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How the Berlin wall effected the Soviet Union socially
Thesis statement about the iron curtain
The significance of the Berlin wall
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"An Iron Curtain has descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all of the capitals of the ancient states of central and eastern Europe . . . all these famous cities and populations around lie in the Soviet sphere and all are subject . . . to a very high and increasing measure of control from Moscow." With this section of Winston Churchill's famous speech in 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, he coined the term "Iron Curtain." Most people believe that Winston Churchill was referring directly to the Berlin Wall, but he was actually talking about the general closing off of Soviet satellite countries in Eastern Europe. Even though the wall itself was not built until 1961, the Berlin Wall was the enduring symbol
of that "Iron Curtain." Understanding the reason for its construction, the heartache it caused, and the joy over its fall helps modern students relate to its symbolic role as an "Iron Curtain" (Rise). The Berlin Wall was erected for one main reason: to keep East Berliners from escaping to West Berlin. After WWII, Berlin, the capital of Germany, was a ruined city. The WWII victors, the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union, divided Germany and Berlin in four sectors, each controlled by one of the four countries. At first, Berlin citizens could move freely between the sectors to work or to visit with friends and family. The American, British, and French sectors became democratic and capitalist, and the Soviet sector became a communist dictatorship. By 1948, the Soviet Union and democratic allies began to fight over how to govern Berlin, and on April 1, 1948 the Soviet Union blockaded routes in and out of East Berlin which trapped some two million Berliners with little food or fuel to live. The allies decided they needed to do something. So, they came up with the idea of the Berlin Airlift, which flew planes with food and supplies for the West Berliners, and the Soviets lifted the blockade in 1949 (Burkhardt).
After World War II ended, Cold War alignments emerged. In 1946, Winston Churchill spoke against the USSR in his "Iron Curtain" speech. George Kennan's "Long Telegram" introduced the concept of containment, arguing that the US could keep communism from spreading by deterring Soviet expansion at critical points.
Britain afford to pay for a war like this? The only way to pay for a
The word "privateer" conjures a romantic image in the minds of most Americans. Tales of battle and bounty pervade the folklore of privateering, which has become a cherished, if often overlooked part of our shared heritage. Legends were forged during the battle for American independence, and these men were understandably glorified as part of the formation of our national identity. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of these men were common opportunists, if noteworthy naval warriors. The profit motive was the driving force behind almost all of their expeditions, and a successful privateer could easily become quite wealthy. In times of peace, these men would be common pirates, pariahs of the maritime community. Commissioned in times of war, they were respected entrepreneurs, serving their purses and their country, if only incidentally the latter. However vulgar their motivation, the system of privateering arose because it provided a valuable service to thecountry, and indeed the American Revolution might not have been won without their involvement. Many scholars agree that all war begins for economic reasons, and the privateers of the war for independence contributed by attacking the commercial livelihood of Great Britain's merchants.
...speech to the world where he was quoted as saying, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The speech was given at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin (“Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall: President Ronald Reagan”). This speech signified the beginning of the end of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. President Reagan’s foreign policy tactics are another reason why he was a great president.
of the affairs in the way that he did - for example Ireland - as some
COLD WAR During 1945 and early in 1946, the Soviet Union cut off nearly all contacts between the West and the occupied territories of Eastern Europe. In March 1946, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill warned that "an iron curtain has descended across the Continent" of Europe. He made popular the phrase Iron Curtain to refer to Soviet barriers against the West (Kennedy 1034). Behind these barriers, the U.S.S.R. steadily expanded its power.
This physical border was christened the Iron Curtain by the former Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill in a speech he made at Fulton Missouri on 5th March 1946. The first two years after the war passed uneventfully with both superpowers establishing themselves into their new sectors within Germany, which had been agreed at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945. This changed with the implementation by Truman of the Truman Doctrine in March 1947.
It was a border set up by Joseph. Stalin, the ruler of the USSR in the years after the Second World War. The term the "Iron Curtain," was first introduced in Winston. Churchill's long speech, "an iron curtain has descended across the continent," on March 5, 1946. Churchill's speech triggered Stalin to tighten the iron curtain.
The Cold War was an argument between the Soviet Union and the United States of America after WWII. During WWII the USA and the Soviet Union were allies fighting a common cause; Adolph Hitler who was attempting to overthrow the surrounding countries. Although the USA and the Soviet Union were allies, the relationship between the two countries was very tense (What Was). Neither country trusted the other.
