This Day In History | Cold War

[muckshifter]

This Day In History | Cold War

November 9

1989 East Germany opens the Berlin WallEast German officials today opened the Berlin Wall, allowing travel from East to West Berlin. The following day, celebrating Germans began to tear the wall down. One of the ugliest and most infamous symbols of the Cold War was soon reduced to rubble that was quickly snatched up by souvenir hunters.

The East German action followed a decision by Hungarian officials a few weeks earlier to open the border between Hungary and Austria. This effectively ended the purpose of the Berlin Wall, since East German citizens could now circumvent it by going through Hungary, into Austria, and thence into West Germany. The decision to open the wall was also a reflection of the immense political changes taking place in East Germany, where the old communist leadership was rapidly losing power and the populace was demanding free elections and movement toward a free market system.

The action also had an impact on President George Bush and his advisors. After watching television coverage of the delirious German crowds demolishing the wall, many in the Bush administration became more convinced than ever that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's statements about desiring a new relationship with the West must be taken more seriously. Unlike 1956 and 1968, when Soviet forces ruthlessly crushed protests in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, respectively, Gorbachev actually encouraged the East German action. As such, the destruction of the Berlin Wall was one of the most significant actions leading to the end of the Cold War.


http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?month=10272963&day=10272974&cat=10272942

 

[Alf]

Hah, take that you brick wall, what a feeling it was to see the symbol of the Cold war crumble.

 

[cirianz]

Yes, I remember. The ending of an era, thank god. When I look back on the institutionalised paranoia that was such an integral part of that era I goggle that we actually believed half that stuff.
I wonder how this time of such randomised terrorism & nationalised aggression will look to us in another decade?

 

[Becky]

When it happened I was only 5 years old, but I do remember seeing it on the news and thinking something important must have happened. I must have dwelt on it at the time, because I can remember where I was standing in the room and who was there.

It's great that the division of Germany is over, but just think of all the other divisions in the world. I wonder if we'll ever be 'division free'...?