Changes

Germany itself was divided between communist and free portions.  The eastern side became the German Democratic Republic, which was merely a communist satellite of the Soviet Union and became known as “East Germany.”  The western side in 1947 became the Federal Republic of Germany.  As described in a memorable post-war speech by Winston Churchill in Missouri, the Soviet Union had dropped an “iron curtain” across Eastern Europe.   

Germany itself was divided between communist and free portions.  The eastern side became the German Democratic Republic, which was merely a communist satellite of the Soviet Union and became known as “East Germany.”  The western side in 1947 became the Federal Republic of Germany.  As described in a memorable post-war speech by Winston Churchill in Missouri, the Soviet Union had dropped an “iron curtain” across Eastern Europe.   

Berlin, the historic capital city of Germany, was located in the eastern side and the Allied Powers agreed to split that city into free and communist parts.  Stalin then showed his hatred of freedom by blockading the delivery of goods to the free part of Berlin, which was as easy as simply stopping the railroads from traveling to Berlin from the west.  The Allies reacted by implementing a massive airlift of foods and supplies to West Berlin.  Every day huge numbers of airplanes flew to and from West Berlin to carry enough cargo to support a large city.  This Berlin Airlift lasted nearly 11 months, from June 1948 to September 1949, until the Soviet Union backed down and lifted the ground blockade.

Berlin, the historic capital city of Germany, was located in the eastern side and the Allied Powers agreed to split that city into free and communist parts.  Stalin then showed his hatred of freedom by blockading the delivery of goods to the free part of Berlin, which was as easy as simply stopping the railroads from traveling to Berlin from the west.  The Allies reacted by implementing a massive airlift of foods and supplies to West Berlin.  Every day huge numbers of airplanes flew to and from West Berlin to carry enough cargo to support a large city.  This Berlin Airlift lasted nearly 11 months, from June 1948 to May 1949, until the Soviet Union backed down and lifted the ground blockade.

A decade later, in 1961, the Soviet Union reacted to a different problem:  huge numbers of refugees fleeing communism in East Berlin to live in the free West Berlin.  While President Kennedy was enjoying a long, relaxing weekend, the communists built a concrete wall to separate East Berlin from West Berlin.  Barbed wire was placed atop this “Berlin Wall,” and armed guards were posted along it to shoot and kill anyone trying to escape from the East into the West (no one would want to go in the opposite direction).  Stories of daring and sometimes successful escapes are fascinating to read.  This was the wall at which President Ronald Reagan stood in the late 1980s demanding that the head of the Soviet Union “tear down this wall!”

A decade later, in 1961, the Soviet Union reacted to a different problem:  huge numbers of refugees fleeing communism in East Berlin to live in the free West Berlin.  While President Kennedy was enjoying a long, relaxing weekend, the communists built a concrete wall to separate East Berlin from West Berlin.  Barbed wire was placed atop this “Berlin Wall,” and armed guards were posted along it to shoot and kill anyone trying to escape from the East into the West (no one would want to go in the opposite direction).  Stories of daring and sometimes successful escapes are fascinating to read.  This was the wall at which President Ronald Reagan stood in the late 1980s demanding that the head of the Soviet Union “tear down this wall!”