National Geographic - 80s The Decade That Made Us (2013) Part 5 Tear Down These Walls

Take a rollercoaster ride through the decade that made us!

The 80s is not about nostalgia; it is about a decade of people, decisions and inventions that changed our future, told from the perspective of unknowing history makers who lived these iconic moments. It was 10 years of nonstop glamour, unchecked excess, ruthless ambition and explosive technological innovation that combined to produce the historic changes and global events that made us who and what we are today.

The fingerprints of the decade best known for Pac-Man and the personal computer are everywhere in our daily lives: The first launch of NASA's Space Shuttle triggered a technological explosion in global communications that now makes our world-wide love affair with smartphones and the Internet possible; when Madonna rolled around on stage in a wedding dress at a music awards show, it sent shock waves through a celebrity-hungry world that can't get enough of “Gangnam Style” and Lady Gaga today.

Take an epic journey back in time with original interviews from music and film superstars as well as global titans of technology, business, media and politics , unforgettable archival footage and memorable moments that only the 80's could provide.

Part 5: Tear Down These Walls

The 80s - often described as the decade when greed was good. But it also marked the beginning of a potent alliance between charity and celebrity. Huge events are staged to deal with the crisis of poverty abroad and at home. President Reagan has set out a vision of a better future for Americans in the famous campaign ad, Morning in America. His foreign policy, however, is paying dividends - he is breaking down barriers as he pushes for an end to the Cold War.