One Man’s Mistake Unified Germany

The story behind the fall of the Berlin Wall

(National Geographic)

After Germany’s defeat in World War II, Germany was split into four by the United States, Soviet Union, France, and Great Britain. The original intention of the division was to deindustrialize Germany to eliminate the chances of resurgence. However, the rise of the Soviet Union and the start of the Cold War gave the allies no choice but to merge the three areas not controlled by communists. Through the new Cold War era, West Germany and East Germany were born, creating a divided country.

West and East Germany (European Views)

Post-Division

After the two states became official, West Germany saw an economic boom, backed by the Marshall Plan of the United States to combat communism in Europe. With the preexisting infrastructures and technology, West Germany quickly rose to become a major economic powerhouse in Europe. Confident from their economic power, West Germany took steps to implement their position in the international stage. In 1955, West Germany declared that it would not have any diplomatic relationship with a nation that recognizes East Germany as a country. This doctrine was named Hallstein Doctrine after Walter…