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