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The Fall of the Berlin Wall
William F. Buckley Jr. reflects on the event that marked the fall of Communism in Europe The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 was the turning point in the struggle against Communism in Eastern Europe. The culmination of popular uprisings in Hungary, Poland, and East Germany, the Wall's fall led inexorably to revolutions in Czechoslovakia and Romania, the reunification of Germany, and, ultimately, the disintegration of the Soviet Union itself. In this book, American conservative pioneer and National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr. explains how and why the Cold War ended as it did-and what lessons we can draw from the experience. Writing with his legendary wit and insight, he brings to life Communism's last gasp, showing how Reagan's hard-nosed foreign policy and Gorbachev's reforms undermined Warsaw Pact dictators, emboldened dissidents, and finally made the dream of freedom a reality in Eastern Europe. Sure to delight conservatives, annoy liberals, and enlighten everyone who reads it, The Fall of the Berlin Wall is William F. Buckley Jr. at his inimitable best.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2004
11 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
William F. Buckley Jr.
183 books338 followersWilliam Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American author and conservative commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing style was famed for its erudition, wit, and use of uncommon words.
Buckley was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century," according to George H. Nash, a historian of the modern American conservative movement. "For an entire generation he was the preeminent voice of American conservatism and its first great ecumenical figure." Buckley's primary intellectual achievement was to fuse traditional American political conservatism with economic libertarianism and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for the modern American conservatism of US Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and US President Ronald Reagan.
Buckley came on the public scene with his critical book God and Man at Yale (1951); among over fifty further books on writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing, were a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. Buckley referred to himself "on and off" as either libertarian or conservative. He resided in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut, and often signed his name as "WFB." He was a practicing Catholic, regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut.
Buckley was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century," according to George H. Nash, a historian of the modern American conservative movement. "For an entire generation he was the preeminent voice of American conservatism and its first great ecumenical figure." Buckley's primary intellectual achievement was to fuse traditional American political conservatism with economic libertarianism and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for the modern American conservatism of US Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and US President Ronald Reagan.
Buckley came on the public scene with his critical book God and Man at Yale (1951); among over fifty further books on writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing, were a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. Buckley referred to himself "on and off" as either libertarian or conservative. He resided in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut, and often signed his name as "WFB." He was a practicing Catholic, regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 14, 2016
Great insight into the Berlin Wall A part of history that should never be forgotten & the evils of communism.
January 22, 2009
This book offered a fascinating history of the how the Berlin Wall came to be in the first place and how it ultimately came down. This is a compact book but it was filled with stuff I never knew (or forgot--apologies to my high school history teacher). Since I was recently able to see an actual piece of the Wall at the George HW Bush Library, i was interested in it's history. Thanks be to President Reagan that this wall is no longer. Having been written by William F. Buckley, the writing is impeccable.
August 12, 2017
This book had me laughing out loud at times and on the verge of tears at others. All critics of capitalism, constitutionalism, and republicanism should read about the reality of totalitarianism.
October 23, 2022
If you are looking for a quick and intelligent overview of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall this is the book for you. Mr. Buckley knew many of the people involved, and as a journalist wrote frequently about the events covered.
He goes over how and why it was built (keep the East Germans in), why it lasted (it sorta worked), and how (odd press conference) and why (popular unhappiness and Gorbachev) it fell.
He goes over how and why it was built (keep the East Germans in), why it lasted (it sorta worked), and how (odd press conference) and why (popular unhappiness and Gorbachev) it fell.
November 2, 2021
OK review of what happened in Germany with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the politics of how the Cold War ended with Gorbachev etc. Good for an overall view but I learned more details from another book how some misunderstandings led to the opening of the Wall.
February 24, 2022
A little confusing, the author jumps and skips through the timeline so much so you lose your place in the narrative. Nevertheless, it is a good read that should be read by all on the history of the rise and fall of communism with a focus, of course, on Berlin and Germany.
Want to read
July 29, 2024SM
September 13, 2014
If anyone is qualified to write well on a Cold War topic like this, it's Buckley. As he points out himself, he was 19 when the Cold War began to shape up as the Allied powers met in Yalta, and he was 65 when the Communist Party was banned in the Soviet Union. Much of that life was spent in political commentary and journalism. There is certainly no question as to Buckley's intelligence; indeed, the beginning of the book reads like he is trying to show off his literary and intellectual prowess. This is why the book is actually somewhat disappointing, as Buckley fails to apply much in the way of understanding and analysis, giving a fairly decent, but not outstanding, account of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall as set in the Cold War. After the first couple of chapters, Buckley dispenses with his literary flourishes and it is a reasonably easy, quick read. It's close to being a good introduction or overview to young people unfamiliar with the Cold War, except Buckley does sometimes assume knowledge on the part of his reader.
