Today in history: The Berlin Wall is built

President John F. Kennedy said of the Berlin Wall, "A wall is a hell of a lot better than a war"

Kennedy visits the Berlin Wall
(Image credit: CORBIS)

August 13, 1961: President John F. Kennedy criticized construction of the Berlin Wall, but said, "A wall is a hell of a lot better than a war."

Kennedy would visit Berlin on June 26, 1963, and standing on a platform overlooking the wall, deliver his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner) speech to an audience of 450,000. The president made it clear that the United States would support West Germany, and he condemned the wall, saying it showed the failure of the communist system. The speech is regarded as one of Kennedy's best, and was seen as a morale booster for West Berliners, who were surrounded on all sides by communism.

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Quote of the Day

"I am an idealist without illusions." — John F. Kennedy

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