As World War II came to an end in 1945, a pair of Allied peace conferences at Yalta and Potsdam determined the fate of Germany’s territories. They split the defeated nation into four “allied occupation zones”: The eastern part of the country went to the Soviet Union, while the western part went to the United States, Great Britain and (eventually) France.

On October 22, 1961, a quarrel between an East German border guard and an American official on his way to the opera in East Berlin very nearly led to what one observer called “a nuclear-age equivalent of the Wild West Showdown at the O.K. Corral.” That day, American and Soviet tanks faced off at Checkpoint Charlie for 16 hours. Photographs of the confrontation are some of the most familiar and memorable images of the Cold War.

Even though Berlin was located entirely within the Soviet part of the country, the Yalta and Potsdam agreements split the city into similar sectors. The Soviets took the eastern half, while the other Allies took the western. This four-way occupation of Berlin began in June 1945.

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THE BERLIN WALL: BLOCKADE AND CRISIS

The existence of West Berlin, a conspicuously capitalist city deep within communist East Germany, “stuck like a bone in the Soviet throat,” as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev put it. The Russians began maneuvering to drive the United States, Britain, and France out of the city for good. In 1948, a Soviet blockade of West Berlin aimed to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead of retreating, however, the United States and its allies supplied their sectors of the city from the air. This effort, known as the Berlin Airlift, lasted for more than a year and delivered more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel, and other goods to West Berlin. The Soviets called off the blockade in 1949.

After a decade of relative calm, tensions flared again in 1958. For the next three years, the Soviets–emboldened by the successful launch of the Sputnik satellite the year before and embarrassed by the seemingly endless flow of refugees from east to west (nearly 3 million since the end of the blockade, many of them young skilled workers such as doctors, teachers and engineers)–blustered and made threats, while the Allies resisted. Summits, conferences, and other negotiations came and went without resolution. Meanwhile, the flood of refugees continued. In June 1961, some 19,000 people left the GDR through Berlin. The following month, 30,000 fled. In the first 11 days of August, 16,000 East Germans crossed the border into West Berlin, and on August 12 some 2,400 followed—the largest number of defectors ever to leave East Germany in a single day.

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THE BERLIN WALL: BUILDING THE WALL

Premier Khrushchev gave the East German government permission to stop the flow of emigrants by closing its border for good. In just two weeks, the East German army, police force, and volunteer construction workers had completed a makeshift barbed wire and concrete block wall–the Berlin Wall–that divided one side of the city from the other.

Before the wall was built, Berliners on both sides of the city could move around fairly freely: They crossed the East-West border to work, to shop, to go to the theater and the movies. Trains and subway lines carried passengers back and forth. After the wall was built, it became impossible to get from East to West Berlin except through one of three checkpoints: at Helmstedt (“Checkpoint Alpha” in American military parlance), at Dreilinden (“Checkpoint Bravo”) and in the center of Berlin at Friedrichstrasse (“Checkpoint Charlie”). (Eventually, the GDR built 12 checkpoints along the wall.) At each of the checkpoints, East German soldiers screened diplomats and other officials before they were allowed to enter or leave. Except under special circumstances, travelers from East and West Berlin were rarely allowed across the border.

THE BERLIN WALL : 1961-1989

The construction of the Berlin Wall did stop the flood of refugees from East to West, and it did defuse the crisis over Berlin. (Though he was not happy about it, President Kennedy conceded that “a wall is a hell of a lot better than a war.”) Over time, East German officials replaced the makeshift wall with one that was sturdier and more difficult to scale. A 12-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide mass of reinforced concrete was topped with an enormous pipe that made climbing over nearly impossible. Behind the wall on the East German side was a so-called “Death Strip”: a gauntlet of soft sand (to show footprints), floodlights, vicious dogs, trip-wire machine guns and patrolling soldiers with orders to shoot escapees on sight.

In all, at least 171 people were killed trying to get over, under or around the Berlin Wall. Escape from East Germany was not impossible, however: From 1961 until the wall came down in 1989, more than 5,000 East Germans (including some 600 border guards) managed to cross the border by jumping out of windows adjacent to the wall, climbing over the barbed wire, flying in hot air balloons, crawling through the sewers and driving through unfortified parts of the wall at high speeds.

