Remembering the Fall of the Berlin Wall

For 28 years, the Berlin Wall stood as an iconic symbol of the Cold War and the oppression of a people under Communism.

The original "wall" was a string of barbed wire that marked the closing of the border between East and West Berlin in August 1961. A concrete barrier followed.

On Nov. 9, 1989, after East Germany promised greater freedom of travel, protestors demanded to cross the border at once and began tearing down the wall.

Gates Discusses Reagan's Role in Fall of Berlin Wall

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2009 – A flexible American strategy based on Ronald Reagan’s inflexible belief in liberty was key to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here yesterday. Story

Witnesses Recall Berlin Wall's Fall 20 Years Ago

For millions of U.S. servicemembers, the celebratory scenes at the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, were cause for deep satisfaction. Story

Presidential Proclamation on the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Twenty years ago today, the Wall came down in Berlin and both a country and a continent came together. After thousands of East Berliners flooded through checkpoints into West Berlin, border restrictions dissolved across Eastern Bloc countries. The Iron Curtain that divided Europe for decades finally fell, ushering in a new era of freedom and cooperation. On this anniversary, we are reminded that no challenge is too great for a world united in common purpose. Story

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