Kennedy and the Berlin Wall : "a hell of a lot better than a war"

Kennedy and the Berlin Wall will tell the full story of the Berlin Crisis that riveted international attention and brought the world to the brink of nuclear warfare as Soviet and American tanks opposed each other on the streets of Berlin. Drawing on the author's own experience as an American diplomat in Germany during the period, as well as on recently opened Soviet, East German, and American archives, Smyser tells the story of how the fate of a city affected national politics as well as geopolitics. This compelling mix of documentary resources and direct experience of diplomatic negotiations makes the book unique. The author has a keen sense of the critical moment and draws incisive portraits of the politicians and diplomats involved in this drama-most importantly, the two main actors, Kennedy and Khrushchev, but also DeGaulle for the French, Macmillan for the British, and Konrad Adenauer for the West Germans, as well as such critical career diplomats as Dean Rusk and Andrei Gromyko.

Kennedy and the Berlin Wall tells the full story of the Berlin Crisis that riveted international attention and brought the world to the brink of nuclear warfare as Soviet and American tanks opposed each other on the streets of Berlin.

Drawing on the author's own experience as an American diplomat in Germany during the period, as well as on recently opened Soviet, East German, and American archives, Smyser tells the story of how the fate of a city affected national politics as well as geopolitics. This compelling mix of documentary resources and direct experience of diplomatic negotiations makes the book unique. The author has a keen sense of the critical moment and draws incisive portraits of the politicians and diplomats involved in this drama—most importantly, the two main actors, Kennedy and Khrushchev, but also DeGaulle for the French, Macmillan for the British, and Konrad Adenauer for the West Germans, as well as such critical career diplomats as Dean Rusk and Andrei Gromyko.

The Berlin Wall Crisis dominated the presidency of John F. Kennedy from his inauguration in 1961 until his historic trip to the city 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. "Ich bin ein Berliner"--"A bone in my throat"--"Let the word go forth"--"Alas, Mr. Ambassador, we shall die together" -- "I never met a man like that" -- "This is the answer!" -- "The east Germans have done us a favor" -- "I am not afraid of escalation" -- "The game continues" -- "We'll talk the problem to death" -- "This may end in a big war" -- "Treaties are like maidens and roses" -- "We'll never have another day like this" -- "Our hope is the ami" -- "We are the people." "Ich Bin ein Berliner" "A bone in my throat" "Let the word go forth" "Alas, Mr. Ambassador, we shall die together" "I never met a man like that" "This is the answer!" "The east Germans have done us a favor" "I am not afraid of escalation" "The game continues" "We'll talk the problem to death" "This may end in a big war" "Treaties are like maidens and roses" "We'll never have another day like this" "Our hope is the ami" "We are the people".