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Tanks at Checkpoint Charlie: Lucius Clay and the Berlin Crisis, 1961–62

2006; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 6; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14682740600650227

1743-7962

Ingo Trauschweizer,

Communism, Protests, Social Movements

The stand-off of Soviet and American tanks in the heart of Berlin in October 1961 constituted the most dangerous moment of the Cold War in Europe. It has been attributed to unnecessarily confrontational policies of General Lucius D. Clay, who served as President Kennedy's Special Representative in Berlin. This article assesses how the crisis evolved from the Berlin Wall to the tank confrontation. It centres on the role of General Clay, his communication with Washington, and his activities in Berlin. This is a study of the process by which US government policy was translated into diplomatic and military action. The article concludes that the resulting combination of force and diplomacy is crucial to understanding the crisis management of John F. Kennedy.