Berlin Wall

America and Russia both had different views on what to do with the divided Germany in 1948. Stalin and the Soviets wanted to destroy Germany, stripping its wealth and power so it was no longer a threat to them. On the other side, the USA and Britain wanted to re-build Germany, building them up financially to make a new trading partner. There are 3 events that led to Stalin blockading Berlin and they were: -On January 1947, America and Britain joined their two zones of the divided Germany creating a new zone which they called Bizonia. This angered the Russians as they realised the British and Americans were beginning to create a new, stronger Germany. -On the 31stMarch 1948, the Americans voted for the Marshall Plan (the Americans would donate huge sums of money to struggling European countries to aid them and hopefully turn them capitalists) . This too angered Stalin, the leader of Russia, as he saw it as an attempt to weaken Russian influence on eastern Europe. Because of these the Russians began stopping and searching all road and rail traffic into Berlin as a warning to the Americans. -And finally on June 1st, America and Britain announced they wanted to create West Germany as a new country and so introduce a new currency into Bizonia. The people of East Germany and Europe began to change all their money for the new currency of West Germany, believing it to be worth more. The next day, Stalin completely cut off all road, rail and water routes to Berlin.

Berlin, Conference of, 1884-85, international meeting aimed at settling the problems connected with European colonies in Africa. At the invitation of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, representatives of all European nations, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire met at Berlin to consider problems arising out of European penetration of W Africa. The stated purpose of the meeting was to guarantee free trade and navigation on the Congo and on the lower reaches of the Niger. In fact, the territorial adjustments made among the powers were the important result. The sovereignty of Great Britain over S Nigeria was recognized. The claims of the International Association, a private corporation controlled by King Leopold II of Belgium, were more or less recognized; these applied to the greater part of the Congo. These territorial awards ignored French claims to parts of the Congo and of Nigeria and the historical claim of Portugal to the mouth of the Congo. The attempts to guarantee free trade and the neutrality of the region in wartime and to set up rules for future colonial expansion in Africa were hailed, but soon the agreements proved too vague to be workable.

The destruction of the Berlin wall began, not as the result of anyone's order, but rather it was the result of the final breakdown of authority of the East German Government. The demolition of the wall could be said to have developed out of an international press conference which began in East Berlin on 9 November 1989. There had been massive demonstrations against political repression for months. As the peace conference ended, greater freedom of travel was announced for people of the German Democratic Republic. At midnight, the East German government allowed gates along the Wall to be opened after hundreds of people converged on crossing points. In the following weeks, many people then took to the wall with hammers and chisels, dismantling it piece by piece.

The official demolition of the Berlin wall began on 13 June 1990, and was undertaken by former East German border guards overseeing contractors, under a democratically elected government.

The Soviet Union did not build the Berlin Wall, it was built by and on the order of the government of the German Democratic Republic ('DDR', called 'East Germany' by the English-Language press).

It was built to stop citizens of the German Democratic Republic emigrating to West Berlin and from there to The Federal Republic of Germany (called 'West Germany' by the English-Language press).

The border between the DDR and the Federal republic had already been closed. In order to stop emigration it was also necessary to close the border between East Berlin (part of the DDR), and West Berlin.

Before the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, one could move freely throughout Greater Berlin (Gross-Berlin). There were no physical barriers, and people living in the Soviet sector could cross into the Western sectors. In principle, one could be stopped by customs officials but it hardly ever happened. There were a few residents of East Berlin who worked in West Berlin and vice versa. Berlin was, in effect, a gap in the Iron Curtain. Moreover, there was no barrier between East Berlin and the rest of East Germany. Westerners were, however, not supposed to go beyond East Berlin.

The Berlin Wall divided East Berlin from West Berlin, walling in the Germans on the Eastern side so that they could not flee to the West and escape communism. The enabled the Soviet-controlled East German government to be even more oppressive. The conditions in the East continued to deteriorate while conditions in the West continued to improve. Much more could be said, but that's a quick answer. Perhaps someone else can add more. Actually, the above isn't strictly true. After the Berlin wall was built, Eastern Germany began to prosper because all of the skilled labour force had to remain on the Eastern side. Wester Germany did not benefit because of the above too. Their workforce was severely hindered. APEX_Western plans to create an independent West Germany

