what happened at the berlincrisis of 1961?

Answer 1

When Kennedy and Khrushchev met in Vienna, Kennedy said there would be no compromise on Berlin. Khrushchev in return handed Kennedy a 2,000 word document about Soviet intentions. He written IN this document that Germany should be united under Communist terms. If that failed, he would sign a peace treaty with East Germany and cut-off West Berlin from the free world. When the peace treaty was signed, East Germany would cut-off the supply corridors to West Berlin, if the Western powers tried to go through the blockade, then it "would mean war - and thermonuclear war at that."

The problem Khrushchev faced was to appease and look tough before his Communist Allies. The problem Kennedy faced, after this, was he looked weak. He couldn't come up with a response. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and the crisis was averted when Khrushchev backed down again, but of course this would lead to Cuban Missile Crisis because Khrushchev actually thought Kennedy was weak.