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THE BERLIN WALL: THE FALL OF THE WALL

On November 9, 1989, as the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for East Berlin’s Communist Party announced a change in his city’s relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country’s borders. East and West Berliners flocked to the wall, drinking beer and champagne and chanting “Tor auf!” (“Open the gate!”). At midnight, they flooded through the checkpoints.

More than 2 million people from East Berlin visited West Berlin that weekend to participate in a celebration that was, one journalist wrote, “the greatest street party in the history of the world.” People used hammers and picks to knock away chunks of the wall–they became known as “Mauer Specht E,” or “wall woodpeckers”—while cranes and bulldozers pulled down section after section. Soon the wall was gone and Berlin was united for the first time since 1945. “Only today,” one Berliner spray-painted on a piece of the wall, “is the war really over.”

The reunification of East and West Germany was made official on October 3, 1990, almost one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

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Partition of India 1947: A tale of turmoil

The first settlers probably came to Britain during the Paleolithic age. In the year 43 AD Britain was invaded by the Romans and made a part of the Roman Empire till the year 400 AD. The United Kingdom is presently ruled by Queen Elizabeth-II.

Around 500 AD Christian missionaries arrived in Britain and Christianity spread as a religion. In the last quarter of the 9^th century Britain was invaded by the Vikings. The Invasion of Britain by William and Conqueror in 1066 altered the course of British history.

With William’s victory the system of feudalism was abolished. Under this system land was given to powerful Lords and Barons in exchange for which they agreed to remain loyal to the King and fight for him in wars. The United Kingdom is still ruled by the descendants of William the Conqueror.

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In the year 1215 an agreement called the ‘Magna Carta’ was signed between the noblemen and the King. This agreement ensured that the king would justfully tax the nobles.

In 1282 Wales was conquered by Edward-I and brought under English control.

In the following years British navy grew in might and the British ruled the seas and trade flourished with distant lands. In 1588 the British took on the might of the Spanish Armada and defeated them.

Between 1642 and 1649 there was a civil war between the King and the Parliament in which the king was defeated and executed. For the next nine years the country was ruled as a Republic by Oliver Cromwell, the Parliamentary leader.

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Charles-II however overthrew Cromwell and became king in 1660. In year 1707 Wales, Scotland and England were united and in 1801 Ireland was united to form the United Kingdom. The one of the smallest, the United Kingdom became the most powerful country within fifty years of its formation.

By 1850 the United Kingdom controlled the largest empire in history. The countries controlled by British still form the Commonwealth of Nations.

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There are various kinds of festivals in the world celebrated by different countries exhibiting the different cultures, social and religious , the world encompasses in itself. Here are some important festivals that are celebrated in countries which are the part of the Continent of Asia:

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Gion Festival of Japan

The Gion Festival, a well known among festivals of Asia, is celebrated in the month of July in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan and people come here to celebrate this festival from around the world from ancient times.

The Gion Festival has a story behind its origin. In the year 869 a terrible disease swept Kyoto and the emperor prayed to the God for mercy. The king, after visiting the Gion shrine, offered there sixty six spears, one representing each province in the empire. After this, the disease disappeared and emperor ordered a huge procession in happiness. For this parade floats were made that were known as hoko. These are huge boxes weighing nearly ten tons. They are supported by wheels that are about 2.5 matre in diameter. One boy is chosen to be the festival’s page boy every year and he is dressed in the robes of a priest and get special attention. When the procession starts, he sits in his place of honour on the hoko and young men pull the ropes attached to it to move the hoko. Elders dressed in ancient court costumes had the parade. Good luck charms were thrown to the people by the men from top of the hoko. These charms are made up of straw, by wrapping it in bamboo leaves. Process end to the point from where it began, in the evening and the hoko is stored for the following year.

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Thingyan Festival of Myanmar

Thingyan is the festival celebrated in Myanmar as its new year. For them, New Year Day, falls in the month of Tagu-the first month of the Myanmar calendar- and corresponds to April.

It is also known as the water festival or Atar Festival. Thingyan means change-changing from one place to another.

