| Twenty years ago, on June 12, 1987,
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| | Large demonstrations against the
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| during a visit to the divided German city
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| | government system of East Germany took
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| of Berlin, U.S. president Ronald Reagan
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| | place over the three months from
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| publicly and memorably challenged Soviet
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| | September through November. On October
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| leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down
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| | 18, Erich Honecker, East Germany's head
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| this wall." Reagan's trip to Berlin, a
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| | of state, was compelled to resign.
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| historical moment to say the least,
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| | Subsequently the new East German
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| coincided with the former German
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| | government prepared a law to lift travel
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| capital's 750th anniversary.
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| | restrictions for citizens. In the early
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| Reflecting an earlier speech by President
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| | evening of November 9, a member of the
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| John F. Kennedy, Reagan also said,
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| | new government was asked at a press
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| "Standing before the Brandenburg Gate,
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| | conference when the revised travel law
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| every man is a German, separated from his
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| | would come into force. He answered:
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| fellow men. Every man is a Berliner,
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| | "Well, as far as I can see . . .
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| forced to look upon a scar."
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| | straightaway, immediately."
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| The wall was erected in 1961, ostensibly
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| | In response, thousands of East Berliners
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| to keep the fascists out. However, it was
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| | flocked to the border crossings. At
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| in fact built to keep the oppressed
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| | Bornholmer Strasse, people demanded that
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| people of East Germany in.
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| | the border be opened--and it was--at
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| Just two years after Reagan delivered his
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| | 10:30 p.m. That moment spelled the end of
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| most famous sound byte, the wheels came
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| | the Berlin Wall. Soon other
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| off the Eastern European communist wagon.
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| | border-crossing points peacefully opened
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| Gorbachev had begun to make fundamental
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| | their gates to the West, and people
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| changes to Russian policies beginning in
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| | pulled chunks off the wall not only as
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| 1985. His reforms, dubbed "Perestroika"
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| | souvenirs, but also to symbolize the
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| (restructuring) and "Glasnost" (openness,
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| | coming destruction of the entire hated
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| transparency) were billed as a renewal,
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| | barrier.
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| not a replacement of the communist
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| | On December 22, 1989, the Brandenburg
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| system.
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| | Gate, backdrop to Reagan's speech, was
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| The reforms in the Soviet Union soon
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| | opened. Less than a year later, on
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| resonated across the other communist
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| | October 3, 1990, the two Germanys were
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| countries, especially in Poland and
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| | reunited.
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| Hungary. On August 23, 1989, Hungary
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| | Perhaps the most surprising lesson of the
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| opened the Iron Curtain to Austria, and
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| | cascading events that took place in this
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| East German tourists seized the chance to
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| | moment in history is during the 16 months
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| escape there. During just three days in
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| | between President Reagan's speech and the
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| September 1989, more than 13,000 fled
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| | fall of the wall is how quickly the shape
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| East Germany via Hungary.
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| | of the political landscape can change.
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