Tear down this wall' was a challenge from US President Ronald Regan to soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, then the general secretary of the Communist Party, to destroy the Berlin Wall to show his desire for freedom. This speech was delivered in front of Brandenburg Gate at Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987. Berlin wall was built in 1961 by Soviet supported communist state of East Germany to divide Berlin in two parts communist dominated East Berlin and Democratic West Berlin. The objective of building this wall was to prevent movement between East and West Berlin. In Second World War, Germany was defeated by the allied forces of the U.S., France, Great Britain and Soviet Union. The territories of Germany were divided between four Countries and land occupied by U.S., France and Great Britain becomes the Western Bloc while East Bloc was considered as a puppet state of the Soviet Union. With beginning of cold war the Berlin wall came in existence. But this division was not able enough to divide the hearts of people of Berlin. It had become the symbol of communism. About 20,000 people were present at that time along with German President Richard Von Weizsacker, Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Meyer Eberhard Diepgen. The speech was also audible on the east side of Berlin Wall. The memorable phrase of that speech was, "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! " These famous lines become memorable in political history. However, initially his speech writers and American officials in West Germany objected over this phrase. They thought it might increase the tension between East and West Germany and would affect the relationship with Gorbachev negatively. National Security Advisor Colin Powell also agreed with them. But Regan liked the phrase and decided to keep it in his speech.

His intensions were simple and clear. He wanted Berlin united and the end of cold war. He recognized the change in the direction of Soviet Leadership with Gorbachev. At the time of speech, the Soviet Union was in the midst of glasnost, Gorbachev's plan to liberalize the Soviet economy. Regan believed that he will persuade Gorbachev to end the arms race and Communism.

Two years later, in 1989, East German opened a part of wall and allowed people to travel freely in West Berlin. Families separated for more than two decades finally reunited. This wall was destroyed completely in 1990 with the end of Communism and Cold war. Regan's speech was an important moment in the history of cold war. It gave a new hope to the people who were seperated with their loved ones because of the Berlin wall.

sources:- http://www.reaganlibrary.com/r eagan/speeches/wall.asp
http://www.historyplace.com/sp eeches/reagan-tear-down.htm

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