Many Americans believe that President Reagan's June 1987 speech in berlin ("Mr.Gorbachev, tear down this wall!") led to its coming down in 1989. However, Gorbachev's reforms had far more to do with it.
The wall started to fall on November 9th as a result of a mistake. In face of mass protests against its government, East Germany waived the old visa rules stating that citizens needed a pressing reason for travel to the west. East Germans still had to apply, but they would be granted much faster.
The Communist official who announced this decision didn't know much about it and when in response to a reporter's question as to when it would take effect replied immediately and it kind of sounded like he meant the border could be crossed immediately.
Over the next several hours, thousands of East Berliners gathered at the check points along the wall. They were held back, but the crowds continued to grow and get more angry.
At 11:30 p.m. the Bornholmer Street checkpoint allowed people to cross en masse. Guards at other checkpoints soon followed suit and the East German government never fully regained control.
--Cooter
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