To young people, the symbol of the twentieth century would probably be the Berlin Wall. This wall was constructed in the year 1961 which literally split Berlin in two; this wall was invented due to tension between the soviet Union and the United States during the cold war. However, the question arises: how the inhabitants of the world saw this enormous construction and its influence on the German capital? Here, the account will look at the various points of view of the presentation of the Berlin Wall.
The Wall’s Construction
The building of the wall triggered a number of different reactions in the global community with people being equally shocked, worried and angered by the decision of the GDR government. There was an understanding that the East German government wanted to avoid the mass emigration, but the onset of building the wall along with brutality struck a blow to many. The Western observers would view it as a symbol of suppression and as the concrete division of Europe.
The Western Perspective
Ideologically the Wall was perceived by the leaders of the West as a manifestation of the oppressive communism of the East. It had divided families, friends and a city that was previously interconnected for generation(s). It was remembered as the emblem of the limitations and the end of freedom under Soviet rule. We can recall that western media painted the wall as the embodiment of communism failure together with human rights’ suppression.
The Impact on Westerners
For the Westerners, the Berlin Wall was a sign of suppression of individual liberty and the desire of the people. It affected both the public and political spheres as the West supported the unification of Germany and the tearing down of the linement. Historically, political leaders, for instance, the then U.S President Ronald Reagan famously called for the dismantling of wall through an uneasy famous quote ‘Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall’.
The Eastern Perspective
On the similar note, east Europe countries and the soviet union propagated the construction of the Berlin Wall as a protective barrier against west’s aggression. Some of them claimed that it was expedient to contain the capitalist penetration into East Germany in order to smoothen the socialist transformation process.
Securing Communist Ideals
In the east, the wall was depicted as security measure meant to safeguard East German citizens from the threats of aggressive capitalists and imperialism. Thus, the East Germany portrayed the construction of the wall as a protection of their socialist state and the strides they had achieved in development of an equal nation.
The Global Impact
The impact of the Berlin Wall in time could be envisaged to have a strong bearing on the global society. It brought more apparent tensions between United States and Soviet Union since the division of the city symbolized the structure of the confrontation of the two superpowers based on their ideology and political system.
Symbol of Division
Globally, the largest chunk of the individuals knows the meaning of the divided world through the Berlin Wall. It represented communism and relativity and it was the model of the rivalry that shaped the second half of the twentieth century.
Peaceful Protest and Reunification
Across the board it was recognised that the collapse of the Berlin wall that took place in 1989 brought in new indications of hope and a triumph towards a unified and peaceful Germany. It symbolized the halting of apartheid and discrimination in the society. The importance of the sign of people dismantling the wall non-violently reverberated in the whole world and became a symbol of unity and people’s crave after freedom.
Conclusion
The image that people had about the Berlin Wall differed depending on the side of ideological and geographic location. While the western countries regarded the wall as an emblem of suppression and the partition of Germany, the eastern countries viewed it as a security necessity. Finally, the concept symbolized that division is sin and that the breakthrough was the victory of breaking the wall thus leaving lasting impacts on the world that shows the impossibility of enclosing the spirit of man.
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