The Berlin Wall was successful in what it set out to do - stopping the mass emigration from West to East Berlin and preventing the Eastern population from the formation of a fascist state. Although having negative immediate social effects, it had positive political and economic effects, likely saving the East German government from an economic fallout. A document from the National Archives sums up perfectly the value of the Berlin Wall considering the emigration: “The Wall effectively sealed off the best escape route open to disenchanted East Germans, thus halting the mass movement of people to the West. After its construction, the number of refugees entering West Berlin and West Germany fell drastically” (National Archives, 2011). Germany was benefited from the rise of the Wall, as it is very possible that there could have been a war if there was no Wall. Although condemning the Wall, the Americans accepted the new situation, and saw that it removed Berlin as a pressing issue.
A Success?
The Berlin Wall was successful on a large scale, ruling out possibility of war, saving the economy of East Germany, and removing Berlin as a pressing issue. The Wall did tear families and jobs apart, but this is a much better outcome than potential nuclear conflict. The Wall was necessary, as negotiations between the Allies and the Soviets, most notably Nikita Khrushchev, from 1945-1961 ultimately increased tensions between the two sides, culminating in the Vienna Conference and the emergence of the prospect of war. Germany profited from the rise of the Berlin Wall, and from the fall of the Wall to this day, Berlin has never again been a critical issue.