Kennedy and the Berlin Wall

by Smyser, W. R.

• ISBN13: 9780742560918
• ISBN10: 0742560910
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-09-16
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

The Berlin Wall crisis dominated the presidency of John F. Kennedy from his inauguration in 1961 until his historic trip to Berlin in June 1963. W. R. Smyser's Kennedy and the Berlin Wall offers new insights into the Berlin events that riveted global attention, especially as Soviet and American tanks faced each other at point-blank range over "Checkpoint Charlie." Drawing on his experience as an American diplomat in Berlin at the time; personal interviews; memoirs; and Soviet, East German, and American documents, Smyser ties together the full story of what actually happened on the ground and in world capitals. Book jacket.

Author Biography

W. R. Smyser served at the U.S. Mission in Berlin from 1960 to 1964 and was assistant to General Lucius Clay during the Berlin Wall crisis. He then served at the White House as senior staff and later at the United Nations as assistant secretary-general. He has written numerous books and articles on Germany and Europe.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. xiii
"Ich bin ein Berliner"	p. 1
"A Bone in My Throat"	p. 7
"Let the Word Go Forth"	p. 23
"Alas, Mr. Ambassador, We Shall Die Together"	p. 43
"I Never Met a Man Like That"	p. 57
"This Is the Answer!"	p. 81
"The East Germans Have Done Us a Favor"	p. 101
"I Am Not Afraid of Escalation"	p. 125
"The Game Continues"	p. 147
"We'll Talk the Problem to Death"	p. 167
"This May End in a Big War"	p. 187
"Treaties Are Like Maidens and Roses"	p. 205
"We'll Never Have Another Day Like This"	p. 217
"Our Hope Is the Ami"	p. 231
"We Are the People"	p. 245
Notes	p. 253
Bibliographic Essay	p. 283
Index	p. 289
About the Author	p. 295
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