Greetings everyone and welcome to our blog post all about the Berlin Wall and what it meant in the Cold War period. If you want to have some background on culture or history, politics or events, to do with this matter or if you are new to this topic we will ensure that you have all the backgrounds you require from the basic history of this wall, its construction, the events that led to its construction, to the fall of the wall. Let’s dive in!

1. Understanding the Cold War

The cold war was an ongoing state of political opposition, military competition and propaganda from the end of the Second World War in 1945 until the early 1990s between the western powers led by United States and the eastern powers led by Soviet Union. This war was mostly defined by proxy wars and a state of near nuclear confrontation without an actual discovery of the weapons.

The Division of Germany

At the end of World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones: Of American, British, French, and Soviet origin. Equally, and also in 1945, the city of Berlin in the Soviet zone of occupation was also split into four zones. Nevertheless, the conflict between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union emerged and later on, Germany was split to two different nations, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic in 1949.

2. Construction of the Berlin Wall

After the division of Germany in the later years, East Germany was in deep economical crises and political crisis. Thus, people in East Germany look for a similar lifestyle and liberty in West Germany; many travelled through Berlin to work in West Germany. In a bid to prevent this mass escape, the East German Government encouraged by the Soviet Union proposed to build a Wall in and around Berlin City.

When was Berlin Wall constructed?

The barriers that would eventually become the Berlin Wall went up on August 13 in 1961. It was a concrete wall surrounding the entire compound together with towers and many strands of barbed wires and anti-tank trenches. The wall therefore physically se του)} separated East Berlin from West Berlin, individuals from their loved one’s/friends/fellow citizens.

The Impact of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall had far-reaching consequences, both for the people living in Berlin and for the global stage:

• Human cost: The construction of the wall led to scission of families many people died during the construction of the wall. A significant number of east germans died in their efforts to escape to the west, they were badly punished upon being intercepted by border patrol.
• Symbol of oppression: The wall in Berlin also assumed the function of the division of democracy (the West) and communism (East). They depicted the restrictions in what people of the soviet-occupied nations could do.
• Escalation of tensions: The building of the Berlin Wall aggravated the Cold War. The latter, The United States and its allies saw it as a direct threat to their way of life while the former, the Soviet Union and its allies saw it as the only sure way of preserving socialism.

3. The Fall of the Berlin Wall

It would take 28 years for the western side of the divided Berlin city to be physically and symbolically connected with the East Berlin through the construction of the Berlin Wall. However, the wall’s time was doomed once the political climate began change towards the end of the decade of the eighties.

The Winds of Change

At the end of 1980s the Soviet Union experienced a radical political perestroika and direct economic reforming headed by M.Gorbachev and K.Gentel. These policies called glasnost and perestroika were intended to liberalize the Soviet Union, together with its allies.

Endorsing Peaceful Demonstrations Demonstrations and Reunification

Thus, people of East Germany started turned rebellion in response to the changing dynamics in society and politics; they started demanding political changes. On the 9th of November in 1989 the government of East Germany surprisingly allowed its people to travel to the west. Many people crossed the border to escape west, many of them stormed the border checkpoints and overwhelmed the guards. When this was the only thing left for them to do, the gates between East and West Berlin were thrown open and people could move as they wanted. This event was confidently associated with the symbolic fall of the Berlin Wall.

4. The Legacy of the Berlin Wall

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a momentous event that had a lasting impact on Germany, Europe, and the world:

German Reunification

The events related to the breaking of the Berlin Wall led to the unification of the East Germany and West Germany on 3rd of October in 1990. Germany united again and as a result the country merged after decades of division.

The End of the Cold War

Since the Wall was a symbol of Cold war, its collapse Secondly, signifies the end of this ideological war. The changes in the world politics influence a forma- tively decisive impacts on the situation across the East European states and the Soviet Union itself.

Conclusion

The Berlin Wall was political division and struggles experienced during Cold War since it was concrete image of the split between East and West. Both, its building and its destruction represent man’s aspirations for liberty and the ability of nonviolent resistance to achieve it. Knowledge about this period makes it easier to value the standards of human rights and endurance of the persons in the period of oppression.

That is all we have to offer in our therapy about Berlin Wall along with its significance in the context of the Cold War confrontation. Should have any questions or wish to gain further information on the matter, you are welcome to search on the internet or in a local library.