Lets swap West-Berlin for Thuringa in 1962

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,780385,00.html

Like the articel said, Adenauer didn´t thought the idea was realistic. But it seems the Americans saw some possibilties. So WI the Americans made such a offer to the Soviets? What would be needed to sweeten the deal for the Soviets? And if it really worked, how would Germany, Europe and the World develop after that?


The population of Thuringia and West-Berlin were roughly the same at that time, around 2.2 million. There was not much of an industry left in Berlin, but an unified Berlin would save the GDR the costs of building and maintaining the wall.
 
Well if you could get a proviso that those West Berliners who wanted to get out could this would make a lot of sense. The people of Thuringa would be free and the West would gain a valuable area for a difficult to defend and expensive to subsidise city.
 
Fuck the Soviets, how would you ever sell such an idea to the people of Berlin that are about to be sacrificed?
:eek:

Well, I'd expect a good deal of very vocal unhappiness, but legally, what are they supposed to do? The idea that the Wester Allies would give up West Berlin for some political reason was still very much alive in the early 60s. It'd be a nightmare come true, but not unexpected.
 
Out of curiosity, just how did NATO expect to defend W. Berlin with three brigades against the Red Army without opening up several cans of sunshine?
 
Out of curiosity, just how did NATO expect to defend W. Berlin with three brigades against the Red Army without opening up several cans of sunshine?

I don't think they did. Expect to, that is. Even a lot of "limited war" proposals tended to see tactical nuclear use at this time.
 
Out of curiosity, just how did NATO expect to defend W. Berlin with three brigades against the Red Army without opening up several cans of sunshine?

A guy I know was stationed in Berlin During the late 50's / early 60's and he has told me the soldiers in his unit excepted to fight until the end when the nukes started falling.
 
Well, I'd expect a good deal of very vocal unhappiness, but legally, what are they supposed to do? The idea that the Wester Allies would give up West Berlin for some political reason was still very much alive in the early 60s. It'd be a nightmare come true, but not unexpected.


This idea died with the Berlin Wall and the Tanks at Checkpoint Charlie.
 
Out of curiosity, just how did NATO expect to defend W. Berlin with three brigades against the Red Army without opening up several cans of sunshine?

They were more of a tripwire than anything else. If they wanted to seize the city, they would have risked war in doing so.
 
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