Fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years later (videos)

November 9, 6:05 PMUS Headlines ExaminerCharisse Van Horn

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Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many remember where they were twenty years ago whether in the United States or worldwide. For many, the thought of a unified Germany seemed impossible after the Berlin Wall was erected in August 1961.

President Regan delivered a memorable speech where he demanded Mr. Gorbachev to open the gate. He later emphasized, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Former president Ronald Reagan issued that stern demand two years before the wall finally came down. It has been estimated that approximately 136 people had been killed trying to cross the Berlin wall since the time it was erected in 1961 to its demise in 1989.

When Dimitri Simes President of the Nixon Center was asked by CNN’s Christine Amanpour if former president Reagan could take credit in the removal of the Berlin Wall, he answered that all presidents since Harry Truman shared in the credit. The United States opposition to communism played an invaluable role in the end of the Soviet Union, he said. Dimitri Simes also credited former president George H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Former United States Secretary of State James Baker described going to East Germany (as it was known) one month after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He described it as being very drab and similar to that of a third world country. He remarked upon the vivid contrast between East and West Germany and stated that he had the privilege of being the first and last Secretary of State to visit East Germany.

The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the official end of Communist oppression in Eastern Europe and opened the doorway to economic freedom.
 

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