Berlin, 1958-1963 (Edexcel GCSE History: Period Study (Paper 2, Booklet P))

Topic Questions

18 mins18 questions
11 mark

What year did Khrushchev issue his ultimatum regarding Berlin?

  • 1948.

  • 1956.

  • 1958.

  • 1961.

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21 mark

Which summit was the first official meeting to discuss the issue of Berlin in 1959?

  • Paris Summit.

  • Vienna Summit.

  • Camp David Summit.

  • Geneva Summit.

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31 mark

Which US President replaced Eisenhower and met Khrushchev at the Vienna Summit in 1961?

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt.

  • John F. Kennedy.

  • Richard Nixon.

  • Harry S. Truman.

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41 mark

What was the first physical barrier used to divide East and West Berlin on August 12, 1961?

  • Concrete walls.

  • A river.

  • Barbed wire.

  • Electric fences.

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51 mark

Which speech did President Kennedy deliver during his visit to West Berlin in June 1963?

  • "Ich bin ein Berliner"

  • "I Have a Dream"

  • "Evil Empire"

  • "Tear Down This Wall"

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61 mark

Who was the leader of the GDR that urged Khrushchev to act quickly in constructing the Berlin Wall?

  • Joseph Stalin.

  • Walter Ulbricht.

  • Nikita Khrushchev.

  • Leonid Brezhnev.

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71 mark

What was the "Brain Drain" in the context of the Berlin Crisis?

  • A military strategy to push Western troops out of Berlin.

  • The loss of skilled workers from East to West Germany.

  • A secret Soviet operation to recruit workers from West Berlin to East Berlin.

  • A propaganda campaign to control the minds of East Berlin citizens.

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81 mark

What did the construction of the Berlin Wall symbolise during the Cold War?

  • The success of Soviet communism.

  • The collapse of capitalism.

  • The physical and ideological divide between East and West.

  • The end of the Cold War.

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91 mark

By 1958, how many people had left the GDR?

  • One million.

  • Two million.

  • Three million.

  • Four million.

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101 mark

What was Khrushchev’s Ultimatum to the West?

  • If Western troops were not removed from Berlin in 6 months, Khrushchev would hand over control of all of Berlin’s transport routes to the GDR.

  • If Western troops were not removed from Berlin in 9 months, Khrushchev would order GDR troops to open fire on Western troops.

  • If Western troops were not removed from Berlin in 12 months, the USSR would invade West Germany.

  • If Western troops were not removed from Berlin in 3 months, the USSR would use a nuclear weapon on West Berlin.

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11 mark

What was a major consequence of the Berlin refugee crisis by 1958?

  • The Berlin Wall was torn down.

  • Approximately three million Germans left the GDR.

  • The USA lost its influence in Berlin.

  • Khrushchev received support from the USA.

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21 mark

What event in 1960 significantly disrupted US-Soviet relations and affected the Paris Summit?

  • The building of the Berlin Wall.

  • The Hungarian Uprising.

  • The U-2 spy-plane incident.

  • The Cuban Missile Crisis.

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31 mark

What caused the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961?

  • To allow free movement between East and West Berlin.

  • To prevent the spread of communism.

  • To stop the mass migration of East Germans to the West.

  • To unify East and West Germany.

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41 mark

What was a major negative consequence of the Berlin Wall's construction?

  • Increased US influence in East Berlin.

  • The implementation of communism in East Berlin.

  • The end of Soviet control in East Germany.

  • The separation of families and friends in Berlin.

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11 mark

How did the Berlin Wall initially affect US-Soviet relations?

  • It led to improved relations because it created a stalemate over Berlin.

  • It worsened relations because building a wall without warning escalated tensions over Berlin.

  • It improved relations because it caused the USA to leave West Berlin.

  • It worsened relations because it made communism seem stronger than capitalism.

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21 mark

What was a long-term consequence of the Berlin Wall on Cold War tensions?

  • The Berlin Wall caused a complete diplomatic breakdown between the USA and the USSR.

  • The wall caused improved cooperation between the superpowers.

  • The Berlin Wall created a stalemate over the issue of Berlin. It prevented further escalation.

  • The wall began the process of the reunification of Berlin under Soviet control.

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31 mark

What impact did Khrushchev's Ultimatum have on Cold War tensions?

  • Khrushchev’s Ultimatum had a significant impact on Cold War tensions. Khrushchev believed that his threat was the only way to solve the refugee crisis, whereas Eisenhower saw the action as aggressive.

  • Khrushchev’s Ultimatum had an impact on Cold War tensions. Khrushchev just wanted a way to spread communism across the whole of Berlin. 

  • Khrushchev’s Ultimatum had no impact on Cold War tensions. Eisenhower expected the Ultimatum. He expected that Khrushchev would not follow through with his threats.

  • Khrushchev’s Ultimatum reduced Cold War tensions. Each side now had a clearer understanding of the other’s intentions. This allowed the USSR and the USA to work together to create a solution over Berlin.

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41 mark

What impact did the summit meetings of 1959 to 1961 have on Cold War tensions? 

  • The summit meetings had a significant impact on Cold War tensions. The situation in Berlin forced both leaders to take more extreme measures. Kennedy increased the US armed forces budget.

  • The summit meetings had an impact on Cold War tensions. Cold War tensions had gotten so bad that, in July, Kennedy constructed the Berlin Wall.

  • The summit meetings had no impact on Cold War tensions. Numerous peace talks had not succeeded in resolving the issue of governing. 

  • The summit meetings reduced Cold War tensions. The peace summits were successful as Khrushchev backed down from his Ultimatum.

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