Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

These words pierced the early afternoon Berlin air,

inspiring the rallied German people and sparking a movement of insurmountable measures. On
August 13, 1961, the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic began to
build a barbed wire and concrete wall between East and West Berlin which soon became known
as a symbol of communist oppression. The declared purpose of the Berlin Wall was to prevent
Western ideologies from interfering with East German communism and to hinder the potential
disloyalties of Eastern citizens. During this time period President John F. Kennedy proclaimed
the support of the United States for the democratic West Germany. Though President Kennedy
did not make much progress in Germany, a few decades later President Ronald Reagan had a bit
more luck. In 1987, Reagan made his famous Berlin Wall speech during his second trip to
Germany. In his attempt to persuade Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin
Wall, President Reagan skillfully supports his argument through the use of kairos and appeal to
logos and pathos; he also justifies his claims through the use of history and the presentation of
many problem-solution scenarios.
President Reagan certainly takes advantage of his environment and audience in order to
make his point. That is, to say, he clearly and easily uses the crisis at hand to implement the use
of kairos. Reagans second visit to Berlin came at a time of heightened East-West tensions,
caused in particular by the debate over the stationing of short range American missiles in Europe
and the United States' record peacetime defense buildup - a prime time to address the problem at
hand. At 2 p.m. on June 12, 1987 (the 750th anniversary of Berlin), poised behind two panes of
bulletproof glass, President Reagan uses time and place in his favor as he makes his speech at the
Brandenburg Gate. Here, Reagan reaches, at a personal level, the 45,000 emotional people were
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in attendance, including a few influential, power-holding people such as West German president
Richard von Weizscker, Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and West Berlin mayor Eberhard Diepgen.
Aside from utilizing his physical location, President Reagan uses time to communicate
his message through past, present and future references. In addition, Reagan spends a good
portion of his speech quoting pieces of history as a means of justifying and supporting his many
claims. For example, the president begins his speech with a history lesson: In this season of
spring in 1945, the people of Berlin emerged from their air-raid shelters to find devastation. And
in 1947 Secretary of State George Marshall announced the creation of what would become
known as the Marshall Plan. He then proceeds to discuss the Marshall Plan and its success in
creating a strong, free world in the West, which leads into the his discussion of present state of
Berlin: Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest
industrial output of any city in Germany. Where there was want, today there's abundance.
Finally, Reagan discusses the future of Berlin and its ties to the rest of the world: Together, let
us maintain and develop the ties between the Federal Republic and the Western sectors of Berlin.
I invite Mr. Gorbachev: Let us work to bring the Eastern and Western parts of the city closer
together...to open Berlin still further to all Europe. The United States is prepared to help bring
international meetings to Berlin...it would be only fitting for Berlin to serve as the site of United
Nations meetings, on issues that call for international cooperation.
For President Reagan, a former actor, the influence of his speech also lies in the structure
and style of his oration. Reagan has a very pragmatic structure of speech: in laymens terms he
basically says heres the problem, and heres how were going to fix it. He does not just make
empty claims, but he backs them up with solid solutions, which are logical and easy to
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understand for anyone. His language is formal and intelligent, but comprehensible. In the same
way, his style is simplistic - sentences are short and to the point, never too wordy, and are written
in such a way that no one finds themselves needing a dictionary or thesaurus in order to follow
along.
That being said, the way in which Reagan delivers his speech was one of the biggest
reasons that his speech made the impact that it did. It is clear that the president utilizes his acting
skills throughout the speech, treating it as if it were almost a performance. He speaks in a very
moving tone of voice: one of sensible logic and powerful diction. In this way, and by including a
great amount of both logos and pathos, he appeals to the audience both logically and
emotionally. For example, the speech is primarily fact-based with plenty of opportunity to
remind listeners of where Germany has been, the struggles it has faced, and the potential that it
has. In addition, using quotes such as behind me stands a wall that encircles the free sectors of
this city, part of a vast system of barriers that divides the entire continent of Europe, speaking in
German at times, and stating that every man is a Berliner truly envelopes pathos and evokes
some strong emotions from his audience.
Finally, in evaluating the effects of Reagans speech, there is much to be said about his
influence and success. At first, the Berlin Wall speech seemed to have failed at securing its goals.
It did not receive extensive media coverage initially, and Reagan was criticized for being nave
and idealistic. After some time passed with no progress, the effort was considered a bust. Two
years later, however, things seemed to take a turn for the best - the Berlin Wall stood until
November 9, 1989, when the head of the East German Communist Party announced that citizens
of the German Democratic Republic could cross the border whenever they pleased. It was only
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then that the media turned around and praised Reagans bold stance on human rights and a firm
U.S. foreign policy. As for artistry, Reagan had a simple, authoritative and optimistic
communication style. This combined with his effective use of balance of logos and pathos
provided for a most persuasive speech that eventually accomplished its goals. As for the the
long-term implications for the social welfare of society, the Berlin Wall served as the symbolic
divide between democracy and communism during the Cold War. After this speech was given,
the exigence of this issue was finally addressed and, soon after, the people of Germany were
united once again.
Reagans purpose was clear: it was his duty as an American president to visit the
oppressed in Germany, just as past presidents did in order to advertise and promote the message
and means of freedom, and he does so through the rhetorical and persuasive aspects of his
speech. On the night of November 9, ecstatic crowds swarmed the wall. Some crossed freely into
West Berlin, while others brought hammers and picks and began to chip away at the wall itself.
This event would not have been possible without the steadfast and compelling performance from
President Ronald Reagan, a performance that deserves a standing ovation.
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Works Cited
Berlin Wall. The History Channel. A&E Television Networks. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://
www.history.com/topics/berlin-wall>.
Herskovits, Arielle. Reagans Tear Down This Wall Analyzed. Constitution Daily. 10 Nov.
2010. National Constitution Center. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://
blog.constitutioncenter.org/2010/11/reagans-tear-down-this-wall-analyzed/>.
Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall President Ronald Reagan. U.S. Diplomacy Center.
Web. 8 Oct. 2013. <http://diplomacy.state.gov/berlinwall/www/exhibitions/tear-down-
this-wall.html>.
Rhetorical Analysis, Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate Tear Down this Wall Speech.
Hubpages.com. 8 Nov. 2011. Hubpages. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. <http://
wafflecheese.hubpages.com/hub/Rhetorical-Analysis-Ronald-Reagan-at-the-
Brandenburg-Gate>.
Ronald Reagan Tear Down This Wall. The History Place. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://
www.historyplace.com/speeches/reagan-tear-down.htm>.
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