The Berlin Wall was 167.8 km (104.875 mi) long

The Berlin Blockade and airlift were important for the development of the Cold war because it was one of the first crises which happened during the Cold War. The Berlin Blockade changed many people's lives in West Berlin as the Soviets had blocked food supplies, energy supplies and gas to West Berlin by closing all roads and railways. This lead to the USA and Britain having to supply West Berlin by sending airplanes filled with supplies to West Berlin. In order for West Berlin to survive, they needed 4000 tonnes of food a day which meant that aeroplanes filled with supplies landed every 30 seconds. This was called the Berlin airlift. As a result of this, 79 American and British pilots lost their lives. In May 1949 Stalin called off the Berlin Blockade as the Soviets realised that the people of West Berlin were managing fine with the help of the USA and the UK.

The Berlin Wall is considered to have "fallen" in 1989. Border crossing points all along the wall were opened to anyone who wanted to cross on 9 November 1989, following the conclusion of an international press conference in East Berlin, when greater freedom of travel was announced for people of the German Democratic Republic (prior to this date, East Germans were only allowed to enter the West under strict conditions). Earlier that evening, the East German government spokesman, Günther Schabowski, had announced on TV that East Germans would be allowed to travel abroad freely but didn't announce the date when this would come into effect. A huge crowd gathered in Unter den Linden in East Berlin and simply demanded the right to cross into West Berlin. The guards at the Brandenburg Gate were at a loss as to what to do. In the end they decided to let people cross over and merely put a rubber stamp in their passports. Then the number reached the point where even that was no longer possible. The official demolition of the Berlin wall began on 13 June 1990, and was undertaken by former East German border guards under a democratically elected government.

(Note. Since 4 September 1989 there had been huge demonstrations (so-called Monday Demonstrations) against political repression and the regime demanding a wide range of reforms. The protest crystallized round the right to travel abroad. Until 9 November 1989 one could only travel to the West with the permission of the authorities).

There were a total of 239 deaths due to the Berlin Wall. The first victim, or mayter, was tragically shot six days after the wall was erected. His name was Jeff Jacoby. The last person slain due to the Berlin Wall was Chris Geoffry.

Reagan strengthened the weak, ineffectual, and vulnerable military which Carter left behind. The Reagan administration funded research and development of weapons systems, including stealth technology and precision weaponry, later used in both Persian Gulf wars. Reagan's largest peacetime defense buildup in history, which included larger training ranges and military pay increases, helped invigorate the American military from its Vietnam War-era despondency.

The U.S.S.R. provoked the Berlin Crisis with an ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of Western armed forces from West Berlin culminating with the city's de facto partition with the East German erection of the Berlin Wall.

Earthmoving equipment.

A main idea of Confucianism is the cultivation of virtue and the development of moral perfection. Confucianism holds that one should give up one's life, if necessary, for the sake of upholding the cardinal moral values. So probably not.

"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

He had made his reputation as being a tough, anti-Communist leader of the free world. Being in West Berlin, near the wall, was a perfect place to make that famous speech-knowing that people in East Berlin would hear the speech as well in some form. Reagon preached freedom for all who are oppressed including the Soviet Union-called them an "evil empire", at one time! Reagan knew that the Soviet Union was teetering on economic and social collapse, and wanted to put additional pressure on Gorbachev! Reagan knew that the new Soviet President, couldn't continue supporting the East Germans militarily like he had been doing elsewhere, including propping up Castro. Reagan knew if the wall came down, that other Warsaw Pact countries, would be encouraged to separate from the Soviet Union!

It was a nonviolent conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union.

It was an attempt to put Berlin under Communist control.

It was an attempt by the United States to contain Communism.

It was built August 13, 1961 using barded wire and antitank obstacles.:)

I have been studding about WWI, WWII, and The Cold War recently and given this some thought. While using history to predict the future is always a tricky move, it is one of the reasons we studdy, right? So, I think that the next great war will need powerful ideologies or scarcity of resources. When I say powerful ideologies, I do not discount the rebirth of extreme religious groups. A quote from Einstein seems appropriate at this point: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

George H. W. Bush, often referred to as George Bush senior, was the president of the United States of America when the Berlin Wall was torn down.

The 'iron curtin' divided the East (Communism) from the West (Capitalism/Democracy). There was no physical barrier (although several physical barriers do exist, such as the Berlin wall), but a political barrier.