World War II ended in 1945 and left a lot of destruction in its wake. What started as a war on fascism ended up leaving Germany dilapidated and divided. However, it didn’t stop here. The power struggle between the countries involved followed a silent but dangerous agitation. This gave rise to the Cold War, which gave rise to political tensions between the United States and the former USSR.

While there were no weapons involved, it was as deadly as any other war. Incidents like the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Sino-Soviet split, etc., involved the allies of the two countries in the fight which lasted more than 40 years. Not just them, the whole world got involved little by little.

The Berlin Wall – Division of Germany

In 1945, the Potsdam conference took place from June 17 to August 2, to decide the fate of Germany. It was followed by the Allies comprising the United States, France, the Soviet Union and Great Britain. There it was decided to divide Berlin into four professional zones. The three areas of the western part were taken by the United States, Great Britain and France, while the eastern part was that of the Soviet Union.

The year 1948 became a turning point that gave rise to events leading up to the formation of the Berlin Wall. The famous “Berlin Blockade” took place when the USSR blocked all access to West Germany, cutting off land and sea transit routes. The Allies began to provide Berlin with the necessary resources using airplanes. It lasted 11 months, where the tension only intensified. West Germany became “Federal Republic of Germany” with the capital Bonn, while East Germany was called “German Democratic Republic”.

The Communist regime in East Germany was not popular. A workers’ revolt took place in 1953, demanding better working and living conditions. The government brutally crushed the protests which only sparked more resentment. Finally, in 1961, the wall was built to prevent people from the eastern part from escaping. It was nothing less than a prison as the barrier was covered with barbed wire everywhere. For more than 20 years, the wall divided a city that was bearing the brunt of Hitler’s actions. On November 9, 1989, the wall was pulled down after much criticism.

The Indian perspective

As mentioned earlier, the Cold War had an impact not only on the two countries involved, but also on the world. It completely changed the geopolitical dynamic. While some have decided to take sides, others have taken a neutral stance. An article titled “20 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall – A View from India” written by Ummu Salma Bava focuses on the effect of the Berlin Wall on India.

When the country gained independence in 1947, it was still familiar with the current international dynamic. As the Cold War escalated, India increasingly aligned itself with like-minded nations, which led to the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement comprised of countries like Indonesia, the ‘Egypt, the former Yugoslavia and Ghana. India has maintained a political relationship with East and West Germany. He also supported the unification of the country, which took place after the demolition of the wall.

The politics and the post-Cold War situation played a role in the structuring of the economic framework of the country, which was oriented towards a liberal orientation from 1990. Ideologically, it found itself closer to the States. United and Europe. That being said, the way the country moved forward was vastly different from that of developed countries. In the era of globalization, India has found itself at the forefront, joining the big leagues with the big countries and fighting together against climate change, terrorism, etc. The end of the Cold War came with the end of the bipolarity that it presented in its time.

Also Read: Remembering Major Somnath Sharma, the Brave One Who Led the Battle of Badgam in 1947