Fall+of+the+Berlin+Wall+-+12-13

= The Fall of Berlin Wall (1989) =

**Brief Description** In 1961, the Soviet Union erected the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin. The Berlin Wall served as a physical barrier between two different ideologies; the city had been divided into a Soviet occupational zone and a joint United States, Great Britain, and France occupational zone after the the Second World War. While Soviet Union controlled the East Germany, United States, Britain, and France controlled the West Germany. The tension between the divided lands was substantial that those in East Germany who attempted to escape to the West were shot. The Berlin Wall was significant because it symbolized the Cold War. In 1989, however, the Berlin Wall was torn down by rebellious East Germans.

**Major Players** 1) Soviet Union: The Sinatra Doctrine USSR passed permitted Eastern Bloc governments to make their own decisions. This was one of the components that led to the fall of Berlin Wall because it made Hungary to open its border. 2) Hungary: Due to the Sinatra Doctrine, the Hungary opened its border, allowing people to free passage to Austria. This was detrimental to East Germany because it begot further exodus of East Germans to the West, eliminating the importance of the Berlin Wall to East Germany. 3) Günter Schabowski: He was an East German politburo spokesman who said that travel restrictions were to be lifted “immediately”. 4) Mikhali Gorbachev: Claimed that USSR will not suppress power of people in its satellite states as it did before.

**Important Dates** **August 13, 1961**: The erection of the Berlin Wall. **August 19, 1989**: Six hundred East Berliners fled to Austria through the passage of Hungary. **October 30, 1989**: At Red City Hall, 200,000 East Berliners protested that Berlin Wall must be torn down. **November 9, 1989**: The fall of the Berlin wall.

The most significant outcome of the fall of the Berlin Wall was that it eventually begot the end of Cold War. Moreover, the integration of West and East made Germany wealthier. After the fall of Berlin Wall, many East Berliners moved back to the West to start a new wife. Though the fall of Berlin Wall eventually begot the end of Cold War, the tension between communists and anticommunists still remained right after the fall.
 * Outcome**

**How this event influenced the Cold War as a whole** The fall of the Berlin Wall was a turning point because it eliminated communism in Germany. This was significant because other communist nations such as Poland and Czechoslovakia began to fall after the end of communism in Germany. Such continuous incidents that were unfavorable to the Soviet Union eventually begot an internal conflict. In 1991, Soviet leaders led a coup against President Milkhali Gorbachev, completely marking its own end. In short, the fall of the Berlin Wall ended the Cold War.

De Witt, Chris. "The Berlin Wall." ThinkQuest : Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. < [] >. Grabianowski, Ed. "HowStuffWorks "Leading Up to the Fall of the Berlin Wall"."
 * Bibliography**

HowStuffWorks "History". N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. < [] >.

Cook, Jane Hampton. "Why Did the Berlin Wall Fall 22 Years Ago? | Fox News." Fox News - Breaking News Updates | Latest News Headlines | Photos & News Videos. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. < [] >.

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