CBS Evening News - 1989-11-09

The Berlin Wall has effectively become obsolete as the East German government opens its borders, allowing citizens to travel freely to the West for the first time in 28 years. This dramatic shift follows weeks of mass migration through neighboring Soviet bloc countries and serves as a desperate attempt by the regime to stabilize its position through promised democratic reforms and free elections. While the development marks a historic turning point in the Cold War, international leaders remain cautious, fearing that rapid, uncontrolled change could destabilize the existing security order in Europe. Experts suggest that while the one-party communist state faces an existential threat, the path toward German reunification remains uncertain and complex, contingent on the evolving political will of both the German people and the major global powers.