The Berlin Wall

     At the end of World War II the defeated Germany fell under the control of the Allied powers. This included the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France, all of whom occupying parts of post-war Germany.  In order to appease all of these allies, they decided to divide the country into four separate zones, as well as divide the capitol of Berlin into four zones.  However, once the Soviet Union and the remaining allied powers started to oppose each other through Cold War tensions both Germany and Berlin were split in half. By 1961, the Soviet Union decided to build a wall that would divide East and West Germany, especially through Berlin, creating the "German Democratic Republic", or GDR, in the East.  The Soviet's said that it was to  keep the western ideas out, but in reality it was supposed to keep easterners from defecting.  
     Once the concrete wall was built, living conditions between the east and west became much different. 

People in the east constantly tried to escape the oppressive GDR rule, which denied them the opportunity to practice free speech or the freedom of religion.  In doing so, most failed and were either jailed or killed.
During this time, the international community faced the dilemma of trying to help those behind the "Iron Curtain" while at the same time keeping tensions as low with the Soviet Union.
     There were three events that led to the demise of the Berlin Wall.  First, and most importantly, was the role of the Soviet Union's leader Mikhail Gorbachev.  He brought liberal ideas to the Eastern bloc which gradually started to erode the Soviet Union.  One of these was to allow people to criticize communism. Once this started, most of the governments under Soviet rule declared independence.  The pressure put on the GDR forced it's leader to retire.  Their new leader Hans Modrow, allowed East Germans to pass through the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989.  During this, many rejoiced by partying in the streets, while many brought hammers and picks and started to hack away at the Berlin Wall. This continued until October 3, 1990, when East and West Germany were finally officially reunited, eventually bringing an end to the Cold War when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Works Cited:

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/places/berlin_wall
2. http://www.history.com/topics/berlin-wall
3. http://history1900s.about.com/od/coldwa1/a/berlinwall_2.htm