THE COLD WAR BUFFER ZONE EAST AND WEST GERMANY At the end of WWII, Germany was divided up among the Allies. The US and Britain took control of West Germany; the USSR took control of East Germany. Immediately, the Soviets set up a communist government in East Germany. Travel from East Germany to West Germany was restricted. A passport was needed to travel between the two sectors. Crossing the border between the two countries was possible up to 1952, until the border was officially closed. Travel from East Germany to West Germany became dangerous. THE BERLIN WALL Many people from East Germany wanted to escape the oppressive communist regime. Before the Berlin Wall was constructed, over 2 million East Germans escaped to West Germany. The easiest means of escape was through Berlin. The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 as a means to stop East Germans from defecting. THE BERLIN WALL The 3.6 meter-high concrete wall stretched 106 km, and effectively divided Berlin into East Berlin and West Berlin. Wire mesh fencing stretched for 66.5 km of the wall. Anti-vehicle trenches stretched for km. There were 302 watch towers spread along the length of the wall, with 20 bunkers built along the wall as well. 192 people were killed on the wall. SOVIET MISSILES US MISSILE AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES NATO THE WARSAW PACT BADEN-BADEN NORAD DEW LINE