THE WALL

Joseph Stalin   to 1952
Nikita Khrushchev   to 1964
Leonid Brezhnev   to 1982
Yuri Andropov   to 1984
Konstantin Chernenko   to 1985
Mikhail Gorbachev   to 1991

Do you know these names?  These are the actual leaders of the Soviet Union as it existed in my lifetime.  These are the General Secretaries or First Secretaries of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  These men represented  soviet power and communism. The Soviet Union was the principal adversary of the United States for all the years up to 1989.  In 1989, we saw the USSR begin to crumble and in 1991 it completely expired with the demolition of the Berlin Wall.

A little background:  After World War II, the Allied nations divided Germany into East and West sectors. The U.S., England, France and others controlled the West and the USSR the East.  The capital city of Berlin was divided into four zones;  one controlled by the U.S. one the English, one the French and another the Soviet Union, The whole of the City of Berlin sat in the Eastern Sector.

The Soviet Union set up their socialist/communist style of government in the Eastern sector.  The Allies  helped establish democratic capitalistic governments in the West.   Before long, many in East Germany were emigrating to the West because life and the economy were so much better.  The Soviets were hurting because it was a drain on human resources in their area.

It was the Soviet's aim to take control of all of the capitol city when the other countries left.  The Soviets completely isolated West Berlin.  They controlled all access to it and set up a blockade.  West Berlin was only accessible to us by airdrop. We and many other countries airlifted supplies into the city to defeat the Soviet blockade.

In 1952, the USSR put a complete halt to movement and emigration between the two parts of the city of Berlin. Through the 1950's up to 1961, an inner and outer wall were built and military check points through which all must pass to get to and from the West.  West Berlin was completely enclosed inside a wall.  A stalemate was reached and lasted until the wall was knocked down in 1991.

For the ten years after the falling of the 'Wall", with the Soviet Union gone, we didn't worry much about the Russians.  They were so concerned with their own future they didn't mess with the rest of the world.

Vladimir Putin took control of Russia at the turn of the century.  It was re-established as a world power.   The huge country has enormous natural resources.  They are now feeling their oats and flexing their international muscles.   The BHO administration couldn't handle them.  Our relationship with them under our new President is a huge question mark.

Their experience with a wall didn't work.  Will ours?
O_O