Much of the detail and context Buckley dredges up for the reader is well-selected. For instance, Buckley quotes former German Chancellor Adenauer warning his Western fellows against selling the Soviet Union wheat, "Only the stupidest calves choose their own butcher." (p 102) People, particularly in the United States, discuss ideology and the Cold War in such abstract, theoretical terms. The story of the wall really puts a human face on the issues, or to be more accurate, many human faces. As Simon Wiesenthal observed when going through Stasi files after the fall, "The Stasi was much, much worse than the Gestapo, if you consider only the oppression of its own people." (p 188) Or take the figures: the KGB had 1 agent per 5,830 citizens, the Nazis had 1 Gestapo for every 2,000, and the Stasi, 1 for 166. (p 188)
Included in the narrative were the stories of families separated, daring escape attempts, assistance from the West, defiance, and much more. So what disappoints in a book I set out to enjoy thoroughly, and found myself doing in parts? Buckley's vaunted powers of reason and analysis seemed to fail him completely in parts. For instance, he rightly recognizes the Soviet Union's growing concern for China in light of the widening split between the Communist powers in the 1960s. (p 120) Yet when Buckley mentions Nixon's trip to China, it is a "parallel" to the détente in Europe, the Ostpolitik of Willy Brandt, and the concession of recognizing East Germany's independence. Of course, it is widely understood that Nixon's rapprochement was a deadly threat against the Soviet Union and exactly the kind of threat that wrung concessions from the Soviet bear, a way for Nixon to manage what he saw as the decline of American power at a time when Soviet power was at its pinnacle (a blue water navy, preparing to invade Afghanistan, menacing Iran, covert action throughout the Third World...). (p 120) If instead of swift, tone-deaf simple narration, Buckley had applied a bit more insight, which he was well qualified to do, this work could have been very beneficial.
I still recommend reading it, it certainly does help one who already knows something of the Cold War to live it again in review, and it sheds quite some light on the topic of the wall itself. Buckley offers notations, so one could use this as a launching point into more serious scholarship. On the whole it is easy to read and many of the stories he tells are interesting. It just seems like the reader of this work gets a part of Buckley, but not the whole of him. Pity.
Much of the detail and context Buckley dredges up for the reader is well-selected. For instance, Buckley quotes former German Chancellor Adenauer warning his Western fellows against selling the Soviet Union wheat, "Only the stupidest calves choose their own butcher." (p 102) People, particularly in the United States, discuss ideology and the Cold War in such abstract, theoretical terms. The story of the wall really puts a human face on the issues, or to be more accurate, many human faces. As Simon Wiesenthal observed when going through Stasi files after the fall, "The Stasi was much, much worse than the Gestapo, if you consider only the oppression of its own people." (p 188) Or take the figures: the KGB had 1 agent per 5,830 citizens, the Nazis had 1 Gestapo for every 2,000, and the Stasi, 1 for 166. (p 188)
Included in the narrative were the stories of families separated, daring escape attempts, assistance from the West, defiance, and much more. So what disappoints in a book I set out to enjoy thoroughly, and found myself doing in parts? Buckley's vaunted powers of reason and analysis seemed to fail him completely in parts. For instance, he rightly recognizes the Soviet Union's growing concern for China in light of the widening split between the Communist powers in the 1960s. (p 120) Yet when Buckley mentions Nixon's trip to China, it is a "parallel" to the détente in Europe, the Ostpolitik of Willy Brandt, and the concession of recognizing East Germany's independence. Of course, it is widely understood that Nixon's rapprochement was a deadly threat against the Soviet Union and exactly the kind of threat that wrung concessions from the Soviet bear, a way for Nixon to manage what he saw as the decline of American power at a time when Soviet power was at its pinnacle (a blue water navy, preparing to invade Afghanistan, menacing Iran, covert action throughout the Third World...). (p 120) If instead of swift, tone-deaf simple narration, Buckley had applied a bit more insight, which he was well qualified to do, this work could have been very beneficial.
I still recommend reading it, it certainly does help one who already knows something of the Cold War to live it again in review, and it sheds quite some light on the topic of the wall itself. Buckley offers notations, so one could use this as a launching point into more serious scholarship. On the whole it is easy to read and many of the stories he tells are interesting. It just seems like the reader of this work gets a part of Buckley, but not the whole of him. Pity.
January 31, 2016
Delightfully concise story of the symbol of the Iron Curtain. WFB was the preeminent Conservative of the 50s and 60s who called for the destruction of the USSR and Communism. He was instrumental in the election of Reagan; who, more than anyone, was responsible for the collapse of the Soviet experiment. A very good read by a very good man.
July 29, 2016
Captures the prevalent tension during the cold war in and around Berlin and the Soviet states. And fleetingly pulls us into the mind of the Berliners. A couple of sore points include the frequent overlay of different countries in the narrative and the absence of a chronological sequencing of events.
Partially satisfying read.
Partially satisfying read.
November 8, 2016
Was quite a disappointment in the end. There was good coverage of the period while the wall was up, but the information at both ends was lacking.
May 31, 2022
This was a pretty informative and compact book, but it read like a textbook and had no personality whatsoever. Got it for a nice price with some German inscription inside.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews