On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall became an important symbol from the Cold War era. This landmark event put an end to German division between 1945 and 1989. This blog post examines why and how the Berlin Wall got built during the Cold War plus what caused its collapse.
Germany first built the Berlin Wall in 1961
After World War II ended Germany became four distinct occupation zones controlled by the United States, France Great Britain and the Soviet Union. Berlin became a four-sector city due to Soviet control. In response to rising conflicts between the Soviet bloc and other powers a Cold War began.
East Germany built the Berlin Wall under Soviet Union support to stop countless East Germans from moving to the West. A barrier of concrete walls barbed wires towers and lethal no-man’s land stretched for 156 kilometers across the land. The administration built the barrier to stop people from fleeing to the West and save their control over East Germany.
The Impact on the Cold War
Between East and West Europe the Berlin Wall stood as a visual representation of different government systems. Building the Berlin Wall deepened the bitter fight between the Soviet Union and United States which made the Cold War more dangerous. The Western nations saw the Wall as an expression of forced lifestyle measures against basic human rights. The Soviets and East German leaders thought constructing the Wall protected their political system from foreign interference.
While standing the Wall divided people from their loved ones and united neighborhoods into separate parts. Officials in Eastern Bloc nations created extreme border systems to limit cross-border travel between East and West German territories. To reach Western freedom thousands of East German people tested their fate through dangerous escapes with 100 of them dying from the effort.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Following 1980 Eastern Bloc citizens became increasingly unhappy with their governance system. The people of East Germany protested their economic problems when political controls squeezed them plus made them want freedom. The GDR first deployed force but community demands and international diplomacy combined to defeat their efforts.
On November 9, 1989 the government of East Germany declared an end to the borders that separated East and West Germany. The East German people went to the Berlin Wall by the thousands following this important public message. When faced with too many people and mixed orders at once the border guards could no longer keep up so they opened the gate for everyone to pass through.
When the Berlin Wall collapsed people celebrated with strong emotions throughout both Germany and other countries worldwide. The barrier that split Europe for decades collapsed marking a major end to historic boundaries of division. The Cold War ended when West and East Germany reunited their lands.
Conclusion
During the Cold War Berlin Wall building and collapse shaped important historical events. One divided city displayed in full measure the deep political differences between the Soviet Union and Western world. After the Berlin Wall fell it sent strong messages of unity across the world which marked the end of the Cold War’s power. It proves how much people want freedom and can achieve their goals.