What Were the Western Reactions to the Berlin Wall?

The effect of the Berlin Wall form in specific relates to the original split between East and West Germany 1961 was a year when a barrier commonly known as the Berlin Wall was erected hence it shaped the two Germany’s, the international community especially the westerners. However, the Wall that separated Berlin symbolized the gap of the divided world ideology that separated the eastern and the western world. This blog post aims at discussing what the West thought about the Berlin Wall and all the reaction that it provoked from political leaders, the general populace, and media.

The Initial Shock and Outrage

That is the reason why when the construction of the Berlin Wall was made known to the world the first feelings felt in the West were those of surprise and anger. The splitting of Germany’s capital Berlin sparked disbelief across many people, especially in Germany as well as across the globe. The leaders of the West such as JFK himself spearheaded the condemnation of East Germany rulers’s actions and advocated for the Germany unity.

The Berlin Wall was an embodiment of the ideological division of the World into West and the East during the cold war period. It was about violation of the rights of people and limiting the right to free movement. While the western countries viewed it as naked aggression of the communism and intrusion on democracy and freedom.

According to the poll that was conducted, the following political and diplomatic responses should be undertaken;

In response to the construction of the Berlin Wall, leaders of the western countries exploited a number of political and diplomatic measures as a way forward. Thus the United States and other NATO members decided to beef up military forces in West Germany, using the presence as a show of support and a means of putting pressure on the eastern bloc.

But at the same time the West introduced the relevance of political initiatives to remove the conflict and search for the peaceful ways. Western leaders had to intervene, and, with the help of diplomatic consultations with the Soviet Union and East Germany, the conflict began to be solved. Such negotiations intended to protect the Western subjects in East Berlin and visit and communicate rights between two parts of the divided city.

Help To The Citizens in East Berlin

But yet again, it is pertinent to mention that apart from dividing a city, it also divided people into two parts – their families and friends. Western nations felt with the people in East Berlin who were – due to the Wall – separated from their kin in the West. A large number of assistance bodies and charities were created to provide help to the affected individuals by the division.

Popular movements in the West, for instance the “Solidarity Movement,” called for liberty to individuals within East Berlin. In order to make the East German authorities change their mind and tear the Wall down, these movements protested without violence.

Media coverage cultures and their impact

Again the Berlin Wall acted as a reminder to the ideological difference in Germany and it was up to the media to educate the western population on what was going on. Wall-related developments were constantly reported back to the public through the various media outlets and was able to provide information concerning escape attempts, human rights violations and the effects of the division to people.

The Wall also had considerable culture influence upon the Western world in the form of art. Many artists, including this genre’s traditionalists David Bowie and Pink Floyd, used the wall and commenced a dialogue that explained that the wall was dead, yet it was taking residents’ lives away.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Finally, there was happiness and relief when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 was felt in the West. The unification of Germany was viewed as the triumph of freedom, as a result of the transitions which marks non-violent revolution could lead to powerful change. The implication of the Wall means that the Cold War era has came to an end and new opportunities for unity can be reached.

Therefore, the construction of the Berlin Wall called-for emotions and reactions from the West. It was regarded as a mark of slavery and as something that hinders people from gaining their liberation. Universals, individuals from the western world, and especially the media felt upset and got involved in finding out various political, diplomatic and even cultural solutions to this problem. Fortunately, the Wall has fallen, and thousand of people experienced the feeling of relief and expected the reunification and the lasting peace of the world.


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