About This Blog

Welcome to "JFK : The Berlin Issue"

I'm a 3rd year student at Library School and this blog was realized as part of the English and Computer Science lessons.


The blog contains short articles about :

• JFK in relationship with communism, 
• the situation in Berlin at that period
• and the president's visit to Germany's capital city

Have a nice tour

See :
http://www.mescaillouxblancs.com/2011/08/flashback-juin-1963-john-f-kennedy-en-visite-a-berlin/

Berlin Airlift

Berlin blockade :

• In order to control the entire city of Berlin, in 1948, the Soviets blocked the Western Allies' way to provide the city in food and fuel. By doing so, the Soviets could begin to supply the Berliners themselves.

Berliners watching a C-54 land at Tempelhof Airport (1948)

 Berlin airlift :

• The United States Air Force and British Royal Air Force were sent by the Western Allies to deliver cargos to the Berliners. The operation succeded and the supply was even more efficient than when it was by railway.
• The blockade was finally over in May 1949 and resulted in the division of Germany :
• West Germany = The Federal Republic of Germany, including West Berlin
• East Germany = German Democratic Republic, including East Berlin

 See :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Blockade 

"I'm a Jelly Doughnut"

Jelly Doughnuts

An urban legend :

• There is a well known story about Kennedy's phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner". It is said that he made a grammar error and the sentence sorted out as "I am a Jelly Doughnut". He should have said "Ich bin Berliner", signifying "I am a Berliner".

In reality :

• But it seems that it is only but a story. There was a man, the president's official interpreter in Germany, who translate the sentence for him. He even rehearsed it with JFK before his speech.
• It was written on a paper in "english phonetics" for him to pronounciate the words correctly.

JFK's memo

Conclusion :

• Even though it might have been proven that JFK never intended to say that he was a Jelly Doughnut, it's still a great reminder of his most famous speech.

See :

http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/jfk_berliner.htm

http://j.poitou.free.fr/bln/b/1963.html

http://alitypeswords.blogspot.be/2012/08/i-dont-think-youre-ready-for-this-jelly.html

"Ich bin ein Berliner"

This speech told that West Berlin was a symbol of freedom in a world threatened by the Cold War. It was seen as a turning point in the conflict : a morale booster for the West-Berliners and defient message to the Soviet Union. At the end of the speech, the Freedom Bell from the belfry of the Rathaus was belled.

Kennedy visits Berlin

26th june 1963

Arrival :

JFK first arrives at Tegel airport then goes to Kongresshalle where he meets the syndicate.

His second visit is for Brandenburg gate. There are red curtains placed by the East so that the president can clearly see the message addressed to him. It mentions that Roosvelt and Thruman signed the Yalta and Postdam agreements about eleminating german militarism and asks when it will be the case in West Berlin.

JFK at Check Point Charlie

 Check Point Charlie :

At midday, Kennedy visits the famous Check Point  Charlie.

it was one of the three checkpoints which permitted to pass through the Berlin Wall. It got its name because it was point "C" in the alphabet : C for Charlie. In 1962, Checkpoint Charlie was the only way for the tourists to cross the border from West to East and back.

Schoenberg Rathaus :

Finaly, JFK arrives at the city hall, Schoenberg Rathaus, where a huge crowd (approximatively 120 000 Berliners) gathered to hear him. They were there long before the president arrived and give him a great ovation. East-Berliners looked at him from the other side of the wall under the eyes of the eastern police.

Kennedy's speech

See :

http://j.poitou.free.fr/bln/b/1963.html 

http://www.aviewoncities.com/berlin/checkpointcharlie.htm 

http://john-f-kennedy.de.tl/Die-Deutschland_Reise.htm 

http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/4e7d3b3c-d81f-11e1-b6c7-87316167502b/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner_de_JF_Kennedy#.UOtGh51dMUU

The Berlin Wall

Division :

• Following German's defeat in World War II, the country had been divided in two parts. East Germany was placed under control of Soviet Union and West Germany became a democratic nation allied with U.S. It brought tension between the two postwar superpowers.
• Berlin was also divided :
• East Berlin remained part of East Germany occupied by the Soviets
• West Berlin was occupied by the Americans, British and French

1945 occupied Berlin

The Berlin Wall :

• 1961: After the Vienna Summit, 20 000 East Berliners fled to the western sector. To stop them from escaping, the communist authorities decided to build the Berlin Wall. The construction of this 100 miles wall began on 31st august 1961. The aim was to avoid the hemoragy of the East Berlin population. Despite the enforced security, a lot of inhabitants tried to escape and this caused nearly 200 victims.

See :

http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/jfk-berliner.htm 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/bomb/peopleevents/pandeAMEX49.html 

http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/divers/Berlin/108518

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histoire_de_Berlin

Kennedy against communism

During his mandate :

Kennedy had  two main oppositions :

• Castro's Cuba : he approved the action plan which lead to the disaster of the "Bay of Pigs".
• Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union, during the "Cuban Missible Crisis".

Cuba leader Ficel Castro

At the Vienna Summit :

• Khrushchev demanded that the Western Allies abandon Germany and leave Berlin to the Soviets  in order to reunify Germany under communist ideology.
• Kennedy refused.

Khrushchev and Kennedy negociating

See :

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/history-purpose/2012/may/30/john-f-kennedy-defender-against-communism-born-may/ 

http://wodumedia.com/cuban-missile-crisis-50-years-on/cuban-leader-fidel-castro-gives-a-speech-in-cuba-circa-22-october-1962-during-the-crisis/ 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_summit#Outcomes

American's vision of communism

"Cold War Flag"

Vision :

• The world is divided in two parts : the Free World and the world under control of the international communism

World's situation during JFK's mandate :

• China is under control of Mao Zedong
• North Korea sends subversive agents and guerillas teams to South Korea
• South Vietnam fights against North Vietnam's communism

Cold War Veterans Association

See :

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/history-purpose/2012/may/30/john-f-kennedy-defender-against-communism-born-may/ 
http://www.micetrap.net/shop/catalog/cold-veterans-association-flag-p-2288.html?osCsid=cddd3536c4347c73d9c33f8fbc1bc830 
http://ksalazarushistory.wikispaces.com/COLD+WAR