Ronald Reagan "Tear Down This Wall" Speech - June 12, 1987, Complete
Summary
TLDRIn his 1987 Berlin Wall speech, President Reagan challenges Soviet leader Gorbachev to dismantle the wall, symbolizing the division of freedom and oppression. Reagan celebrates Berlin's resilience and prosperity, urging openness and cooperation for a safer, freer world. He emphasizes the importance of liberty, economic growth, and the transformative power of freedom, while proposing initiatives to strengthen ties between East and West Berlin.
Takeaways
- πΊπΈ President Reagan's speech was delivered on June 12, 1987, in West Berlin, with the intention of challenging Mikhail Gorbachev to take steps towards ending the Cold War.
- π Reagan emphasized the historical significance of Berlin and the courage and determination of its people, drawing a parallel to American values and history.
- π€ He extended a warm greeting and the goodwill of the American people to those in Eastern Europe and East Berlin, acknowledging the shared humanity across the divide.
- π° The Berlin Wall was a central theme of the speech, symbolizing the division of Europe and the restriction of freedom, with Reagan calling for its removal as a step towards peace and freedom for all mankind.
- ποΈ Reagan highlighted the success of the Marshall Plan in rebuilding Europe after World War II, demonstrating the power of freedom and economic cooperation in fostering prosperity.
- π± He contrasted the prosperity and technological advancements of the free world with the failures and backwardness of the Communist world, asserting that freedom leads to progress and peace.
- π Reagan acknowledged signs of reform in the Soviet Union but challenged Gorbachev to make significant and genuine changes towards openness and freedom.
- π£οΈ The speech called for the tearing down of the Berlin Wall as a tangible and dramatic gesture of commitment to peace and freedom, directed specifically at Gorbachev.
- π‘οΈ Reagan pledged the United States' commitment to maintaining peace through strength, including the Strategic Defense Initiative and arms reduction talks with the Soviet Union.
- π He proposed further integration and cooperation between East and West Berlin, suggesting initiatives such as youth exchanges, cultural events, and the potential for Berlin to host international conferences and sporting events.
- β€οΈ The speech concluded with a reflection on the enduring spirit of the people of Berlin, attributing their resilience and commitment to building a great city to love and a deep belief in freedom.
Q & A
When and where did President Reagan deliver his famous Berlin Wall speech?
-President Reagan delivered his speech on June 12, 1987, in West Berlin, at the Brandenburg Gate.
Who was the leader of the Soviet Union at the time of Reagan's speech?
-Mikhail Gorbachev was the leader of the Soviet Union during Reagan's speech.
What significant historical event is mentioned in the speech that occurred 24 years prior to Reagan's visit?
-The significant historical event mentioned is President John F. Kennedy's visit to Berlin.
What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan mentioned in the speech?
-The Marshall Plan was created to help rebuild European economies after World War II, focusing on eliminating hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.
How does Reagan describe the impact of the Berlin Wall on the city and its people?
-Reagan describes the Berlin Wall as a brutal division that cuts across the city, separating people and representing a system of barriers that divide the entire continent of Europe.
What message does Reagan convey to those listening in East Berlin?
-Reagan extends his warmest greetings and the good will of the American people to those in East Berlin, expressing his belief in the unalterable unity of Berliners.
What was the economic state of the Soviet Union compared to the free world, according to Reagan?
-Reagan contrasts the prosperity and well-being of the free world with the technological backwardness, declining standards of health, and even basic want in the Soviet Union.
What challenge does Reagan issue to Mikhail Gorbachev in the speech?
-Reagan challenges Gorbachev to seek peace and prosperity by opening the Brandenburg Gate and tearing down the Berlin Wall.
What is the significance of the Brandenburg Gate in the context of the speech?
-The Brandenburg Gate symbolizes the division of Berlin and Europe, and Reagan calls for its opening as a step toward ending the Cold War and promoting freedom.
What proposals does Reagan make to improve relations and cooperation between East and West?
-Reagan proposes increasing air access to Berlin, hosting international meetings, sponsoring youth exchanges and cultural events, and the possibility of holding Olympic Games in a unified Berlin.
How does Reagan describe the spirit of the people of Berlin in the face of adversity?
-Reagan describes the people of Berlin as having profound and abiding love for their city, choosing to build a proud city in contrast to the totalitarian presence surrounding them.
