The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall with Tom Brokaw and Robert MacNeil
Special Program: The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall with Tom Brokaw and Robert MacNeil
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- MacNeil: East Germany's sealing of the borders was "not unexpected by the West."
- Brokaw remembers the first time he saw the Berlin Wall.
- MacNeil remembers the first person to die attempting to escape East Berlin.
- Brokaw: "We knew something momentous was unfolding."
- Brokaw: "This is one more reminder of the importance of journalism."
Guests: Tom Brokaw and Robert MacNeil
By Newseum staff
For nearly three decades the Berlin Wall separated East and West Berliners and came to symbolize the Cold War struggle. It came down on Nov. 9, 1989.
The Newseum hosted a special program with journalists Tom Brokaw and Robert MacNeil to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the wall's fall.
Brokaw was the only American network anchor on the scene that historic night. A veteran newsman, Brokaw anchored "NBC Nightly News" from 1983 to 2004. He is currently a special correspondent for NBC News.
MacNeil covered the wall's construction as a London-based NBC News correspondent. He is best known for co-anchoring "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour" on PBS with fellow journalist Jim Lehrer. MacNeil left the broadcast in 1995.
Susan Bennett, Newseum vice president for exhibits and programs, moderated the discussion. The program also featured compelling footage chronicling events as they unfolded.
