The Cold war is one of the most crucial angles of history that made a direct impact on geopolitics as well as the rest of the world. At this point of history, Germany’s capital Berlin was in the lime light and was a key player in the happening around. Thus, in this article, we will describe in details why Berlin was so important in the time of Cold War.

The Division of Berlin

The spacial division of Germany began with the defeat of the Third Reich at the close of World War II, when the predatory powers had been assigned zones respectively administered by the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. Although deep within the area occupied by the Soviets, Berlin was also divided into four zones, each administered by one of the occupying powers. The division of Berlin was similar to the division of germany .

Tip: Partition of Germany was thus physical and political manifestation of East (USSR dominated) and West (allied dominated). This division resulted into putting up of Berlin wall, a barbed wire that separated east from West Berlin.

The Berlin Airlift

Meanwhile in 1948 the Soviet Union decided they were not happy with economic policies in Western Europe and closed off roads, railways and waterways to West Berlin to force the Allies out of the city. From this event the so-called Berlin Blockade inflicted the Berlin Airlift.

The Western powers simply retaliated with a huge air – lift program to get food stuff, fuel and other necessary items supplied to West Berlin. Planes flew in supplies into the city for about a year which helped to lift the Soviet blockade.

Tip: The Berlin Airlift on the brighter side exposed western power’s determination to liberate West Berlin from the capture of Soviet Union and liberation of democracy.

The Berlin Wall

This work states that the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 was a decisive event in the Cold War. This purpose was to serve the regime in East Germany to having a wall constructed in a bid to seal the route through which citizens were fleeing to the western side of the Berlin.

Fact: The Berlin Wall was built about 155 kilometers long and was accompanied with towers, barbed wires and other mechanisms which would prevent emigration.

The Berlin Wall, which symbolically and literally separated East and West for almost thirty years, will be the next topic of discussion. It led to division of families and countless number of people were torn between the two sides being closed in by the reconstructed wall.

Tip: The actual dismantlement of the wall began in November, 1989, when the divided city was reunified, and signified the triumph of democracy over communism. The events described in this article and this video were some of the events that propelled the break up of the Soviet Union.

The contribution in the relationships between Berlin and Spy Capital

Because of the existing rivalry between the Orient and the Occident, Berlin was an ideal ground for spies and intelligence during the Cold War. During this period spies and diplomats were used both extensively by the British and the French intelligence gathering regarding their opponents.

Tip: Some remarkable spy cases of Cold War are CIA and KGB spies, Berlin Tunnel operation and spies exchange via Glienicke Bridge known as – “Spy Bridge.”

Berlin: A City with Significance Today

It has grown into a colourful city after the fall of the Cold War in Germany. The real dissection of Germany in 1949 led to physical separation while the reunification of Germany in 1990 provided chance for Berlin to grow in to the capital city of united Germany.

Fact: Now only parts of the Berlin Wall remain and they are used as souvenirs of the penned history of the city.

In sum, it is critical to assert that Berlin occupied a very important place in the dynamics of the Cold War era. Dividing the city, Berlin Airlift, construction and the collapse of the wall, espionage all played role in dictation of Cold War. Knowledge of such a role of Berlin makes it possible to embark on the analysis of historical context and the events that took place during the Cold War.