Berlin Question

Archive Report

Pressure to Change Status of Berlin

Berlin Question at the Summit Conference

Progress toward settlement of the Berlin question will be one of the primary objectives of the Big Four heads of government when they assemble at Paris on May 16. The coming summit conference, in fact, had its origin in Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev's demand, 18 months ago, that the occupation of Germany's former capital be terminated and that West Berlin be converted into a “free demilitarized city.” The notes making those demands on Nov. 27, 1958, carried a time limit of six months and thus bore the characteristics of an ultimatum. The United States, Great Britain and France refused to submit to pressure, and Khrushchev backed down to the extent of removing the ...

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