Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

25 Years Ago Today – The Berlin Wall Falls
Gateway Pundit ^ | November 9,2014 | Jim Hoft

Posted on 11/09/2014 2:27:03 PM PST by Hojczyk

“Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!” It was the challenge delivered by United States President Ronald Reagan to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall, in a speech at the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall.

Contributor Andrea Ryan added: A special credit should be given to Peter Robinson, President Reagan’s speechwriter who wrote this speech. He is currently Editor-In-Chief for Ricochet. You can read his three short posts here describing the courage and conviction Reagan had to keep these words under strong objection by the National Security Council and the State Department…wanting those words removed.

Two years later the Berlin Wall came down – on November 9, 1989.

Today German Chancellor Angela Merkel hailed the fall as “a dream come true.” The BBC reported:

The fall of the Berlin Wall has shown the world that dreams can come true and “nothing has to stay as it is”, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said.

Speaking 25 years after the event, Mrs Merkel said the message for those in countries where rights were threatened was that things could get better.

Earlier she attended a service for the former East German regime’s victims.

The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to stop people fleeing from communist East Germany to the West.

Its fall in 1989 became a powerful symbol of the end of the Cold War.

Later in the day, some 7,000 white balloons – perched on 3.6-metre poles to match the height of the wall and stretching for 15km (nine miles) – will be released to symbolise its disappearance.

(Excerpt) Read more at thegatewaypundit.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-57 next last

1 posted on 11/09/2014 2:27:03 PM PST by Hojczyk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

What great days those were.

One of my favorite movies of all time, about those days, Goodbye, Lenin!


2 posted on 11/09/2014 2:28:13 PM PST by dfwgator (The "Fire Muschamp" tagline is back!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXMgF8

When we had a real president….


3 posted on 11/09/2014 2:31:03 PM PST by Hojczyk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

"Pedro, I think we made a wrong turn somewhere."
4 posted on 11/09/2014 2:33:54 PM PST by struwwelpeter (Want to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

How fortunate we were to have all at the same time..

Reagan
Thatcher
Pope Paul II
Helmut Kohl


5 posted on 11/09/2014 2:35:21 PM PST by dfwgator (The "Fire Muschamp" tagline is back!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

Oops, Pope John Paul II.


6 posted on 11/09/2014 2:35:51 PM PST by dfwgator (The "Fire Muschamp" tagline is back!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

http://cdn.ricochet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/A-mediocre-speech2-928x640.jpg

In delivering his Berlin Wall address, President Reagan overruled the objections of the National Security Council and the State Department. Here, a couple of documents from the Reagan library. One, an NSC memorandum to Colin Powell, then Deputy National Security Advisor, calls the address “a mediocre speech and a missed opportunity.” The other shows the NSC edits. Note what the NSC deleted.


7 posted on 11/09/2014 2:36:43 PM PST by Hojczyk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

http://ricochet.com/archives/tear-down-this-wall-a-mediocre-speech-and-a-missed-opportunity/

Full article


8 posted on 11/09/2014 2:37:39 PM PST by Hojczyk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

“Two years later the Berlin Wall came down – on November 9, 1989.”

The end of an era.

September 11th 2001 was the beginning of another era.


9 posted on 11/09/2014 2:39:43 PM PST by truth_seeker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk
Later in the day, some 7,000 white balloons – perched on 3.6-metre poles to match the height of the wall and stretching for 15km (nine miles) – will be released to symbolise its disappearance.

What an absolutely brilliant artistic expression.


10 posted on 11/09/2014 2:40:05 PM PST by Talisker (One who commands, must obey.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk
Inside story on the "Wall" falling.

I was in the Air National Guard at the time and a DSG (drill status guardsmen). In October of '89 we were called to our HQ at Ft Sam Houston to work an exercise (Gallant Eagle) and the scenario was the Berlin Wall had fell...and we were exercising the Soviet response. Being the weather guy...it was a challenge as we were forecasting for forces in Europe and Alaska...a big variety.

I remember thinking the whole time: What a stupid scenario....like the Berlin Wall is ever gonna fall.

Well...I'm sitting in my apartment at Texas A&M....on this day 25 years ago...and they break into a Night Court re-run to inform me that the Berlin Wall had fallen.

11 posted on 11/09/2014 2:43:00 PM PST by NELSON111
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

Twenty-five years ago today Liberals cried as they realized their dream of global workers’ paradise was not going to happen. Since then they have been doing their best to resurrect their dream.


12 posted on 11/09/2014 2:52:49 PM PST by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

The Wall was felled.


13 posted on 11/09/2014 2:54:10 PM PST by gasport (Immigration reform means arriving in air-conditioned comfort.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

“Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!”


14 posted on 11/09/2014 2:57:13 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk
/>


15 posted on 11/09/2014 2:58:57 PM PST by Objective Scrutator (All liberals are criminals, and all criminals are liberals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk
In 1969, Rowan and Martin's Laugh In ran a "news" segment. In one segment of news "20 years from now", which ran this very week in 1969, they reported that the Berlin Wall had come down. All of them were surprised when it actually came down, right on schedule.
16 posted on 11/09/2014 2:59:06 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

17 posted on 11/09/2014 3:03:22 PM PST by newfreep ("Evil succeeds when good men do nothting" - Edmund Burke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

I was stationed in West Germany when the Wall fell.


18 posted on 11/09/2014 4:09:35 PM PST by GulfWar1Vet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

BINGO!


19 posted on 11/09/2014 4:22:27 PM PST by AMDG&BVMH
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Hojczyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RjJKxsamQ


20 posted on 11/09/2014 4:23:03 PM PST by crazydad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-57 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson