On this day in 1987, President Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down" the Berlin Wall. Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin and gave one of his most famous Cold War speeches. It was a dramatic and powerful speech--probably my favorite out of all his speeches.
After Germany's defeat in World War II, Berlin was divided into four sections. America, Britain, and France controlled the western region and the Soviet Union gained power in the eastern region. In August 1961, the East German government constructed the Berlin Wall to prevent its citizens from escaping to the west.
Two years later, on November 9, 1989, East and West Germans broke down the infamous Berlin Wall. Germany was officially reunited on October 3, 1990.
You can read more at http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-challenges-gorbachev
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