The Soviet Union and the German Question September 1958 – June 1961

Since the end of World War II Germany and Berlin, in particular, have pro­ vided the Soviet Union with convenient points on which to apply pressure upon the West. In September 1955 the Russians formally terminated the occupation status of their zone and recognized the "sovereignty" of the "German Democratic Republic", but in doing so they reserved to the Soviet Army control over the movement of British, French, and American military personnel and freight between West Berlin and the Federal Germa