June 12 - Reagan Challenges Gorbachev to Tear Down Wall
Breaking Down Walls and Building Unity
This is the day US President Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down" the Berlin Wall in 1987.
In today's lesson, we'll explore how the Berlin Wall's division of a city and nation mirrors the divisions we face in our own lives and communities. We'll discuss how faith can help us overcome these barriers and work towards unity. How can we, as Christians, be agents of reconciliation in a divided world?
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." - Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)
This Date in History
On June 12, 1987, standing before the Brandenburg Gate with the Berlin Wall looming behind him, U.S. President Ronald Reagan issued a bold challenge to the leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
The Berlin Wall, constructed in 1961, had become a stark symbol of the Cold War divide between East and West. It separated families, friends, and communities, embodying the stark contrast between the democratic West and the communist East.
The Berlin Wall had its roots in the aftermath of World War II. As the war ended, defeated Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. Berlin, the German capital, was similarly divided, despite being located deep within the Soviet-controlled East Germany.
As tensions between the Western allies and the Soviet Union escalated, the divisions became more stark. In 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established in the Western-occupied zones, while the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was established in the Soviet zone. Berlin remained divided, with West Berlin becoming an island of democracy and capitalism surrounded by communist East Germany.
The ideological differences between the capitalist West and the communist East led to a growing number of East Germans fleeing to the West via West Berlin. To stop this exodus, in August 1961, the East German government, with Soviet support, began constructing the Berlin Wall. The wall, which stood as a stark physical reminder of the Iron Curtain, divided the city and kept East Germans from escaping to the West.
Throughout the Cold War, the United States and its Western allies stood firm against Soviet expansionism. President Ronald Reagan, a staunch anti-communist, made confronting the Soviet Union a centerpiece of his foreign policy.
This eventually led to June 12, 1987, where, standing before the Brandenburg Gate with the Berlin Wall looming behind him, Reagan issued his bold challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Reagan's speech was not just about the physical barrier; it was a challenge to the very ideology that had led to its construction.
Reagan's words resonated across the globe, giving hope to those living under Soviet rule and reinforcing the determination of the West to stand firm against communist expansion. His speech became a catalyst for change, emboldening dissidents and freedom fighters behind the Iron Curtain.
Under increasing pressure from the West and faced with growing unrest within the Soviet bloc, Gorbachev introduced policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring). These reforms, aimed at liberalizing the Soviet system, inadvertently fueled the desire for change in Eastern Europe.
On November 9, 1989, the world watched in amazement as the Berlin Wall began to crumble. East Germans flooded through the checkpoints, embracing their Western neighbors in scenes of joy and reconciliation. The fall of the wall marked the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union and its satellite states in Eastern Europe.
Over the next two years, one by one, the communist regimes in Eastern Europe fell. In 1991, the Soviet Union itself dissolved, marking the end of the Cold War and the birth of a new era in global politics.
Reagan's Berlin speech stands as a testament to the power of words and leadership to shape history. His challenge to "tear down" the wall helped set in motion a series of events that would lead to the end of the Cold War, the reunification of Germany, and the transformation of Europe and the world.
Historical Context
The Cold War, which lasted from the late 1940s until the early 1990s, was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. The two superpowers, representing opposing ideologies of capitalism and communism, engaged in a global struggle for influence and dominance.
The division of Germany and Berlin was a microcosm of the larger Cold War conflict. The Berlin Blockade of 1948-1949, during which the Soviet Union blocked Western access to West Berlin, was one of the first major crises of the Cold War. The United States and its allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, supplying the city by air and demonstrating their resolve to maintain their presence in West Berlin.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Berlin remained a focal point of Cold War tensions. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 further solidified the division between East and West, and attempted escapes from East Germany were met with force, resulting in numerous deaths.
By the 1980s, the Soviet Union was facing significant challenges, both internally and externally. Economic stagnation, political repression, and the costly arms race with the United States had taken their toll. When Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985, he recognized the need for reform and introduced policies of glasnost and perestroika.
Reagan's Berlin speech in 1987 took place against this backdrop of change and uncertainty. His challenge to Gorbachev to tear down the wall was a bold statement of American resolve and a recognition that the Soviet system was unsustainable.
Did You Know?
The Berlin Wall was actually two walls, with a "death strip" in between. This area was filled with guard towers, trenches, and other obstacles to prevent escape attempts. During the Berlin Wall's existence, over 100,000 people attempted to escape from East Germany, with around 5,000 succeeding. Hundreds died in the attempt.
Today’s Reflection
The Berlin Wall stood as a stark reminder of the divisions that can separate people, communities, and nations. For 28 years, it divided East and West Berlin, symbolizing the ideological and political chasm between the communist East and the democratic West. Families were separated, friendships were severed, and the free flow of ideas and people was hindered.
In many ways, the divisions created by the Berlin Wall mirror the divisions we face in our own lives. We live in a world that is often fragmented by differences in race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, political beliefs, and even religious denominations. These divisions can create barriers that prevent us from truly understanding, empathizing with, and loving one another.
However, as Christians, we are called to be agents of unity and reconciliation. "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" (Ephesians 2:14). This verse speaks directly to the power of Christ to break down the walls that divide us.
When we accept Christ, we become part of a new family – the family of God. In this family, the distinctions that once separated us lose their significance. As Paul writes in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
This unity doesn't mean that we ignore our differences or pretend they don't exist. Rather, it means that we choose to love and accept one another despite these differences, recognizing that our shared identity in Christ is more significant than anything that might divide us.
Just as the fall of the Berlin Wall marked a new era of unity and reconciliation for Germany, we too can experience a new era of unity in our lives and communities when we allow Christ to break down the walls that divide us. This requires humility, compassion, and a willingness to listen to and learn from those who are different from us.
It's not always easy. Overcoming decades or even centuries of division and mistrust takes time, effort, and a deep commitment to the reconciling power of the gospel. But as we work towards unity, we bear witness to the transformative love of Christ – a love that knows no barriers and has the power to heal even the deepest of divisions.
In a world that is often fragmented and divided, let us be a people who stand for unity. Let us be the ones who, through the power of Christ, break down the walls of hostility and work towards a world where all people are valued, loved, and accepted as children of God.
Practical Application
Take some time to reflect on the divisions you see in your own life and community. These might be divisions based on race, politics, socioeconomic status, or even within your church or family. Pray for God's guidance in how you can be an agent of unity and reconciliation in these situations. Consider reaching out to someone on the other side of a divide, seeking to listen, understand, and find common ground. Remember that our shared identity in Christ is more significant than anything that might separate us.
Closing Prayer
Dear God, we thank You for the power of Your love to break down the walls that divide us. Help us to be agents of unity and reconciliation in a world that is often fragmented and divided. Give us the humility, compassion, and wisdom to reach out across divides, to listen to and learn from those who are different from us. May we always remember that our shared identity in You is more significant than anything that might separate us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Final Thoughts
The fall of the Berlin Wall reminds us that even the most formidable barriers can be overcome with perseverance, unity, and faith. As Christians, we are called to be agents of reconciliation in a divided world, breaking down the walls that separate us and working towards the unity that God desires for His people. As we seek to live out this calling, may we always remember the power of the Gospel to heal, restore, and bring people together in the name of Christ.
Thank you for sharing this story and this beautiful verse of the message of unity that Christ shares: "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" (Ephesians 2:14).
Biden breaks down walls too!