But those reforms were not enough to stop the fall of communist governments in one country after another.
In the summer of nineteen eighty-nine, President Bush visited Hungary and Poland. Both nations were trying to develop free-market economies. Both were suffering as they moved away from central control.
(AUDIO: Polish Solidarity Union demonstrators singing)
In Poland the leader of the Solidary trade union, Lech Walesa, led the push for reform.
(AUDIO: Walesa addressing rally in Polish)
He would later become president of a democratic Poland.
[MONTAGE: BERLIN WALL]
(AUDIO: West German “Tagesschau” television evening news program anchor announcing opening of Berlin Wall; car horns; crowds at wall)
November of nineteen eighty-nine brought a dramatic expression of the changes taking place in eastern Europe.
On November ninth, East Germany opened the wall that had divided it from the West since nineteen sixty-one.
ANNOUNCER (over ABC New Theme): “From ABC, this is World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, reporting tonight from Berlin.”
PETER JENNINGS: “From the Berlin Wall specifically. Take a look at them. They’ve been there since last night. They are here in the thousands; they are here in the tens of thousands. Occasionally they shout ‘Die Mauer muss weg!’ – the Wall must go!
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