The Berlin Wall: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and a Showdown in the Heart of Europe

by Norman Gelb

Tells the story of the building of the Berlin Wall from its genesis in the Allies' race for Berlin through the completion of the 99-mile barrier in 1961

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Germany

321 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good focused history on the construction of the Berlin Wall with an emphasis on the 1960s. The author captured the feel of the city and the tensions of the day. Only drawback was the references to names of government officials and other sources. Some of the references would have been better in footnotes or bibliography as they slowed down the reading a bit. This is only a minor drawback.

The book has a forward tacked on about the fall of the wall, but the book's contents were written prior to that date and you will find nothing else about the end of the wall in it. The book has fueled my interest in reading more about this time period.

[Vicki Merkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting history of the Berlin Wall. However I think it was way too long and needed editing. It also seem to jump around in time. It was hard to follow in some chapters.

[William Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great critique on the Berlin Wall

I enjoyed this extensive study of the American-Soviet tensions during the early phase of the wall, the political tensions promulgated as a result of the bluffing and counter-bluffing between Kennedy and Khrushchev during the height of the Berlin crisis in 1961 onwards, leading almost to the brink of world war. It is difficult to imagine how a wall, so visibly apparent in a previously united City, could have brought with it such deeply endured ramifications for the ordinary lives contained within its confines, and in the context of the cold war narrative.
I thought that Norman Gelb has woven the complex dynamic of these times into a compelling masterpiece of written commentary of this extraordinary city, in an extraordinary time of our more recent history.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

In recent years I have been very interested in the evolving history of Germany since World War 2 as it has been a key period which set in place the building blocks for the main world events of the subsequent years. This book by Norman Gelb is very good. It is colourful in expression and detailed in the events it covers, particularly during the 'Berlin Airlift' and the Kennedy Presidency and the subsequent failure of the Khrushchev high stake bluffs including the Cuban Missile Crisis. If you like to read about recent history this is the book for you.

[Jimmy Doom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a little more on the building of the wall itself, but in retrospect, I can see how the Soviets and East Germans weren't exactly giving interviews and blueprints. Gelb does a good job of not edifying the oft deified Kennedy administration. (I'm a fan, but I knew there had to be a few missteps along the way without going into a complete hatchet job like The Dark Side of Camelot). It's probably a great read for people so disgusted with capitalism that Marxism looks appealing.

[David Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book compelling and hard to put down. I was only a child when the wall went up so I never really understood its significance. I also never understood how it related to the Cuban Missile Crisis. This book clearly explains the developments leading up to the wall and its importance to both sides.

[Ameya · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is one book about berlin that you should read, i would recommend this one.
I actually included berlin in my euro trip after reading this book.

[Psychonaut · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Captain Dady Mody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, well written & kept my interest alive, even though it was on a reasonably "dry subject."
But then I find all the books that I have read so far authored by Norman Gelb to hold my interest, albeit some more than others.
Captain Dady J. Mody

[Kieran Calnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a great book going from the time almost directly after World War 2 and goes up to the time that the wall fell and the Soviet Union disbanded. This book is perfect for people who like reading nonfiction books. That is why it was the perfect book for me. It is told through the eyes of the author who reflects back to the time that he had spent in West Germany. He describes the views of both sides, Communist and Democratic. I am going to be making a diorama for the project that will show a small portion of the berlin wall and which countries were affected by it like France and England.

[Martin Haynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the Berlin wall's imposition, largely from the impact on American domestic politics. Contains some interesting points.