Not only did it it literally separate East & West Berlin, but it symbolized the divide between Democracy and Communism, during The Cold War.
After the Potsdam Conference, Germany was broken into four sections, Ruled by USA, Great Britain, France, & the USSR. USA, Great Britain and France combined their sections into West Germany, while Russia kept theirs as East Germany. The German Capital, Berlin, was also divided this way.
Tensions soon mounted...
The Berlin Airlift was needed after access to West Berlin was shut down by the Soviets in June of 1948. West Berlin needed to have supplies flown in. Over 270,000 flights were needed until the blockade was lifted in May 1949.
In one example of America's continuing support, JFK gave a famous address:
Trouble reared it's head again when the government of East Germany (with Soviet Support) decided to build a wall.
Just past midnight on the night of August 12-13, 1961, trucks with soldiers and construction workers rumbled through East Berlin. While most Berliners were sleeping, these crews began tearing up streets that entered into West Berlin, dug holes to put up concrete posts, and strung barbed wire all across the border between East and West Berlin. Telephone wires between East and West Berlin were also cut.
It started out as barbed wire, but eventually transformed into brick.
Obviously there were many attempts to circumvent the wall, something these were deadly. Between 100-200 people lost their lives attempting to cross The Berlin Wall.
As the Cold War played out, Berlin stayed in the center of attention. Here is President Regan delivering his famous challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev:
And 20 years ago day, the wall was torn down. The borders were opened once again and within a year Germany would be united again.
While this was a great and wonderful thing, it also helped make David Hasselhoff an international superstar.
Not sure how history will judge that :)
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