DDR was about to kolapse just before the building of the wall. Western Powers helped comfortable with to undermine the economy.
You are quite right in the fierce optimism in Sovejtunionen - and the fear of nuclear kring was huge! The fear of direct confrontation in Berlin was also a major reason for the wall was built.
Everything was of course no easier with a new "modern" layer of technocrats who would rather take care of itself.
Opposition to a common economic and military planning for all socialist countries and the peoples democracies met with enormous resistance in precisely the people's democracies.
The tension between the two blocs was very real at this time. Only a year later the the Cuban missile crisis happened. Indeed on 27th October there was a world on the edge of war moment when Lucius Clay sent the tanks to Check point Charlie. The building of the wall pushed the issue to a head but then in the same way resolved it.
Just after around 6:30, you say that the wall was also intented to stop war, as well as stopping the depletion of the labour force. Was that a perfunctory comment, or was there a genuine reason that the wall could stop an outbreak of war also?
Germany was occupied, and the GDR in response to the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany - was a People's Democracy.
Dissatisfaction in the former eastern zone of Germany due Stakanov system, and as you rightly say - to be paid war damages entries.
grummeper 2 years ago
DDR was about to kolapse just before the building of the wall. Western Powers helped comfortable with to undermine the economy.
You are quite right in the fierce optimism in Sovejtunionen - and the fear of nuclear kring was huge! The fear of direct confrontation in Berlin was also a major reason for the wall was built.
grummeper 2 years ago
Nikita Khrushchev came right after. And he feared that China, with "the great leap forward" would jump over into communism. As we know China did not.
Economy's lack of "speed" and development has nothing to do with "socialism in one country" to do. It is a "false" contrast.
Enormous increase in military spending after the Cuba crisis and the split in the Communist World Movement was an important cause.
grummeper 2 years ago
Everything was of course no easier with a new "modern" layer of technocrats who would rather take care of itself.
Opposition to a common economic and military planning for all socialist countries and the peoples democracies met with enormous resistance in precisely the people's democracies.
grummeper 2 years ago
The tension between the two blocs was very real at this time. Only a year later the the Cuban missile crisis happened. Indeed on 27th October there was a world on the edge of war moment when Lucius Clay sent the tanks to Check point Charlie. The building of the wall pushed the issue to a head but then in the same way resolved it.
heikokhoo 2 years ago
Hey Heiko,
Just after around 6:30, you say that the wall was also intented to stop war, as well as stopping the depletion of the labour force. Was that a perfunctory comment, or was there a genuine reason that the wall could stop an outbreak of war also?
samsonlovesyou 2 years ago