Where were you when this happened? (part II)

5) The Fall of the Berlin Wall - 1989

It took almost 30 years for the barrier dividing West Berlin from East Berlin to finally be torn down: following protests and growing crowds of East German refugees making their way to the west, the authorities were forced to open the gates. For the next few weeks, TV audiences worldwide watched as the Germans came together to demolish the wall, and Communism in Germany as well.

4) Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami - 2004

Resulting in over 230,000 casualties, the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake is one of history’s most fatal natural disasters. The megathrust tremor generated multiple tsunamis off Indonesia’s western coast and affected 14 countries with the ensuing floods. While widespread media coverage of these images shocked the world, it also triggered a massive global response in terms of donations and relief efforts.

3) September 11 Attacks - 2001

Everyone remembers where they were, what they were doing and what they felt when they heard news of the shocking al-Qaeda terrorist attacks. Moments after the World Trade Center was hit, media outlets quickly picked up live feeds that glued worldwide audiences to their TV sets. So when another plane crashed into the South Tower less than twenty minutes later, it was truly a moment no one will ever forget. Coverage of the tragedy and its aftermath changed the way western news was reported globally and became the lengthiest continuous news event to be covered in American television.

2) Apollo 11 Moon Landing - 1969

This “giant leap for mankind” was also a giant leap for the United States: the live television broadcast of astronaut Neil Armstrong’s “small step for man” placed America at the head of the space race. Though he set foot at 10:56pm Eastern Daylight Time, over 500 million people around the world experienced history-in-the-making. Thanks to the magic of television, the recorded footage took less than 1.5 seconds to reach Earth.

1) Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - 1945

The atomic bombings of these two Japanese cities during World War II remains the only time nuclear weapons were dropped during a global war. Thanks to footage captured by the U.S. War Department, few will ever forget the mushroom clouds that developed after the Little Boy and Fat Man bombs exploded over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The result was over 240, 000 deaths, with newsreels capturing the aftermath. Things would never be the same.