Outlines
π Reagan's Berlin Wall Challenge
In this paragraph, President Reagan addresses the crowd at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, challenging Mikhail Gorbachev to dismantle the Berlin Wall as a significant step towards ending the Cold War. He acknowledges the historical significance of Berlin and the courage of its people. The speech is broadcasted to both Western and Eastern Europe, with a special message to East Berliners, emphasizing the shared belief in freedom and the division symbolized by the wall.
π± The Triumph of Freedom and Prosperity
This paragraph discusses the transformation of Berlin and Europe post-World War II, highlighting the Marshall Plan's role in rebuilding the continent. Reagan praises the economic and political rebirth of Western Europe, the rise of Japan, and the establishment of the European Community. He contrasts this prosperity with the failures of the Communist world, emphasizing that freedom leads to progress and peace, and calls for the recognition of freedom's victory over oppression.
π The Call for Soviet Reform and Openness
Reagan acknowledges the potential for change in the Soviet Union, referencing recent reforms and openness indicated by the release of political prisoners and less state control over economic enterprises. He urges Gorbachev to take tangible steps towards peace and freedom by opening the Brandenburg Gate and tearing down the Berlin Wall. The paragraph also touches on the arms race, with the West's commitment to maintaining defenses while seeking peace through arms reduction and the Strategic Defense Initiative.
π€ Promoting Peace and Cooperation
The focus shifts to the pursuit of peace and cooperation between East and West. Reagan outlines proposals for arms reduction, the banning of chemical weapons, and the Strategic Defense Initiative's aim to protect rather than threaten populations. He stresses the importance of maintaining military strength while fostering openness and reducing mistrust, suggesting that the Soviet Union must change fundamentally to avoid becoming obsolete in the face of global progress.
π A Vision for a United Berlin
Reagan presents a vision for a united and prosperous Berlin, suggesting initiatives to strengthen ties between East and West, improve air access, and promote Berlin as a hub for international meetings and cultural exchanges. He proposes that Berlin could host the Olympic Games as a symbol of unity and openness, emphasizing the city's resilience and the love that fuels its continued development despite the challenges posed by the Berlin Wall.
π The Power of Love and Freedom
In the concluding paragraph, Reagan reflects on the enduring spirit of Berliners, attributing their perseverance to a profound love for their city and freedom. He contrasts the oppressive nature of totalitarianism with the creative and aspirational drive of free societies. The paragraph concludes with a message of hope, suggesting that the Berlin Wall, like all symbols of oppression, will eventually fall due to the indomitable power of faith, truth, and freedom.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Cold War
π‘Mikhail Gorbachev
π‘Berlin Wall
π‘Brandenburg Gate
π‘Marshall Plan
π‘Freedom
π‘Totalitarianism
π‘Reagan Doctrine
π‘Strategic Defense Initiative
π‘Olympic Games
π‘Youth Exchanges
Highlights
President Reagan's challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev for dramatic steps towards ending the Cold War.
Reagan's speech delivered to a crowd at the Brandenburg Gate, audible to both sides of the Berlin Wall.
Reagan's acknowledgment of the historical significance of Berlin and the courage of its people.
The symbolic message of the Berlin Wall as a representation of the division of Europe.
Reagan's reference to the Marshall Plan and its role in rebuilding Europe post-World War II.
The economic prosperity and political rebirth of Western Europe contrasted with the failures of the Communist world.
The call for Gorbachev to open the Brandenburg Gate and tear down the Berlin Wall as a sign of peace and freedom.
Reagan's commitment to maintaining peace through strength and arms reduction negotiations.
The Strategic Defense Initiative as a means to base deterrence on defense rather than offensive retaliation.
The transformative power of freedom leading to prosperity and peace.
Reagan's recognition of the importance of liberty and its role in the technological and economic growth of the West.
The proposal for international cooperation in Berlin, including the possibility of hosting the Olympic Games.
The emphasis on the spirit of Berliners and their love for the city as a driving force for resilience and rebuilding.
The symbolic significance of the Berlin Television Tower and its unintended cross shape when the sun strikes it.
Reagan's closing remarks on the inevitability of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the triumph of freedom.
The acknowledgment of demonstrations against Reagan's visit and a reflection on the importance of freedom of expression.
