>> plenty of pictures in there for you woody. we know you are a marine. >> thank you, tom. >> from the macarthur memorial in northern virginia. we will year from scholars about the war that inaugurated the 20th century and welcome your calls, facebook posts, and tweets. our guests include lee craig, and sean mcmeekin. that is next saturday, starting at 9:30 a.m. eastern, here on american history tv. -- take a wanted brief statement here.

the latest news coming out of germany. decision by the east german leadership to open its borders to those wishing to emigrate or travel. if it is implemented fully and - ifonforms with helsinki - and the gdrned, gets -- and the old building will have very little relevance. it clearly is a good development in terms of human rights. discussingthat after this year with the secretary of state of the national security advisor i am very pleased with this development.

>> [indiscernible] we had such a close relationship with the federal answerthat if we were to -- i am certain we would give it serious consideration. i don't know what it is, because borderswith truly open it is hard to predict how many will be trying to leave. development. we just have to wait and see. wet our relationship -- would want to give maximum help if it was needed. so far germany has done a magnificent job in handling those who have preceded the new exodus. >> [indiscernible] sinceaven't talked to him

this development because he just went off to poland. last week i made very clear to him that we thought we were handling it with a great sense of dignity. i don't remember that conversation -- i am sure he knows that. >> [indiscernible] >> no, he didn't do that at all. he demonstrates a quiet confidence that the federal public can cope. i say they have done a good job and here's a new development in this rapidly changing part of the world that we can salute. happening foric east germany.

>> is this the end of the iron curtain, sir? >> i don't think any single event is the end of what you might call the iron curtain. wayclearly the same long of thee harsh days harshest iron curtain. >> [indiscernible] >> i think you have to say what you mean by warsaw pact. it seems to me that it is certainly a loosening up in it concurs with the helsinki final act, and it is a very good development. europe, holy is and free -- hole and free. orbotech talks about a common

home. is it a step towards that? probably so. >> [indiscernible] there is no indication of that. here ofis the danger the state getting out of control? [indiscernible] is there a danger here that things are developing to quickly? -- too quickly? >> this kind of development can -- i don't want to say this thing makes things move too quickly. are encouraged by our strong support for the helsinki final act. pontificate that anything goes too fast. we areare handling it,

give anybody a hard time. we are saluting those who can move forward with democracy. we are encouraging the concepts and free. whole i don't like to go into a lot of hypotheses about too much change or to rapid change or what i dold do, what our team would if something went wrong. handled byis being the west very well. certainly, you salute the people in east germany whose aspirations for freedom seem to be a little further down the road now. >> [indiscernible]

>> no. no, i don't think anyone can resist it. that is one of the great things about diametric change in central america. it is moving in our direction. >> did you imagine anything like this happening? but ihave imagined it, can't say that i foresaw this development at this stage. i didn't foresee it, but imagining it? yes. we are talking about this kind of staying this kind with and living by the helsinki final act which gives the people rights. >> [indiscernible]

>> i am just not to emotional guy. i am very pleased. whichk the united states, is not related to this development today, is being handled in a proper fashion. there will be some that will suggest more flamboyant courses of action for this country, and think, staying in close touch. as development takes place. fact that i am not bubbling good.i feel very >> [indiscernible]

>> what i would like to think is the the political change in gdr would catch up very fast with this liberation. you may remember that before i i was asked by a polish journalists, if i were a pole, what would my advice be? i would stay there and participate in this dramatic change. you want to feel the surge of freedom, feel the move toward

democracy, and to be a part of it. country, andtheir at some point, i think a lot of germans who have felt unable to move are going to say we can move but wouldn't it be better to participate in the reforms that are taking place in our own country? i think it is too early to openings.ese everybody is going to -- >> [indiscernible] >> yeah. >> [indiscernible] he has already expressed his interest in a comment, european home. -- in a common, european home. ton you see citizens wanting

flee when it has been in oppressive society, that is the message that mr. gorbachev -- he sees it not only in eastern europe that the soviet union. i have said that we would be discussing a rapid change inside eastern europe and we have been talking about that today just before you ok then. -- you came in. we have been talking about the gorbachev meeting, and one of the things we have determined we will discuss is this change. >> [indiscernible] >> i don't see that they are related. >> [indiscernible] >> i don't know.

i think it is way too early to speak. on thespoken out question of german reunification. what they have had to say about it. i don't know whether the development of today speeds up today or not. >> [indiscernible] discussing those and i know'm sure, they are interested. >> thank you. to himlike to talk soon. i talked to him quite recently. >> [indiscernible] not yet, no. >> [indiscernible] >> personally, i don't know.

i talked to him very recently. >> thank you. >> the berlin wall had separated east and west since august 13, 1961. as the wall came down on november 9, 1989, senate minority leader bob dole, republican from kansas, and senate majority leader george mitchell, democrats remain, took to the senate floor to voice their thoughts. according to the news reports the east german government has just announced the opening of its borders to all citizens, including the right to free practice of the berlin wall. it appears that the berlin wall and dollars represents -- and all it represents is crumbling. the people of east germany sought to take their own destiny into their own hands. by the hundreds of thousands they have taken to the streets, asking only two things -- freedom and opportunity.

either tens of thousands they have fled their homeland, seeking only two things -- freedom and opportunity. decades of communist rule fly in shambles. -- lie in shambles. now we have today postern attic announcement. the ragtag communists trying to regain control are fighting a fight they cannot win, a fight against their own people. they are running at a pace they can't win, a race against history. havepeople in east germany left them with only one reasonable choice, to go down that poland and hungary are already taking. people are the masters of the state cannot the service. will they stay on that path? the jury is still out. borders can be closed as well as opened.