Erected literally overnight, the building of the Berlin Wall was
the culmination of over a decade of escalating confrontations
and contentious blockades contrived to encourage the west to
abandon Berlin to the Communist Bloc. The wall was East
Germany’s ultimate attempt to isolate and destroy an island of
freedom. Instead of expelling the west, Berlin became ground
zero in a contest of tit-for-tat brinksmanship with a serious
risk of erupting into nuclear war. War was averted, but the wall
dividing Berlin became a corrosive global symbol of bitter
oppression that would last for nearly three decades. Includes
documents, essays and overviews from the eleven U.S. Government
organizations that provide the background and the political
ramifications of the Wall’s construction. Additional library
resources: Credo Reference Online - Berlin Topic Page (provides
snap shot information) World History in Context – Berlin Wall
(provides in-depth information about the history of the Berlin
Wall).