-
- Why did the meeting in Paris in May 1960 fail?
- the Americans refused to attend
- the Soviets and Americans once again could not agree
- an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the USSR ✓
- Khrushchev unsuccessfully attempted to bully US President JFK
-
- 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.
- 'Window' ✓
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- By 1958, over 3 million people had left East Germany via Berlin to live in West Germany.
- Khrushchev issued the Berlin Ultimatum to put pressure on the Western powers to abandon Berlin.
- Between 1958 and 1961, leaders from the USA and the USSR met four times to try and resolve disagreements over Berlin.
- The Paris Summit (May 1960) failed when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union.
- 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
+