Transcripts
foreign
[Music]
with the Soviet Union then being led by
reformer Mikhail Gorbachev President
Reagan traveled to West Berlin on June
12 1987 and challenged Gorbachev to take
a dramatic step toward ending the Cold
War the president's remarks were
delivered to a crowd on the west side of
the Brandenburg gate and the Berlin wall
but could be heard by people gathered on
the other side too
thank you very much
Chancellor Cole
governing mayor deepkin ladies and
gentlemen
24 years ago President John F Kennedy
visited Berlin
and speaking to the people of this city
and the world at the city hall
since then two other presidents have
come each in his turn to Berlin
today I myself make my second visit to
your city
we come to Berlin we American Presidents
because it's our duty to speak in this
place of freedom
but I must confess
we're drawn here by other things as well
by the feeling of history in this city
more than 500 years older than our own
Nation
by the beauty of the Grunwald and The
Tear Garden
most of all by your courage and
determination
[Applause]
perhaps the composer Paul linke
understood something about American
presidents
you see like so many presidents before
me
I come here today because wherever I go
whatever I do
is
in Berlin
our gathering today is being broadcast
throughout Western Europe and North
America
I understand that it is being seen and
heard as well in the east
to those listening throughout Eastern
Europe
I extend my warmest greetings and the
Good Will of the American people
to those listening in East Berlin a
special word
although I cannot be with you
I address my remarks to you just as
surely as to those standing here before
me
for I join you as I join your fellow
countrymen in the West in this firm this
unalterable belief
Berlin
behind me stands a wall that encircles
the free sectors of this city
part of a vast system of barriers
that divides the entire continent of
Europe
from the Baltic South
those barriers cut across Germany in a
gash of barbed wire concrete dog runs
and guard towers
farther south there may be no visible no
obvious wall but the remain armed guards
and checkpoints all the same
still a restriction on the right to
travel
still an instrument to impose upon
ordinary men and women the will of a
totalitarian state
yet it is here in Berlin where the wall
emerges most clearly
here cutting across your city
where the news photo and the television
screen have imprinted this brutal
division of a continent upon the mind of
the world
standing before the Brandenburg gate
every man is a German separated from his
fellow men
[Applause]
every man is a Berliner forced to look
upon a scar
president
has said the German question is open as
long as the Brandenburg gate is closed
foreign
[Applause]
today I say as long as this gate is
closed as long as this scar of a wall is
permitted to stand
it is not the German question alone that
remains open but the question of Freedom
For All Mankind
[Applause]
yep
I do not come here to Lament
for I find in Berlin a message of Hope
even in the shadow of this wall a
message of Triumph
in this season of spring in 1945 the
people of Berlin emerged from their air
raid shelters to find devastation
thousands of miles away the people of
the United States reached out to help
and in 1947 Secretary of State as you've
been told George Marshall announced the
creation of what would become known as
the Marshall Plan
speaking precisely 40 years ago this
month
he said our policy is directed not
against any country or doctrine but
against hunger poverty desperation and
chaos
[Applause]
thank you
in the reichstag a few moments ago
I saw a display commemorating this 40th
anniversary of the Marshall Plan
I was struck by Assad a sign on a burnt
out gutted structure that was being
rebuilt
I understand that berliners of my own
generation
can remember seeing signs like it dotted
throughout the Western sectors of the
city
the sign read simply the Marshall Plan
is helping here to strengthen the Free
World
a strong free world in the West
that dream became real
Japan Rose from ruin to become an
economic Giant
Italy France Belgium virtually every
nation in Western Europe saw political
and economic rebirth
the European Community was founded
in West Germany and here in Berlin there
took place in economic miracle
add in our
Earhart writer and other leaders
understood the Practical importance of
Liberty
that just as truth can flourish only
when the journalist has given freedom of
speech
so Prosperity can come about only when
the farmer and businessman enjoy
economic freedom
the German leaders
the German leaders reduced tariffs
expanded free trade lowered taxes from
1950 to 1960 alone the standard of
living in West Germany and Berlin
doubled
where four decades ago there was Rubble
today in West Berlin there is the
greatest industrial output of any city
in Germany
busy office blocks fine homes and
apartments proud Avenues and the
spreading Lawns of Parkland
where a city's culture seemed to have
been destroyed today there are two great
universities
orchestras and an opera countless
theaters and museums
where there was want
today there's abundance
food clothing automobiles
the wonderful Goods of the kudam
from devastation
from utter ruin
you berliners have in Freedom rebuild a
city that once again ranks as one of the
greatest on Earth
and the Soviets may have had other plans
but my friends there were a few things
the Soviets didn't count on
foreign
ER Harris
on the Berliner schnauzer
in the 1950s
in the 1950s
