Berlin Wall

Heading Towards a Wall After WWII Germany was split into two nations, East and West Germany. After WWII Germany was split into two nations, East and West Germany. West Germany was allied with non-Communist Europe and the U.S. West Germany was allied with non-Communist Europe and the U.S. East Germany was allied with Soviet Union. East Germany was allied with Soviet Union. The capital of Germany, Berlin, was also divided between the powers. The capital of Germany, Berlin, was also divided between the powers.

East and West Berlin

Quick…While nobody is looking In 1961, East Germany built a wall to contain the spread of Western ideas. In 1961, East Germany built a wall to contain the spread of Western ideas. The wall separated family and friends, physically, emotionally, spiritually. The wall separated family and friends, physically, emotionally, spiritually. West Berlin became an island of democracy surrounded by communism. West Berlin became an island of democracy surrounded by communism.

The Construction of the Wall

President Reagan and Gorbachev negotiated to tear down the wall in President Reagan and Gorbachev negotiated to tear down the wall in official end of the Cold War official end of the Cold War. It was seen as the symbol for the fall of communism and the end of the Cold War. It was seen as the symbol for the fall of communism and the end of the Cold War. “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall!” - US President Ronald Reagan

ykc&feature=related ykc&feature=related ykc&feature=related ykc&feature=related Lessons Learned (9:51) Lessons Learned (9:51) ct/22/fall-of-berlin- wall?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT ct/22/fall-of-berlin- wall?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT ct/22/fall-of-berlin- wall?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT ct/22/fall-of-berlin- wall?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT part series 5 part series NOT USED NOT USED

Chernobyl Explosion April 28, 1986

Chernobyl was a nuclear power plant in Ukraine that generated electricity. Chernobyl was a nuclear power plant in Ukraine that generated electricity. April 1986, a safety experiment led to an explosion. April 1986, a safety experiment led to an explosion. Radiation contaminated Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and parts of Europe. Radiation contaminated Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and parts of Europe. Officials evacuated 250,000 people 3 days later. Officials evacuated 250,000 people 3 days later.

Radiation range

The Soviet Union did not inform the world, and tried to cover up the accident. The Soviet Union did not inform the world, and tried to cover up the accident. 31 people died immediately, and 9, ,000 are expected to die from cancer. 31 people died immediately, and 9, ,000 are expected to die from cancer

Contrary to popular belief, the area is not deserted. Though it is not possible to live in Pripyat now and will not be for the next few thousand years because of the high radiation, people do live in Chernobyl, usually for a stretch of four weeks at a time before returning. That’s why Chernobyl today even has a hotel, two shops and a bar.

The forest outside of Chernobyl was dubbed the "Red Forest" because of the ginger-brown colour the pine trees took on after dying from high levels of radiation – the major plume of radiation having been carried directly above them.

One of the reasons why the Chernobyl incident would take on such disastrous proportions in people's minds was due to the way in which nuclear energy was hyped in the media and in Russian propaganda

Nuclear power was considered clean and safe and the slogan “peaceful atom” was popular.

The caption for the inset picture reads: “The control block of the plant can shut down the reactor in a matter of seconds.”

Nikolai Fomin, the chief engineer of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, even believed: “Both man and nature are completely safe. The huge reactor is housed in a concrete silo, and it has environmental protection systems. Even if the incredible should happen, the automatic control and safety systems would shut down the reactor in a matter of seconds. The plant has emergency core cooling systems and many other technological safety designs and systems.” Nikolai Fomin, the chief engineer of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, even believed: “Both man and nature are completely safe. The huge reactor is housed in a concrete silo, and it has environmental protection systems. Even if the incredible should happen, the automatic control and safety systems would shut down the reactor in a matter of seconds. The plant has emergency core cooling systems and many other technological safety designs and systems.”

When the disaster happened, the emergency power system was stopped dead in its tracks because of the immense heat and steam. The reactor’s pressure release valves were simply destroyed by the immense pressure. Half of the reactor’s nuclear fuel and graphite were blown out and some evaporated into a nuclear cloud that floated over Europe, seeding radioactive material in its wake. Various engineers were sent from the control room to check on Reactor No. 4 after the catastrophe had just occurred. All of them came back with the same report – that Reactor No. 4 was destroyed – and all were met with disbelief, so that new engineers were sent. This unwillingness to accept the gravity of the situation delayed important rescue missions and cost many lives. -he Legacy of Chernobyl, Zhores Medvedyev

Reactor Number 4  site of the disaster

The fire brigades were the first ones to spring into action and, realising the enormity of the catastrophe, called for help from the Chernobyl and Kiev regions. They did everything they could to prevent a melting down of the remaining three reactors and saved thousands of lives. Needless to say, they died of the fatal doses of radiation they were exposed to just weeks after the accident. Shockingly, the town of Pripyat was not evacuated for three days after the incident and people went about their business – working, shopping, children going to school or playing in the radioactive dust – all getting exposed to immensely high doses of radiation. The general population had no knowledge about radiation and what it would do to them. Those in charge were so lulled by nuclear propaganda that they were unable to fathom that a nuclear disaster could ever happen, let alone had happened right under their noses.

Reactor No. 4 was eventually covered with a cement sarcophagus that will have to remain around it for thousands of years. Already it has cracks and gaps in it and will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. Unbelievably, the last of the remaining three reactors was shut down in Chernobyl in December The remaining 14 or 15 active Russian reactors of the same type have supposedly been corrected so that a repeat should not happen. One can only hope so. –Written and photography by: Simone PreussSimone Preuss Overall, how would he describe his Chernobyl experience? “Strange and nightmarish because you always know that you can’t do anything against the radiation. It's a sad place – people were once happy there, and now they're all gone.”