Berlin Crisis (1958-1961)

The Berlin Crisis (1958-1961) was a Cold War confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over Berlin. After World War II, Berlin was divided into East and West sectors. The Soviets wanted to assert control and pressured the West to leave, even proposing to make East Berlin the capital of East Germany. In response, the U.S. and its allies wanted to protect West Berlin’s freedom. Tensions peaked with the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, physically separating East and West Berlin, symbolizing the ideological divide between communism and democracy. The crisis heightened Cold War tensions but was ultimately resolved through diplomacy.