This world all saw the collapse of the Berlin Wall in the year 1989. It not only signified the process of creating the United Germany but also bore meaning to the Cold War. Thus, in the given article, such aspects as main factors that led to the decision to tear down the Berlin Wall and its consequences for the Cold War will be discussed.
- Historical Context
Before delving into the ramifications of the fall of the Berlin Wall it will be useful to have some information about the Cold War. The Cold War was a long stretched conflict between the US and USSR for much influence in the world. The Cold War began in 1945 at the end of world war II and continued until the early 1990s.
- Open source documents reveal the envisaged reasons towards the build-up of the Berlin Wall.
In the aftermath of World War II, Germany was divided into four occupied zones controlled by the Allied powers: the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. However, ideological differences and mounting tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western powers led to the division of Germany into two separate states:
- West Germany or the official name – The Federal Republic of Germany
- East Germany or the official name the German Democratic Republic
The advent of the Wall in August, 1961 arose from the attempt by East Germany to contain the rising tide of people emigrating from the West to the East. The wall in the way acted as a barrier to stop people from the East German Republic from crossing over to the west.
- Symbolic Significance
This is true since the Berlin Wall, although it was built with the specific purpose of controlling refugees, contained immense meaning. It changed into a manifestation of the wart between democracy on one side stretching from the west to the United States of America and communism on the other side stretching from east to Soviet Union. The breakthrough of the wall marked the climax of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany.
- Political Transformations
The breakdown of the Berlin Wall gave a start to a number of political changes. Another goal achieved was the reunification of east and west Germany. U.S President George Bush and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher supported the reunification of Germany where West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl achieved it in 1990. The reunification that came also brought economic problems associated with integrating the two different economies.
5. Conclusion
The fall of the Berlin Wall was a defining moment of the 20th century. Its impact on the Cold War cannot be overstated. The reunification of Germany, spurred by the fall of the wall, reshaped the political landscape of Europe and marked the end of an era. The importance of the wall’s collapse resonates to this day, reminding us of the power of unity and the perils of division.