TOW #5: "Tear Down This Wall!" (Written Text)

In April of 1987, US President Ronald Reagan visited Berlin for the second time in his presidency. His visit coincided with the 750th anniversary of the city of Berlin, as well as controversy over the stationing of short-range American missiles in Europe. In his iconic speech before the Brandenburg Gate, Reagan addressed his assembled West-German audience, as well as Eastern Europeans, who were permitted to view the broadcast. Aiming to promote democracy over the Soviet regime, he wholly capitalized upon the Berlin situation.

Reagan’s argument rests partly on logical appeal. Through a juxtaposition of “free” countries and the Soviet bloc, he highlights the comparative economic successes of those free nations over their communist counterparts. He speaks of “reduced tariffs, expanded free trade, lowered taxes,” of doubled standard of living, and of abundance in the West. To contrast, he notes that the Soviet Union still cannot produce enough food to sustain its people. This natural appeal of Western living is for his Eastern viewers. No government, totalitarian or otherwise, can stand without a body of citizens to rule; to feed its populace the promises of a better life under another administration is to erode that foundation. He additionally seeks the support of West-Berliners, establishing his credibility with reminders that it was the Americans, who following the closure of WWII, reached out to help Germany through the Marshall Plan. Though some Europeans doubted Reagan due to recent controversy over missiles, such a reminder demonstrates the United States as an ally not only of Germany, but of freedom. This last concept is used by the president for an emotional appeal. “Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.” In a world divided into two ideologies, the dividing line of which split the city of Berlin in two, the repetition of freedom and promise of peace would have reached a hope in the heart of West-Berliners, and a dream in the mind of the East, building support for Reagan and democracy which would power the passion with which the public would respond to the speech’s most famous line: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Though Reagan’s words still remain profound twenty-seven years later, the Berlin Wall lasted just over two years following the speech. In Germany, October 3rd became a day to celebrate the country’s unity. This October 4th, I chose my TOW to observe the day, and to celebrate the reunification of a country I have grown to love next to my own.