Khrushchev predicted We will bury you
but in the west today we see a free
world that has achieved a level of
prosperity and well-being unprecedented
in all human history
in the Communist world we see failure
technological backwardness declining
standards of Health
even want of the most basic kind too
little food even today the Soviet Union
still cannot feed itself
after these four decades then there
stands before the entire world one great
and inescapable conclusion
Freedom leads to prosperity
Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds
among nations with committee and peace
Freedom Is the Victor
[Applause]
and now
now the Soviets themselves May in a
limited way be coming to understand the
importance of freedom
we hear much from Moscow about a new
policy of Reform and openness
some political prisoners have been
released
certain foreign news broadcasts are no
longer being jammed
some economic Enterprises have been
permitted to operate with greater
freedom from State Control
are these the beginnings of profound
changes in the Soviet state
or are they tooken gestures intended to
raise false hopes in the west or to
strengthen the Soviet system without
changing it
we welcome change and openness
for we believe that freedom and security
go together
that the advance of human Liberty
the advance of human Liberty can only
strengthen the cause of World Peace
there is one sign the Soviets can make
that would be unmistakable
that would Advance drama dramatically
the cause of freedom and peace
General Secretary Gorbachev if you seek
peace if you seek prosperity for the
Soviet Union in Eastern Europe
if you seek liberalization
come here to this gate
Mr Gorbachev opened this gate
[Applause]
Mr Gorbachev
Mr Gorbachev
teared down this wall
[Applause]
I understand the fear of War and the
pain of division that afflict this
continent and I pledge to you my
country's efforts to help overcome these
burdens to be sure we in the west must
resist Soviet expansion
so we must maintain defenses of
unassailable strength
yet we seek peace so we must strive to
reduce arms on both sides
beginning 10 years ago the Soviets
challenged the Western Alliance with a
grave new threat
hundreds of new and more deadly ss-20
nuclear missiles capable of striking
every capital in Europe
the Western Alliance responded by
committing itself to a counter
deployment
unless the Soviets agreed to negotiate a
better solution namely the elimination
of such weapons on both sides
for many months
the Soviets refused to bargain in
earnestness
as the alliance in turn prepared to go
forward with its counter deployment
there were difficult days
of protests like those during my 1982
visit to this city
and the Soviets later walked away from
the table
but through it all the alliance held
firm
and I invite those who protested then
I invite those who protest today
to mark this fact because we remain
strong the Soviets came back to the
table
[Applause]
because we remain strong today we have
within reached the possibility not
merely of limiting the growth of arms
but of eliminating for the first time an
entire class of nuclear weapons from the
face of the Earth
as I speak NATO ministers are meeting in
Iceland to review the progress of our
proposals for eliminating these weapons
at the talks in Geneva
we have also proposed deep Cuts in
strategic offensive weapons
and the Western allies have likewise
made far-reaching proposals to reduce
the danger of conventional war and to
place a total ban on chemical weapons
while we pursue These Arms reductions
I pledge to you that we will maintain
the capacity to deter Soviet aggression
at any level at which it might occur
[Applause]
and in cooperation with many of our
allies the United States is pursuing the
Strategic Defense Initiative
research to base deterrence not on the
threat of offensive retaliation
but on defenses that truly defend on
systems in short that will not Target
populations but Shield them
by these means we seek to increase the
safety of Europe and all the world
but we must remember a crucial fact
east and west
do not mistrust each other because we're
armed
we're armed because we mistrust each
other
foreign
and our differences are not about
weapons
but about Liberty
when President Kennedy spoke at the city
hall those 24 years ago Freedom was
encircled Berlin was under siege and
today despite all the pressures upon
this city Berlin stands secure in its
Liberty and freedom itself is
transforming the globe
in the Philippines in South and Central
America
democracy has been given a rebirth
throughout the Pacific free markets are
working Miracle after Miracle of
economic growth
in the industrialized nations a
technological Revolution is taking place
a revolution marked by rapid dramatic
advances in computers and
Telecommunications
in Europe only one nation and those it
controls refuse to join the community of
freedom
yet in this age of redoubled economic
growth of information and Innovation the
Soviet Union faces a choice
it must make fundamental changes or it
will become obsolete
[Applause]
that presents a moment of Hope
we in the west stand ready to cooperate
with the East to promote true openness
to break down barriers that separate
people
to create a safer Freer world
and surely there is no better place than
Berlin the meeting place of east and
west to make a start
Free People of Berlin today as in the
past the United States stands for the
strict observance and full
implementation of all parts of the
four-powered agreement of 1971.
