Soviet policy make Western Allies uncomfortable as possible

Chapter Three Transition Into A Tactical Force: 1950-1952
Border Incidents
The most serious problem the American Zone authorities had with the Soviets and their satellites involved the long frontier separating the American and Soviet Zones in Germany and the portion of the Czechoslovak border next to the American Zone. Relations between the two sides deteriorated further as the "Cold War°" continued to heat up. Border incidents were frequent and included shots being fired at FRG border patrols and American military personnel along the border, occasional small scale patrols into FRG territory, and kidnappings of German and American personnel. Efforts by the East Germans to seal off their border and prevent the flight of the refugees caused still more tension along the demarcation line. There were further incidents involving Berlin access and the US Military Liaison Mission, but they have no impact on this study except as they affected the overall climate of relations between the two sides. There were constant reminders that Soviet policy was to make the Western Allies as uncomfortable as possible, both in Germany and elsewhere in Western Europe.