Atar means period of time during which old year is changed into new year. This festival is about five hundred years old and originally, water was gently sprinkled on people using twigs as a blessing to wash away the past year’s sins and to make spirit and mind clean for the upcoming year.

Today, this festival is a lot of fun, as people throw buckets of water at each other and even at strangers. The streets are decorated and people sitting in big floats splash water on everyone passing by. There is also traditional singing and dancing in  the evening featuring traditional Thingyan dance. Most of the Burmese are Theravada Buddhists and they follow the tradition of washing the hair of elders and customs such as letting loose fish and cattle, on the third day of festival.

Tet Festival of Vietnam

Tet Festival is the New Year festival of Vietnam and generally it is celebrated for about a weak. As the other festivals of Asia, preparations for Tet Festival begins month ahead with cleaning of houses and streets and shops selling clothes, candle, food and flowers.

They believe that Gods go back to heaven to report on the family some days before the festival. People send them with special ceremonies as they believe them to be good spirits who protect them. People keep a bamboo pole in front of the house to keep away bad spirits when the Gods are away.

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Firecracker Festival of Vietnam

As a part of Tet celebrations, the village of Dong ky celebrates the Firecracker Festival. The sixteen families are chosen each year who put up a fire cracker display after spending whole year and money on the plans of this event. Sometimes such huge firecrackers are made that it takes many men to carry them.The procession of crackers are taken along which ends up at a place where a tripod is set up to hoist the fire cracker.

After litting up the sixteen crackers, the priests and elders judge and decide the winning family that put up the best display.

Dasain Festival of Nepal

In the month of October, a ten day festival namely Dasain is celebrated in Nepal. There is a story behind this festival. A long time ago, two demons, Madhu and Kaitava, ruled the earth and kept people under their terror. The Gods decided to end this fear and for this, Durga, the Goddess of power, disguised herself as Kali. Kali is the goddess of war and she challenged them on a duet. In the battle with Kali, the demons Madhu and Kaitava were killed and peace returned to the land.

Today, during the ten days of Dasain, Nepalese celebrate this occasion with puja. On the tenth day, a procession of weapons and a sword dance to commemorate Durga’s war, is performed.

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Kandy Perahera of Sri Lanka

A sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is housed in a place named Kandly in Sri Lanka. The Kandy Esala Perahera is the procession in honour of that relic of Buddha and is celebrated in the month of August. This festival is said to be older than two thousand years. Kandy, which is a hill city, becomes the centre of pageantry for ten nights and a day during the festival and the temples are decorated for this purpose.

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year,well  known among the festivals of India, is also known as the spring Festival. The whole country celebrates a three day holiday and the celebrations from then on lasts almost two weeks. The preparations starts with cleaning of houses to get rid of bad luck of the past year. People do not sweep for first few days of New Year as they believe that all the new luck may sweep away. A general feast for the kitchen God is prepared a week before the Festival as the kitchen God keeps a watch on the fortunes of the family.The elder members of the family  give children red envelops with money in it called ‘hongbao’.

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Lantern Festival of China

The Lantern Festival, that holds its place among the festivals of Asia, is the feast of the First Full Moon which is now celebrated as on the first full moon after the New Year.

Lots of lamps of different shapes are hung out on the streets and people gather to look at them. The jugglers and acrobats perform around the streets entertaining people. Lion dance is also a part of this festival, which is performed by two dancers hiding under lion costume and they make the lion jump and roll on the beat of drums.

Mid-Autum Festival of China

This festival, forming a part of the festivals of Asia, is celebrated after the harvest in China as an occasion of thanks giving, of the moon and beauty of autumn. The farmers after harvest have the free time to enjoy the beauty of nature and they celebrate this festival at that time.

New Year of Tibel

Tibetans have a culture, even after it has been made a part of China, that goes back centuries. The Tibetian culture is very different from that of Chinese culture as they still maintain many traditions,  that are special to them. The New Year Festival of Tibet is known as Losar. People of Tibet follow a type of Buddhism called Lamaism. Monks dress in masks and costumes and dances to depict the struggle between God and evils in the Festivals. People hang thangkas before a festival to remove evil spirits from their houses. Thangkas are paintings on fabric made in special way.

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