let us use this occasion the 750th
anniversary of this city to usher in a
new era
to seek a still Fuller richer life for
the Berlin of the future
together let us maintain and develop the
ties between the Federal Republic and
the Western sectors of Berlin which is
permitted by the 1971 agreement
and I invite Mr Gorbachev
let us work to bring the eastern and
western parts of the city closer
together
so that all the inhabitants of all
Berlin
can enjoy the benefits that come with
life in one of the great cities of the
world
to open Berlin still further to all
Europe east and west
let us expand the vital air access to
this city finding ways of making
commercial air service to Berlin more
convenient more comfortable and more
economical
we look to the day when West Berlin can
become one of the chief Aviation hubs in
all Central Europe
with
with our French
with our French and British partners
the United States is prepared to help
bring International meetings to Berlin
it would be only fitting for Berlin to
serve as the site of United Nations
meetings or World conferences on human
rights and arms control
or other issues that call for
international cooperation
there is no better way to establish hope
for the future than to Enlighten young
minds and we would be honored to sponsor
summer youth exchanges cultural events
and other programs for young berliners
from the East
our French and British friends I'm
certain will do the same
and as my hope
that an authority can be found in East
Berlin to sponsor visits from young
people of the western sectors
one final proposal one close to my heart
sport represents a source of enjoyment
and innovative
and you may have noted that the Republic
of Korea South Korea has offered to
permit certain events of the 1988
Olympics to take place in the North
International Sports competitions of all
kinds could take place in both parts of
this city
and what better way to demonstrate to
the world the openness of this city than
to offer in some future year to hold the
Olympic Games here in Berlin east and
west
[Applause]
in these four decades as I have said
you berliners have built a great City
you've done so in spite of threats the
Soviet attempts to impose the East Mark
the blockade
today the city thrives in spite of the
challenges implicit in the very presence
of this wall
what keeps you here
certainly there's a great deal to be
said for your fortitude
for your defiant courage
but I believe there's something deeper
something that involves Berlin's whole
look and feel and way of life
Not Mere sediment no one could live long
and Berlin without being completely
disabused of illusions
something instead that has seen the
difficulties of life in Berlin but chose
to accept them
that continues to build this good and
proud City in contrast to a surrounding
totalitarian presence that refuses to
release human energies or aspirations
something that speaks with a powerful
voice of affirmation
that says yes to this city yes to the
Future yes to Freedom
in a word
I would submit that what keeps you in
Berlin
is love
love both profound and abiding
perhaps this gets to the root of the
matter to the most fundamental
distinction of all between east and west
the totalitarian World produces
backwardness because it does such
violence to the spirit
thwarting the human impulse to create to
enjoy to worship
the totalitarian World finds even
symbols of love and of worship and
affront
years ago before the East Germans began
rebuilding their churches they erected a
secular structure
the television Tower at Alexander Platz
virtually ever since the authorities
have been working to correct what they
view as the towers one major flaw
treating the glass sphere at the top
with paints and chemicals of every kind
yet even today
when the sun strikes that sphere that's
fear that Towers over all Berlin
the light
makes the sign of the cross
[Applause]
thank you
foreign
there in Berlin like the city itself
symbols of love
symbols of worship
cannot be suppressed
as I looked out a moment ago from the
reichstag that embodiment of German
Unity I noticed words crudely spray
painted upon the wall perhaps by a young
Berliner
quote this wall will fall beliefs become
reality
foreign
Europe this wall will fall for it cannot
withstand faith it cannot withstand
truth
the wall cannot withstand freedom
and I would like for I close to say one
word
I have read and I have been questioned
since I've been here about certain
demonstrations against my coming
and I would like to say just one thing
and to those who demonstrate so
I wonder if they have ever asked
themselves
that if they should have the kind of
government they apparently seek
no one would ever be able to do what
they're doing again
[Applause]
[Applause]
thank you
thank you and God bless you all
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