In fact the Berlin Wall is one of the most famous landmarks of the cold war since it symbolized the division of Europe into two zones. Being the symbol of the division of Germany itself, two different worlds, two ideologies, two separate and often isolated Germanies it divided for nearly the same amount of time. It is the primary aim of this paper to examine Berlin Wall and analysis could not be made of the historical perspective of the Cold War.
1. The Cold War: A Brief Overview
The cold war therefore was a post world war II conflict which was that lasted from the year 1945 to the year 1991 with the Soviet Union on one side and a coalition of the rest of the world on the other side. It primarily occurred between two superpowers: a bipolar world of the United States which was formed as a leader of the capitalist West, and the Soviet Union that symbolized the communist East. Political struggle was not turn on a military confrontation but in another way, including, political, economic, and propaganda war.
2. Division of Germany
After the end of the World War II Germany was occupied by four powers, namely the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France and was divided into four zones. The Soviet zone later on developed into the German Democratic Republic GDR (east Germany), the other three zone developed into what is known today as the Federal Republic of Germany FRO or west Germany.
The division of Germany was the first break up between the East and the West. Conflicts of these two opposing beliefs increased gradually in the first decades of the Cold War and the construction of the Berlin Wall.
3. Berlin Wall Construction and Their Construction Purpose
The Berlin Wall was built on August 13, 1961, and was made out of concrete, barb wire and watch towers. Its main motive was to stop fleeing in East Germans to West which was rapidly happening at that time. The wall was meant to address some problem that the East German government complained was the “fascist brain drain.” But it became a sign of the East and the West or the capitalist and the communists worlds in general.
3.1 East Berlin and West Berlin
Since knowing the role of the Wall, one should familiarize with the concepts of East Berlin and West Berlin. East Berlin was the capital of East Germany and stood for communism whereas the west Berlin is a city separated from East Germany and controlled by the Western powers. Appearance of a civilized and affluent society in the area of communism exposed conflict of ideologies and total difference between the two.
3.2 The Concept of Escape Attempts and Catastrophe
The Berlin Wall was surrounded by guards and soldiers who were armed to the teeth and who were ordered to shoot anyone trying to cross over. However, many East Germans tried their luck to accomplish daring escape; they dug tunnels, ballooned out of East Germany’s airspace, and also built drive-in aircrafts. Unfortunately, many people died while trying to cross these divides, further illuminating the perception many had of the wall and how oppressive it was.
4. , the second topic, The Berlin Wall as a Symbol of the Cold War.
The dividing wall of the city of Berlin grew into a major emblem of the Cold War struggle. This symbolised the geographical division between communism and capitalism and the Cold War conflict of which this was the epitome. Presumably, the existence of a wall led to tension and shifts in political alliances of the countries across the world at this time.
4.1 In order to make greater use of propaganda and the transcontinental media coverage,
Once built, the Berlin Wall was the subject of much discussion in the propaganda confrontation of the two systems. For both teams the wall was an important element of their own histories, proving that they needed it as the necessary defense or it was an oppressive tool. The wall received much coverage in the media and this just helped to escalate the importance and effects of the wall.
4.2 Fall of the Berlin Wall: A Symbol of Unity
The Berlin Wall lasted 28 years and then it happened on November 9, 1989: For the first time, East Germany opened the border. The breaking down of the Berlin Wall is considered to depict the gradual coming down of the Iron Curtain because former Soviet dominated nations sought their liberty and embraced membership in the western style of democracy.
5. Geography of the Old World and World History
The Berlin Wall, thereby is a significant entity that bears evidence to the segregation and challenges that where constituent to the Cold wars. Its physical remains to help us recall the lessons it gave: the dangers of segregation and the invaluable value of human rights and human freedom. The dramatic event of this lesson is the demolition of the Berlin Wall – an event that symbolised a change in history as it signified an end and also a reuniting of Germany.
In conclusion, although the cold war was not over the Berlin Wall per se, it was, in fact, the microcosm of the entire conflict. It became symbolical representation of difference between communism and capitalism, and oppression of the human rights cause. In order to fully appreciate the function and importance of the Berlin Wall, it is crucial to figure out its connection to the Cold War.