Postcards from Checkpoint Charlie

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"Between 1945 and 1961, an estimated 2.5 million people fled East Germany in search of the political and economic freedom offered by West Germany. To thwart this tide of defections, on the morning of 13 August 1961, hundreds of East German troops began erecting the Berlin wall, which took nearly twenty years to complete and eventually spanned 166 km. The postcards in this volume trace its development from a simple stretch of barbed wire to the daunting final structure, as well as capturing the uneasy public reaction and the role of international leaders, like John F. Kennedy who, in 1963, declared his solidarity with all Berliners." "An intimate look at one of the most visible manifestations of the Cold War, Postcards from Checkpoint Charlie presents a key location in twentieth-century history through the eyes of those on the scene."--Jacket