The Berlin Wall

Children's Literature

Another installment in the "At Issue in History" series, this anthology of opinions about the construction, existence and eventual destruction of the Berlin Wall is balanced and informative. For example, did you ever consider that the United States was relieved that the Berlin Wall was built? And that President Kennedy may even have dropped the hint to Khrushchev to do so? Why? This is the approach of the "Opposing Viewpoints Series," to provide competing and sometimes controversial opinions about critical events in history. Secondary school and college students as well as adults, can ponder the historical decisions made by politicians and the viewpoints held by past observers and current scholars. Both primary and secondary sources are used to examine what set the wheels in motion and why. A thorough introduction at the beginning of the book lays out the topic, and short explanatory text before each article gives perspective. A chronology at the back of the book keeps track of events in Berlin as well as worldwide, which had an impact on Berlin—such as the Bay of Pigs failure, because Khrushchev perceived Kennedy as a weak president who could be bullied. And, by the way, the reason the Berlin Wall was a good thing in some people's eyes is that it prevented the West from having to resort to the use of nuclear weapons in Europe. The fear was that there were not enough Allied troops in West Berlin, which was completely isolated in the middle of Communist territory, to rely on conventional combat. The only alternative would have been nuclear war. That could have led to disastrous consequences. Readers can come to their own conclusions as to what might have happened. 2004, GreenhavenPress/The Gale Group, Ages 12 up.
—Kathryn Erskine