In 1961 the building of the Berlin Wall became a substantial breakthrough in Cold War history.
the Cold War era. The wall separated Berlin into two parts which isolated families from each other.
The divider split Berlin while serving as a graphic representation between east and west ideological systems.
East and the West. However, despite the human rights implications and the
The West appeared passive when it came to stopping global politics as well as the creation of this new barrier despite its countless effects.
The feasibility of stopping the Berlin Wall construction or questioning its presence remained minimal for the West. This blog post
The analysis investigates West inactivity toward Berlin Wall development along with an examination of the underlying political factors during that time period.
complex dynamics of the time.
The Political Climate of the Cold War
The analysis of Western inactivity regarding Berlin Wall construction requires investigation into post-war political conditions.
The author evaluates the political environment of the Cold War period. The relationship between
During the time between the United States and Soviet Union countries tensions deepened.
rivalry. The Berlin Wall’s building marks a product of
Under this tense environment any Western direct action could potentially cause the situation to escalate into a war.
Such measures created a potentially dangerous escalation leading to catastrophic war conditions.
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
The West refrained from acting on Berlin Wall because Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) played an essential role in their decision process.
The United States avoided confrontations due to the doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction which existed during that time. This theory
Any Western military offensive against the Soviet Union would have prompted an end result of nuclear war.
Both militant powers stayed away from nuclear warfare because they wanted to safeguard themselves from total destruction. The
Public statements from West confirmed his understanding of Soviet dominance in East Berlin and the wall.
Significant Soviet retaliation would produce major global destruction after any action against the wall and East Berlin.
devastating consequences worldwide.
The Politics of Détente
The USA committed itself to détente policy simultaneously while this system operated toward achieving cooperation between international powers.
ease tensions between the superpowers. Détente focused on improving
The development of diplomatic ties superseded the need for escalating international disputes. Taking military
The implementation of direct action against the Berlin Wall threatened to reverse the positive diplomatic relations between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Détente brought the opportunity to deepen peaceful relations between the USA and Soviet Union.
The Human Cost of Intervention
Despite appearing unfeeling the analysis needs to examine West’s non-interference carefully.
All actions tend to produce unsuspected negative effects when implemented. Military
Militant action against the Berlin Wall threatened to create substantial deaths among population.
casualties on both sides. The Western powers evaluated the possible positive outcomes versus predicted human losses during this situation.
The potential costs of human lives during operation evaluation led inclusion to reject further action.
The Wall as a Symbolic Propaganda Tool
Both West and East used the Berlin Wall as an efficient propaganda instrument.
sides during the Cold War. The West turned the wall into a significant piece of evidence demonstrating
communist repression and failed policies. By not directly intervening,
Other countries used the wall to continuously display communist oppression to the world.
of the East German regime and the failure of communism. This allowed the
Through the maintenance of the wall Western powers could reinforce their political campaign while attracting backing from their constituency.
The Role of Non-Military Actions
From a military perspective the West abstained from open confrontation against the Berlin Wall.
Even though Wall remained a military-free zone it initiated various challenges against its physical existence through non-forceful actions.
wall’s existence. These included diplomatic negotiations, economic
Sanctions together with political backing for Eastern German dissident groups in East Germany made up the non-military actions of the West.
Germany. These methods failed to produce an immediate end to the existence of the Berlin Wall.
The non-military actions adopted by the West helped create a new political environment that eventually led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
The wall’s collapse happened in 1989 as a result of the various political events that occurred before that time.
Conclusion
The minimal Western action towards the Berlin Wall stems from multiple underlying reasons.
The combination of multiple elements caused this condition. The tense political climate of
the Cold War, the concept of MAD, and the political strategy of détente
all influenced the West’s caution. Furthermore, considering the potential
human cost of intervention and the wall’s value as a propaganda tool,
Non-military approaches were selected first since they posed a lower risk when opposing the existence of the barrier.
wall’s existence. An evaluation of Western silence during this period appears contradictory to most initial observers.
A complete examination of the historical period explains why the decision remained unexplained at first sight.
The West established a set of strategic factors and intricate elements which shaped their strategic choices.
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