Ronald Reagan: Fall of Berlin Wall an American Achievement

“Mr. Gorbachov…Tear Down This Wall.”

Famous words of Ronald Reagan in 1987 standing in front of the Berlin Wall-etched in history and remembered this month in Berlin on the anniversary of the wall’s destruction.  Reagan’s words emboldened a nation divided and empowered a movement that led to the destruction of a wall that not only divided a People, but symbolized the ideological divide that consumed the globe during the Cold War era.  The eventual fate of the Wall not only meant a reunification of East and West Germany, but a major step towards bringing an end to the Cold War.

Many have and will say that it was just a speech, but to those who would ignore the greatness of such an occasion I would ask them, how long would the Germans have lived divided without the support of the United States?  How long would they have accepted a wall that separated families, divided a nation, strengthened the communist ideology, and was a direct threat to liberty without the reassurance that the United States and its leaders were there to lend a helping hand?

In an era of American politics where it appears far more newsworthy, or at least more appropriate, for American politicians to take an apologetic posture rather than one of achievement or accomplishment, I am not at all surprised that the anniversary of one of our nation’s greatest diplomatic achievements is going relatively unnoticed and unreported.

Almost 20 years ago, an end to an era was brought about in Germany by the collective works of Ronald Wilson Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and James Baker working in unison with Mikhail Gorbachev. The actions of that group helped lead to the reunification of East and West Germany and an eventual end to the Cold War between the USSR and the US.  Their actions may be forgotten here, but they are certainly fresh on the minds of Germans this month.

While this story is flying under the radar of American journalism, Presidents Reagan and Bush are being honored in Germany and the reading of their names is giving rise to standing ovations and heroic applause on the streets of Berlin.   For a nation much-maligned and vilified on the world’s scene in recent years, why are we turning a blind eye when we are being applauded for our actions?

I can think of a million reasons why such an odd dynamic may be occurring, but I am drawn to the most common sense of rationales. The reason that no one is paying attention to our brief moment of redemption lies with the fact that the men being honored in Germany carry the unfortunate label of “Republican.”  If they had been fortunate enough to chosen the t-shirt with a donkey on it, they could have been revered for the great statesmen that they truly were could have been.  They would have won Nobel Peace Prizes and been placed upon a pedestal for future generations of Americans to emulate.  If these men would have simply chosen a path that led them to the Democratic Party, they could have been recognized for bringing an end to the Cold War and uniting a nation.  If only they were Democrats.

The Obama administration has tried so hard to paint the United States as an “evil doer” in the realm of foreign affairs that it would be far too detrimental for his administration to change course for such an occasion. Instead of boarding a plane to celebrate this momentous occasion with the Germans, President Obama and his Popular Rule would rather the last image of our “Chosen” President to be his campaign speech in Berlin.  He would rather remind us of his message of condolence, remorse, and regret, than for a moment appreciate what prior generations of Americans have helped to accomplish.

In the eyes of progressives like President Obama, the United States cannot acknowledge its part in such a monumental achievement, because to do so would give weight to his opponent’s arguments that criticize his apathetic approach of appeasement, and could lead to a sense of American Exceptionalism that progressives hate more than tyranny, oppression, or a loss of the most basic human rights.

So this anniversary will come and go. It will be remembered in Europe and it will be celebrated on the streets of Berlin. Our leaders will be honored and our actions will be commemorated. The United States will be appreciated even if only for a brief moment by the world community… and the unfortunate reality that we all must realize, is that our President hopes that we all miss it.

Senior Fellow at Hoover Institute Peter Robinson was the speech writer who drafted that famous line “Tear down this wall.”  In one of the videos below he describes the process that led to its inclusion in a speech to the German people and the citizens of the world.  He describes how it originated from the words of an East German woman speaking in frustration with the inaction and rhetoric of the Soviet leader.  He and Michael Reagan (son of the Former President) go on to tell the story of how the State Department wanted to see the line stricken from the final speech.  Michael Reagan says that the final speech was the eighth draft with the seven that preceded it being amended by the National Security Council and the State Department.

When asked by the Fox News correspondent about the legacy of the speech, Peter Robinson humbly refers to it as Ronald Wilson Reagan’s speech, and says that it was only given as a result of his willingness to overrule his advisors to get his message across.

“Tear Down This Wall” Speech

Because of the power of the speech given by Ronald Reagan standing in front of a wall that represented generations of conflict, it is often overlooked that the fall of the Berlin Wall actually occurred on the watch of President George Herbert Walker Bush.  This may be due – at least in part – to the fact that he may very well be the most humble and gracious president in American history.  Even as he is being honored this week in Berlin, he still downplays his role in reuniting East and West Germany.  Listen to this interview with Greta Van Susteren.  The words “Humble Gentleman” hardly begin to describe him.

Tags: berlin, berlin wall, Cold War, conservative, George Herbert Walker Bush, james baker, mikhail gorbachev, REPUBLICAN, Ronald Reagan, Russia, soviet union, United States, USA, USSR

This entry was posted on November 5, 2009 at 10:05 am and is filed under FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.