Question

in the speech president reagan gave at the berlin wall, what does he refer to the wall as?

a. the wall is the will of a totalitarian state that dominates all of eastern europe.
b. the wall is a symbol of freedom to everyone around the world.
c. the wall ensures that the soviet union is strong and will remain strong.
d. the wall is something that berliners want to keep their culture separate.

Explanation:

Identify the historical context

Using the Reagan Foreign Policy knowledge point

President Ronald Reagan delivered his famous "Tear Down This Wall" speech at the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987.

Analyze the speech's rhetoric

In the speech, Reagan describes the Berlin Wall not as a permanent fixture or a symbol of strength, but as a physical manifestation of totalitarian oppression. He states: "Standing before the Brandenburg Gate, every man is a German, separated from his fellow men. Every man is a Berliner, forced to look upon a scar." He explicitly refers to the wall as an instrument of the totalitarian Soviet state that dominates Eastern Europe.

Evaluate the given options

• Option a aligns directly with Reagan's depiction of the wall as a symbol of totalitarian control and division.
• Option b is incorrect because the wall was a symbol of division and oppression, not freedom.
• Option c is incorrect because Reagan argued that the wall was a sign of Soviet weakness and decay, not strength.
• Option d is incorrect because Berliners wanted the wall removed to reunite their city, not to keep their cultures separate.

Answer:

• a. The Wall is the will of a totalitarian state that dominates all of Eastern Europe. (Correct answer)
• b. The Wall is a symbol of freedom to everyone around the world.
• c. The Wall ensures that the Soviet Union is strong and will remain strong.
• d. The Wall is something that Berliners want to keep their culture separate.