How Did The Berlin Wall Impact The Modern World
To What Extent Has The Berlin Wall Impacted the Modern World?
Post World War II there were many tensions surrounding Europe and especially Germany. The major powers of the war the U.S.A, Britain, and the Soviet Union agreed to require Germany’s unconditional surrender and by May 8, 1945 Germany had officially surrendered. They all agreed to set up four zones of occupation in Germany and also in Berlin to be run by their three countries and France. Since the division of Berlin tensions rose between the superpowers that controlled it because West Berlin was a geographical loophole through which thousands of East Germans fled to the democratic West. In response, the Communist East German authorities built a wall that totally encircled West Berlin. It was thrown up overnight, on 13 August 1961. But the Berlin wall was more than just a wall it played a major part in the cold war and when it fell on November 9, 1989 the whole world was watching.
At first the separation …show more content…
of Germany and Berlin was an agreement that came by because world leaders wanted peace in the region yet that was all they had in common. Their differences in ideologies meant the only agreement that could come was the separation of the land conquered in the war resulting in Democratic Capitalism in the West and Communism in the East. These opposing principles shaped the world throughout the cold war as when we look are the world as a whole there are currently 123 democracies in the world of all 192 countries. (Borgen, 2013) And without having the experience of the Berlin Wall we cannot be sure if a majority of the world would be democracies. With many people from East Berlin escaping to the freedoms that West Berlin provided. The effects of the Berlin Wall shaped the way governments are run all around the world to this day.
The Berlin wall was so much more than just a wall. The Berlin Wall separated East and West Germany both physically and politically. It separated families ant they could not see each other again for a long time. People who worked on either side of the wall suddenly lost their jobs because they could not go to the other side. Then by losing their jobs, they could not buy food for their families. The Germans were devastated and many protested against the wall. They wanted the wall to be taken down. It separated the people from freedom. It helped us learn the negative effects that can come with something that seems as simple as just a wall.
The Berlin Wall represents a violent, and ultimately futile, episode in the post-war world. The Wall was a tangible symbol of the suppression of human rights by the Eastern bloc during the Cold War. Both speeches when delivered in Berlin on June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy expresses his hopes for the reunification of Germany by saying "I take pride in the words: Ich bin ein Berliner." and on June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared to the leader of the Soviet Union “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” have cemented the Berlin Wall into history not only as a icon of the tensions between the Soviet Union and the USA but also a cultural icon of the rich history in Berlin.
Many East Germans hated the wall and thought of it as a sign of oppression yet, there were some who were in complete support of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany whose ideology was communism.
Many young teenagers who were born in East Germany and brought up in a world knowing nothing different to what that learnt behind a wall were in favour of the equality they believed it provided. After the Wall was torn down and the reunification begun a majority of people wanted to rebuild Berlin yet East Berliners still wanted a part of East Berlin in their city because otherwise the only place they knew would disappear from them. Then became Ampelmännchen, which literally translates to little traffic light men. It was always apart of the East German culture, and later became a virtual mascot for the East German nostalgia movement. Today the sign of an Ampelmann on a mug or T-shirt is commonplace in Berlin and the business of selling these souvenirs reportedly earned the creator €2 million 2004. (DW staff,
2005)
In conclusion, the Berlin Wall impacted the way modern governments are run, as it was apart of the cold war. Also it is an icon of the immediate post war world and shows a gritty insight to what happens when major ideologies clash. As most events in history we can learn from our past mistakes and, the Berlin Wall is no different.
Post World War II there were many tensions surrounding Europe and especially Germany. The major powers of the war the U.S.A, Britain, and the Soviet Union agreed to require Germany’s unconditional surrender and by May 8, 1945 Germany had officially surrendered. They all agreed to set up four zones of occupation in Germany and also in Berlin to be run by their three countries and France. Since the division of Berlin tensions rose between the superpowers that controlled it because West Berlin was a geographical loophole through which thousands of East Germans fled to the democratic West. In response, the Communist East German authorities built a wall that totally encircled West Berlin. It was thrown up overnight, on 13 August 1961. But the Berlin wall was more than just a wall it played a major part in the cold war and when it fell on November 9, 1989 the whole world was watching.
At first the separation …show more content…
of Germany and Berlin was an agreement that came by because world leaders wanted peace in the region yet that was all they had in common. Their differences in ideologies meant the only agreement that could come was the separation of the land conquered in the war resulting in Democratic Capitalism in the West and Communism in the East. These opposing principles shaped the world throughout the cold war as when we look are the world as a whole there are currently 123 democracies in the world of all 192 countries. (Borgen, 2013) And without having the experience of the Berlin Wall we cannot be sure if a majority of the world would be democracies. With many people from East Berlin escaping to the freedoms that West Berlin provided. The effects of the Berlin Wall shaped the way governments are run all around the world to this day.
The Berlin wall was so much more than just a wall. The Berlin Wall separated East and West Germany both physically and politically. It separated families ant they could not see each other again for a long time. People who worked on either side of the wall suddenly lost their jobs because they could not go to the other side. Then by losing their jobs, they could not buy food for their families. The Germans were devastated and many protested against the wall. They wanted the wall to be taken down. It separated the people from freedom. It helped us learn the negative effects that can come with something that seems as simple as just a wall.
The Berlin Wall represents a violent, and ultimately futile, episode in the post-war world. The Wall was a tangible symbol of the suppression of human rights by the Eastern bloc during the Cold War. Both speeches when delivered in Berlin on June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy expresses his hopes for the reunification of Germany by saying "I take pride in the words: Ich bin ein Berliner." and on June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared to the leader of the Soviet Union “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” have cemented the Berlin Wall into history not only as a icon of the tensions between the Soviet Union and the USA but also a cultural icon of the rich history in Berlin.
Many East Germans hated the wall and thought of it as a sign of oppression yet, there were some who were in complete support of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany whose ideology was communism.
Many young teenagers who were born in East Germany and brought up in a world knowing nothing different to what that learnt behind a wall were in favour of the equality they believed it provided. After the Wall was torn down and the reunification begun a majority of people wanted to rebuild Berlin yet East Berliners still wanted a part of East Berlin in their city because otherwise the only place they knew would disappear from them. Then became Ampelmännchen, which literally translates to little traffic light men. It was always apart of the East German culture, and later became a virtual mascot for the East German nostalgia movement. Today the sign of an Ampelmann on a mug or T-shirt is commonplace in Berlin and the business of selling these souvenirs reportedly earned the creator €2 million 2004. (DW staff,
2005)
In conclusion, the Berlin Wall impacted the way modern governments are run, as it was apart of the cold war. Also it is an icon of the immediate post war world and shows a gritty insight to what happens when major ideologies clash. As most events in history we can learn from our past mistakes and, the Berlin Wall is no different.