The barrier was built by the German Democratic Republic on August 13,1961, and acted as a dividing line between East and West Berlin. Although it was designed to stop East Germans from moving to West Germany it had enormous effects to the international relation mainly to the Soviet Union (USSR). The goal of this blog post is to enlighten some issues related to how the USSR saw the Berlin Wall and its meaning. Let’s explore!
The Berlin Wall: A Symbol of Soviet Control
The USSR saw the Berlin Wall as a tool in preserving the power over East Germany and preventing influx from the Western side. From the Soviet strategies, the wall remained as the shield of socialism and as a shield of East Germany against the so called imperialism from the west.
It was built by the GDR authorities as a means of preventing the escape of skilled labour force and intelligentsia to the West, and was supported by the USSR. Hence, through this physical barrier the Soviets sought to lock in the population and brain talent in the socialist camp.
Impact on Soviet-German Relations
The Berlin Wall remain the most important factor of relation between Soviet and Germany during the period of cold war. While the Soviet Union backed the construction process, West Germany and its members vigorously discussed the project. also made a clear political and ideological divide within the two German States since the construction of the wall.
To the USSR the Wall meant its determination to defend the achievements of the socialist revolution in the GDR. But, it also signified as a symbol of the ideological battle between the capitalist world of the West and the communism of the East.
International Perception
Historically, from the world perspective, the Wall in Berlin made a vivid examples of the ‘Iron curtain’ period. Though the USSR saw it as something that had to be done, the wall was bitterly condemned all over the western world led by the United States.
This kinda construction was considered as a gross infringement to human rights and a blatant disregard to the law of nations. More Western leaders including the then President of USA, John F. Kennedy condemned the construction of the wall and painted the whole perception of the wall as gloomy and negative symbol of division of the world.
The Collapse of the Berlin Wall: The USSR’s Response
In the year 1989 the wall that divided the east and the west of Berlin broke down. The problem for the USSR grew significantly as protests surged in Germany, and the rest of the Eastern Bloc. Finally, it became clear that the refusal to perform a military intervention was the key to successor’s reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War.
Conclusion
The building of the Wall in Berlin posed a rather complicated and versatile question to the USSR. Although the wall represented the Soviet capability and authority in occupying East Germany it tandem turned into an international anti-Sovietism campaign.
When the combined government known as the Berlin Wall was demolished the world witnessed the reunification of Germany and the decline of the Cold War. This knowledge of how the USSR saw the Berlin Wall is a good way to look at the history of international relations at one of the most heated and defining periods of the 20 th century.
The Berlin Wall is gone, but the names inscribed on these walls are experienced by the heroes who fought for their freedom and against the divisions.
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