"Plutot mourir que faillir"("Rather dying than failing")and “UBIQUE! QUO FAS ET GLORIA DUCUNT" “Everywhere! Where Right and Glory Lead.” The Seven Years war, or the French and Indian war to Americans, was arguably the first true world. The Seven years war was a worldwide war fought in Europe, North America, and India between. It was France, Austria, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and (after 1762) Spain on the one side and Prussia, Great Britain, and Hanover on the other (the Americans where there only for the North American theater).This conflict was the result of the ongoing hostilities and the struggle of supremacy between France and Great Britain. In 1754, in North America, George Washington was defeated at Fort Necessity in western Pennsylvania. From that moment on, both France and Great Britain dispatched troops, although not in equal numbers. For France, the war in Europe was the top priority, so the country sent just a few troops. It also considered it was more important to protect its colonies in the West Indies, since sugar cane was more lucrative than the fur trade in New France (Canada). Great Britain on the other hand was determined to destroy France's colonial empire, and it sent more than 20,000 soldiers to America. It must also be noted that American colonists were unable to defend themselves against their Canadian counterparts, who, with the help the Native Americans excelled in the art of the guerilla warfare. For New England, it was imperative to obliterate New France and its Native allies, which were preventing the States from acquiring and occupying new land (New England had a very large population and sought new land to occupy and farm.) France waste no time in the war and attacked the British held island of Minorca. This island ended up in the hands of the French. Although France did well in the war until 1757, the tide proceeded to turn, in favor of the British troops, after William Pitt became Sec. of state for war. The British won several victories right including the battle on the Plains of Abraham in 1759, when James Wolfe defeated the army of Montcalm. Things were far from over, however, because the final result depended on whether France was victorious or defeated. In the end, France was defeated on all fronts (West Indies, the subcontinent of India, Europe and America). The Treaty of Paris, signed by Great Britain, France, and Spain on February 10, 1763, ended the Seven Years' War and its American counterpart, the French and Indian War (1754-1763).
The Berlin wall appeared to be an actual iron curtain. With the panic that came with the wall, Kennedy followed not long after, arriving in Rudolph Wilde Platz to an estimated 1.1 million free Germans (Widmer 2013). At the time, this was over half of West Berlin that came to attend their ray of hope. The people weren’t week, but instead, seeked the truth of freedom in the words of Kennedy’s speech. With confidence the President spreads his words of freedom. John Kennedy’s energy lifted the spirits of West Berlin. Democracy was felt throughout the entire crowd.
In conclusion Berlin Wall was an important milestone in the growth of the Cold War. It was the expansion that represented the thinking of a determined Communist system. Western Capitalism, which was more powerful, eventually defeated the system. The massive wall that did so much harm to a country was finally destroyed, and the people of Germany could now live the way they all wanted to live. They could live the life of freedom. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall East Germany has went through a lot of changes, and it still is not easy for all of the people in East Germany. But no matter how hard it is for the people of East Germany now, it is better than being alone and separated from their families, friends and rest of Europe.
Though times were tough for many years for some Germans, things are improving slowly. While the wall was erect, many Germans had high hopes of change and continue to strive towards equality nationwide. In June of 1963 when John F. Kennedy visited Berlin, he gave a very impacting speech to the people of Berlin, "There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin" (Sidey). Although the wall no longer physically stands, it still today divides Germany and Berlin into two separate states today.
When the Berlin Wall was constructed, East Germany went into a state of panic, fell into poverty, and adopted a communist government. The citizens of the GDR were filled with terror and anxiety when the border separating them from friends, family, and lovers was constructed. Many attempted to escape but every passing day, the wall became more and more menacing. Trapped, the people of East Germany were forced to cope with the shortage of goods, accept the fact that anybody could be a spy for the STASI, and follow the rule of an oppressive government. Although conditions were grim, the people of the East united together in order to survive. The wall is but a thing of the past, but it will always be remembered by every individual in Germany and the rest of the world.
World War I, an event which changed the geopolitical makeup as well as the attitudes of the world, consisted of people killing other people. In fact, every war is made up of people. In the day to day lives of civilians today, whether watching the news or reading a history book, the personal aspect of wars, particularly, is lost to many people. The notion that every soldier is a human being with likes, dislikes, talents, families, and favorite foods would certainly be acknowledged on a multiple-choice test, but practically it seems to be forgotten. Books like An American Soldier in World War I¸ however, help ground the massive geopolitical turmoil involved in a war like the Great War in the reality of humanity. The book’s goal is to look at