Ronald Reagan's Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate

After the Second World War ended, Germany was divided into East and West Germany.  The city of Berlin was divided down the centre by a wall, to mark the communist East, and the democratic West. Six million Berliners escaped from East to West before the Berlin Wall was built.  The entire continent of Europe was divided by a figurative Iron Curtain; land to the east of the curtain was controlled by the communist Soviet Union while land to the west was democratic.

North American leaders, particularly American leaders, spoke out against the Berlin Wall.  President Kennedy visited the city in 1963 shouting "Ich bin ein Berliner".  President Reagan visited Berlin in 1987.  His speech, punctuated with the words "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!", left its mark. Only two and a half years later, the Berlin Wall came tumbling down (see http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2011/11/this-wall-will-fall.html).

Here is an excerpt from his speech:

"We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace.  There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.  General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate.  Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate.  Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" (http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/)

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/

Disaster Narrowly Averted at Disneyland

"The difference between winning and losing is most often...not quitting." (Walt Disney)

www.legendaryauctions.com

Disneyland's opening day, July 17, 1955, was anything but smooth:  the park swelled with at least twice the number of guests who were invited; there was a shortage of food; the water fountains didn't work on a 100-plus Fahrenheit day; ladies' high heels got stuck in the freshly poured asphalt on Main Street; the overloaded Mark Twain Steamboat almost capsized; and a seven mile traffic jam clogged the road leading in and out of the park (read my post "Heat, Hunger & High Heels" at http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2012/07/heat-hunger-high-heels.html.  

publicbroadcasting.net

To top it all off, the fiasco was witnessed by celebrities like Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter, and Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra, as well as newspaper reporters.  Journalists returned to their desks and rattled off reviews on their typewriters about the opening day disaster at Disneyland.  Not to be deterred, Walt Disney set to work doing damage control.  First, he was visible on a daily basis in the park ironing out the kinks.  He ordered workers to smooth out the asphalt.  He set a limit of 300 passengers on board the steamboat.  He called the plumbers to get the fountains in operation. He made sure the restaurant and snack bar managers ordered enough food.  He found a way around the use of counterfeit tickets at the gate.  

thisdayindisneylandhistory.com

And, last but not least, once the mistakes were corrected, he formally invited the local newspaper reporters back to Disneyland.  They dined at the Plantation Inn and Red Wagon Inn and were treated to rides on the major attractions.  When the reporters returned to their desks the next morning, they typed out overwhelmingly favourable reviews.  The results showed at the ticket wicket:  by the end of the summer one million guests had visited Disneyland.  

anaheimoc.org

Just like the little boy who woke up everyday for six years at 4:30 am to deliver newspapers in Kansas City, Walt Disney never gave up.  Out of every adversity, he made an opportunity.