The Berlin Wall
September 2, 1945 became the day known to the world as the end of World War II, and soon after this ending Germany was divided into four Allied occupation zones, though there were many problems with the Allies as a group. The Soviets didn't trust any of the countries in the West and the West didn't trust the Soviets causing a lot of tension. In 1948 tensions grew even deeper when the US, Britain, and France moved to unite their three occupied zones into one, and in response the USSR launched a land block of West Berlin in an effort to force the Western Allies to abandon the city completely, most of it being part of the Soviet occupation zone. To many East Germans, Western Germany was a gateway to the democratic West so many of them so desperately wanted to be a part of.
In Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain Speech" he states, "an Iron Curtain is falling over Europe. The Iron Curtain, the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union to sell off itself and its dependent eastern and central European allies form open contact with the West and other noncommunist areas." The Iron Curtain created by Josef Stalin blocked off entry to the allied-occupied West Berlin from the East Germans. Though the United States and Britain responded with an 11-month airlift of supplies and food many East Germans were trapped there until Germany was formally reunited in 1990.
To further officialize the Iron Curtain the Soviets had created they built the Berlin Wall, which was the barrier that surrounded West Berlin and prevented access to it from East Berlin and adjacent areas of East Germany built in 1961 and finally demolished in 1989. The building of just some barbed wire and concrete the Berlin Wall officially began its terrorizing on August 12, 1961 when a decree passed by the East German Volkskammer was passed. East Germans were forbidden to pass the Berlin Wall, "The wall would protect their [East German[ citizens from the pernicious influence of decadent capitalist culture" stated the Soviets.
On November 9, 1989 East German border guards opened the borders of East Germany, allowing Germans to freely roam their country. "Jubilant Berliners climbed on top of the Berlin Wall, painted graffiti on it, and removed fragments as souvenirs." The taking down of the Berlin Wall was a great step in history because it put Germany on the pathway back to being formally reunited as a nation, and in 1990 East and West Germany were finally brought together once again.
Mr. Stewart
I like how you gave background before you explained your topic. Not only is the wall a big thing physically but I think it was a big symbol for Germany. When the wall came down it was symbolizing their unity and stability.
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