When Germany surrendered at the end of WWII, three nations had major armies in the field against the Nazis: the U.S., Britain, and the USSR. For political reasons, the tiny French army was included, so the fourth conquering power was France. Each...
On 24 June 1948, the Soviet Union blocked all ground traffic to and from West Berlin. The Western allies were angered, especially the US. President Truman took two days to consider alternatives—which most feared could include war. On 26 June we...
I spent some time in Berlin while the Wall was still up; I was a West Point cadet and spent much of a summer’s leave there. To say that the wall was a glaring symbol of oppression is a major understatement. I was free, when in uniform, to go...