A Bounty of Books

The Tunnels: Escapes Under the Berlin Wall and the Historic Films the JFK White House Tried to Kill by Greg Mitchell tells the story of several of the tunnels dug under Berlin after the Berlin Wall was built, as well as the official U.S. response to them.

 

After the Berlin Wall was built, there were many people desperate to escape East Berlin. Many in West Berlin were equally desperate to get them out. This led to the digging of many tunnels under the wall. Several were successful while many more were not. Those involved in the digging were always in danger of being caught or betrayed to the Stasi, the East German police.

 

One of the most famous tunnels, and the one discussed at most length in this book was the NBC or Bernauer tunnel. The digging of, and escape through, this tunnel was filmed by people from NBC and turned into a documentary. The scrutiny and opposition to showing this documentary in the U.S. was almost as fierce as the danger faced by those actually involved in the digging and escape. In the broader context of the Cold War, the Kennedy administration didn't want anything to happen that could cause an open conflict over Berlin. JFK wanted more than anything to avoid a nuclear war.

 

While the first half of The Tunnels is a little dry, the pace of the second half is enjoyable. Mitchell is detailed in his description of both the digging of the tunnels and the motivations of the people involved. He also explains the broader context of the tunnels in regard to U.S. policy in the Cold War.

 

Overall, I'd recommend The Tunnels to anyone interested in the history of Berlin during the Cold War.

 

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255