2007-02-09 13:18:15 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
I have written a bunch of essays about the topic. For the sake of simplicity, and for the sake of banality and "popular" history, let me cite just two common myths that exists about the fall of the Berlin wall:
- American presidents' speeches in front of the wall (for example: Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berlinet" and Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!)
- Pope John Paul II's anti-communist activism.
- (As a bonus, let's cite Pink Floyd's concerts).
The reality is that these are very simple interpretations. Neither American presidents, nor the Pope, brought about the fall of Berlin's wall. The real reasons are more exogene (meaning they came from abroad) than indigenous.
Of course there were internal factors (like declining standards of living in Eastern Germany), but endogenous factors were more important in deciding the fate of the wall. By endogenous factors I mean developments in Moscow between the 1970s and the late 1980s, but especially in the late 1980s).
2007-02-09 15:23:07 · answer #1 · answered by zap 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Incorrect on all counts! Sorry everyone, I don't know who taught your history classes, but whoever it was, he has as good a grasp on history as a chimpanzee.
Okay, the Berlin Wall. It came down because of Hungary. On 23 August 1989 Hungary opened its borders to East Germany. On 23 October, Hungary overthrew its communist leaders (the reasons for this are long long long, but let's sum it up as "whoops! how'd that happen, comrades?"). Now, keep in mind that East Germany shares a border with Hungary. So, when Hungary all of a sudden decided to shift away from Warsaw Pact powers (like the USSR and E. Germany), there was a small problem in East Germany. The problem was that the big wall they'd built to keep people from escaping into West Berlin (to Templehoff! Okay, maybe not, but any airport would probably work when you were trying to escape) was useless because everyone was just escaping to Hungary, which was harder to build a wall around! Also, it should be mentioned, that Czechoslovakia had a new government that was uncomfortably friendly to people who wanted to leave the Soviet sphere via their airports. These two points led to the E. German government attempting (in an attempt to get control of the situation) to announce new crossing rules for the Berlin Wall.
But on 9 November 1989 when a crowd of people started crowding the Berlin Wall, the East German soldiers awaited orders. Well, those orders never came. What else could they do but watch, then, as the crowd decided it was time for the wall to come down? And down it came. With very little to do with Ronald Regan (sorry kids).
Hope this helps! Good luck.
2007-02-09 22:33:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Collapse Of Communism
2007-02-09 21:29:30 · answer #3 · answered by Stifler 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II.
2007-02-09 21:28:02 · answer #4 · answered by Tiocfaidh Ar La 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ronald Regan
2007-02-09 21:21:25 · answer #5 · answered by setter505 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Great RUNALDUS MAGNUS.aka Ronald Reagan.The greatest president only behind Washington and Lincoln.
2007-02-10 04:11:59 · answer #6 · answered by Hector 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
President Ronald Regan put pressure on the USSR.Michael Gorbachev debated with him and he got to understand that the wall was useless.So our President said President Gorbachev tare down that wall and he did
2007-02-09 21:25:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The collapse of communism made the wall irrelevant.
2007-02-09 21:29:37 · answer #8 · answered by Aldo the Apache 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The treaty that was established by the UN had expired and allowed the East and West to reunite.
2007-02-09 21:21:04 · answer #9 · answered by tiki/more 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
A bunch of people with sledgehammers.
2007-02-09 21:21:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