The Cold War was a period of intense political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR) that lasted from the end of World War II to the early 1990s. One of the most iconic symbols of this era was the division of Berlin, the capital of Germany, into East Berlin and West Berlin.
The Division of Berlin
After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones: American, British, French, and Soviet. The same division was also observed in capital city, Berlin, which was located in the depth of the Soviet occupied zone.
When conflict was beginning between the Western countries and USSR, the city of Berlin was a major contentious issue. In 1948 the Soviet Union tried to force the western powers out of West Berlin by sealing of all the roads and waterways leading to the city. This led to the famous Berlin Airlift where plane from the West carried supplies to the people of West Berlin.
The Geographical Location of Berlin
Berlin is located in the northeast of the Federal Republic of Germany; it is in a distance of about 44 miles (70 kilometers) to the Polish border. Extended on both sides by bridges across the River Spree, the city is divided into several districts and is populated by different neighborhoods.
During the cold war, Berlin was geographically located right in the center of the soviet occupied area in eastern Germany. The subdivision of East Berlin and West Berlin was that the Berlin Wall was being constructed to be as a heavily guarded barrier that encompassed approximately ninety kilometers of the border around the western part of the city.
West Berlin
West Berlin, although geographically located within East Germany, was under the control of the Western powers: the United States, the United Kingdo and France. “That was part of the democratic West with a capitalist economy and a different political system from the socialist one in the East.”
East Berlin
East Berlin belonged to the GDR and in the sphere of ideology was equal to the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union. Communist regime of East Germany together with USSR planned and intended to build a socialist society and a state that emulated USSR in most of its policies.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was one of the most famous border crossing points between two cities of Germany during Cold War. It became widely known primarily because several events took place there, thereby turning it into a symbol of the divided city.
Checkpoint Charlie was thus reserved for the use by Allied military, all foreigners, and diplomats . The checkpoint was manned by both US soldiers and their counterparts from the Soviet Union, both sides staring each other in the eye.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Democracy and civil wars have been a common case in many countries and political liberalization of Germany was not exception; The Berlin Wall came crashing down on November 9, 1989. This meeting signified the starting point of the actual disintegration of the Cold War and the ultimate division of Germany.
The breaking down of the Berlin Wall led to the bringing together of East and West Germany, this union took place on October 3, 1990. Berlin, separated once at the time of the Cold War, merged into the new nation’s capital of Germany which symbolized the end of conflict.
Conclusion
The division of Berlin during the Cold War was a striking symbol of the intense geopolitical conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union. The physical location of Berlin within Soviet-controlled East Germany created a unique situation that defined the city’s history for several decades. However, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification of Germany brought an end to this period of division and set the stage for a more united and peaceful Europe.
