Was Harry S. Truman and the United States justified in bringing the world to the brink of war over the control of Berlin, Germany?
2007-05-01 05:04:24 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
How about this question - was Joseph Stalin justified in bringing the world to the brink of war over control of Berlin?
There was an agreement made during the war that the 4 powers share control of Berlin. The Soviets were supposed to help hold free elections in all areas of Eastern Europe. The funny thing is many people who tried to support Western style democracies ended up either kidnapped, beaten and/or killed. Some were arrested and never heard from again.
So if I sound a little resentful of the tone of your question, I am. Truman did not bring the world to the brink of war, the Soviets did. They are the ones who tried to force the US, Britain and France out of Berlin. So rephrase the question to the one I posited at the beginning. That would be more accurate.
The question almost makes it sound like if a person broke into my house and I pointed a gun at him, you might accuse me of escalating a plain old robbery into a life threatening event. Not so. Stalin was the crook here.
2007-05-01 05:10:59 · answer #1 · answered by Kevin C 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes for the principle of containing the Soviet expansion all over the world.
After the rape of Berlin by ordered Soviet mongol soldiers, the Soviet Union refused to cooperate with any agreed upon treaty. The U.S. responded with the non-violent Berlin Airlift. The thick and stupid Soviet Union only respected strength and resolve which the plucky Harry Truman demonstrated.
2007-05-01 12:58:53 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
And you seem to forget that it was not the United States who brought the world to the brink of war over Berlin- it was the Soviet Union who started the crisis and did so by the purposeful and deliberate violation of international agreements that it had voluntarily joined.
2007-05-01 12:12:49 · answer #3 · answered by cp_scipiom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Truman acted appropriately, and I don't think for a minute we were ever at the brink of war over Berlin.
Chow!!
2007-05-01 12:42:37 · answer #4 · answered by No one 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'Justified'? By who? What kind of justification are you implying was neccessary? Who's opinion on this issue matters? 'Justified' is a subjective term and is a value judgement.
Surely you knew that.
2007-05-01 12:11:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