Reagan on Historic Visit to Berlin Wall
In June of 1987, President Ronald Reagan stopped in West Berlin on the 750th anniversary of the city and delivered one of his most famous lines when he demanded that Mikhail Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. In an address to the nation following his return from that trip, President Reagan recalls standing next to the imposing structure.
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Reagan on Historic Visit to Berlin Wall
Reagan on Historic Visit to Berlin WallAudio Clip (1:57)
Audio Clip (1:57)
In June of 1987, President Ronald Reagan stopped in West Berlin on the 750th anniversary of the city and delivered one of his most famous lines when he demanded that Mikhail Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. In an address to the nation following his return from that trip, President Reagan recalls standing next to the imposing structure.
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Reagan Addresses British Parliament
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On June 8, 1982, in the first speech by an American president to a meeting of both houses of the British Parliament, President Ronald Reagan presents his hope for a future that would "leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history."
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At a May 31, 1961, Paris press conference, President John F. Kennedy describes his principal aim for meeting with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at the Geneva summit, the first between the two superpowers since 1960.
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Reagan Approves Iran-Contra Counsel
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After the Iran-Contra scandal is exposed in November 1986, President Ronald Reagan announces to the nation that he would "welcome the appointment of an independent counsel" to investigate matters. The Iran-Contra Affair involved the secret selling of arms to Iran in exchange for the release of hostages. The money from the arms sales was then used to secretly support the Contras in their battle against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua.
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Bush on the Fall of the Berlin Wall
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The day after the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 20, 1989, President George H. W. Bush met with West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher to discuss plans for the reunification of Germany. As a token of his gratitude to the United States, Genscher brought President Bush a piece of the Berlin Wall. In a press conference, Bush thanks the foreign minister for the gift.
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Bush Calls for Glasnost in East Berlin
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On May 31, 1989, in a speech delivered in Mainz, West Germany, President George H. W. Bush emphasizes America's desire to see the barriers between the east and west come down.
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Reagan Demands Fall of Berlin Wall
Reagan Demands Fall of Berlin WallAudio Clip (1:08)
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On June 12, 1987, in a speech delivered from the Brandenburg Gate in West Germany, President Ronald Reagan makes one of his most famous statements when he calls on Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.
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West German Foreign Minister on Fall of Berlin Wall
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West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher traveled to the U.S. to meet with President George H.W. Bush the day after the November 20, 1989, fall of the Berlin Wall. In his public remarks, Genscher pledges to encourage democratic reform.
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Eisenhower on the Second Berlin Crisis
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In November 1958, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev demanded that Western forces pull out of West Berlin in six months. On March 16, 1959, in a radio and television report to the American people, President Eisenhower speaks of the escalating Cold War tensions over Berlin, stressing that the United States will not give in to pressure from the USSR.
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John F. Kennedy Rallies Hope for Berlin
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In a speech delivered in Berlin on June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy expresses his hopes for the reunification of Germany and shows solidarity with the crowd when he says, "I take pride in the words: Ich bin ein Berliner."
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President Kennedy's diplomatic resolve was tested as tension mounted at the Berlin wall.
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For 30 years, the Berlin Wall was the defining symbol of the Cold War, separating families and keeping the people from jobs and opportunity in the west.
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Lyndon Johnson's presidency is remembered in part for his handling of the Vietnam War, but he also advanced civil rights and equality throughout the nation.
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Did JFK actually say he was a jelly doughnut? Find out the real translation of “Ich bin ein Berliner.”
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