Declassified: Rise and Fall of the Wall (Part 3/5)

For three decades, it symbolized the chasm between East and West, a brutal, grey barrier which divided a city and was a constantly-simmering focal point of the Cold War. But on November 9, 1989, the long-oppressed citizens of East Berlin broke the first chink in its 96 miles of concrete and barbed wire, signaling the start of one of history's most dramatic political transformations. A simple mistake by an East German official (who announced free transit to the West) unleashed joyful and anarchic celebrations on either side of the Wall. Germans East and West rushed to embrace each other, but how would the Soviets respond? Would they reinforce GDR border guards and fire on the revelers? Would the try to force the gates closed? Would they fire on the West, unleashing World War III? The world watched and waited.

Drawing on formerly secret archives from both sides of the Wall and the memories of those who risked their lives to cross the deadly barrier, Declassified: The Rise and Fall of the Wall presents all the detail and drama in a non-stop, fast-moving montage cut to a rock and roll beat. Featuring rare footage, insider reports and interviews with pivotal figures like President George Bush Sr. and Mikhail Gorbachev, this is an unforgettable portrait of a Cold War icon.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• USA
• Russia
• Germany
• Berlin
• Wall
• Documentary

[esmuneca]

Bush; "why would someone try and run knowing that they would shoot him?'

Hello he ran because what the East Communists did was not right. He didn't want to live in a state where everything someone did was monitering you. He wanted freedom, even if he died in the process he ended up free on his own terms.

[lastinlineband1]

Ich bin ein Berlinner = "I am a Jelly Donut."

[tatetalk]

@TheArizonaCardinal wikipedia my friend

[tatetalk]

@TheArizonaCardinal communism is a disease

[JohanOlsson]

just look at the american/western tanks, they are totally better and newer than the poor Soviets once, its such a huge difference. western used new military whyle the commies still used military from WW2 hehe

[nishal92]

@TheArizonaCardinal Mostly, the escape was done by playing that you are going on holiday to Hungary, Croatia or some of Juhoslavian countries. You couldnt leave your country, otherwise you were shot on sight. My friends uncle managed to escape, but my friend had a hard life after that. All of his familly was doomed. You couldnt study if someone from your family escape, even in some cases you went to prison. I can only thank god that I was born in 1992.

[ThegameTrail3rmAN]

communist suck

[llmorbvsll]

Stupid discussions here about wether the US should have taken action or not. I am german and I am quite happy that no one started ww3, Just take a quick guess where the prime field of battle would have been?!!?

[denis2112muc]

@ValkiryeMax

you give Americans a bad name!!

learn about history and what happened, and stop mocking people for speaking english as a second language



[noobersers]

@ChaosDynamics Jello I think.

[ChaosDynamics]

@noobersers

If they call jam jelly, then what do they call jelly?

[noobersers]

@ChaosDynamics Americans call it jelly.