The Importance of the fall of the Berlin Wall in International Relations
One of the main reasons why the fall of the Berlin Wall was so important in international relations
was the symbolism that the Berlin Wall held. On the 13 th of August 1961, Khrushchev ordered the
construction of the Berlin Wall to begin. This wall measured 97 miles and separated East and West
Germany. The Berlin Wall stood for division as it separated many families and was also a symbol of
the Cold War and Soviet control. However, when the wall was brought down on the 9 th of November
1989, this showed that the Soviet Union no longer wanted to separates Germany implying that it
would like to fix relations with the other superpower controlling West Germany which was the
United States. This would lessen the tension between the two superpowers which would
dramatically decrease the chance of another World War due to the feud of the two Superpowers at
the time and could potentially bring the end of the Cold War closer.
Another reason why the fall of the Berlin Wall was so important in international relations was that it
symbolised the fall of the Iron Curtain and the start of the fall of Communism. In March 1946,
Winston Churchill gave his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech which included how the Soviets had taken control of
a whole sphere of countries. The Berlin Wall was a physical interpretation of the Iron Curtain. When
the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, this signified that the Soviet Union was no longer in control of these
countries (known as satellite states) which would be good for international relations as the rest of
the world did not follow Communism- which is what the Soviet Union governed under; which would
lead to the Superpower’s relations becoming better as now the Soviet Union didn’t rule as harshly as
before. The fall of the Berlin Wall would also start the fall of Communism as it symbolised the great
division of West (capitalist) and East (communist) Germany. The fall of the wall meant that
Communism was starting to collapse which would help in International relations as this mean that
the Soviet Union was starting to become more capitalist like the rest of the world. Communism was
also a source of tension between the Superpowers so by eradicating Communism, the two
Superpowers would not be at conflict with each other as much which would have a positive impact
on International relations.
One of the main reasons why the fall of the Berlin Wall was so important in international relations
was the symbolism that the Berlin Wall held. On the 13 th of August 1961, Khrushchev ordered the
construction of the Berlin Wall to begin. This wall measured 97 miles and separated East and West
Germany. The Berlin Wall stood for division as it separated many families and was also a symbol of
the Cold War and Soviet control. However, when the wall was brought down on the 9 th of November
1989, this showed that the Soviet Union no longer wanted to separates Germany implying that it
would like to fix relations with the other superpower controlling West Germany which was the
United States. This would lessen the tension between the two superpowers which would
dramatically decrease the chance of another World War due to the feud of the two Superpowers at
the time and could potentially bring the end of the Cold War closer.
Another reason why the fall of the Berlin Wall was so important in international relations was that it
symbolised the fall of the Iron Curtain and the start of the fall of Communism. In March 1946,
Winston Churchill gave his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech which included how the Soviets had taken control of
a whole sphere of countries. The Berlin Wall was a physical interpretation of the Iron Curtain. When
the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, this signified that the Soviet Union was no longer in control of these
countries (known as satellite states) which would be good for international relations as the rest of
the world did not follow Communism- which is what the Soviet Union governed under; which would
lead to the Superpower’s relations becoming better as now the Soviet Union didn’t rule as harshly as
before. The fall of the Berlin Wall would also start the fall of Communism as it symbolised the great
division of West (capitalist) and East (communist) Germany. The fall of the wall meant that
Communism was starting to collapse which would help in International relations as this mean that
the Soviet Union was starting to become more capitalist like the rest of the world. Communism was
also a source of tension between the Superpowers so by eradicating Communism, the two
Superpowers would not be at conflict with each other as much which would have a positive impact
on International relations.
