Based on this excerpt, why could it have been said at the time of President Reagan’s speech that “the German question is open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed”?
A) West Germany was in a period of economic expansion.
B) Nuclear missiles threatened West German security.
C) Germany was divided into two separate states.
D) East Germany had a better economy than West Germany.
The correct answer is C) Germany was divided into two separate states.
Explanation: The phrase “the German question is open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed” symbolizes the division of Germany into East and West during the Cold War. The Brandenburg Gate, located in Berlin, became a prominent symbol of this division. As long as this physical barrier existed, the issue of German reunification and the broader political question surrounding Germany’s status remained unresolved.