Islamic History: The Mongol Invasion And The Destruction of Baghdad 1258AD

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The 1200s started out looking good for the Islamic world. The Crusaders had been defeated and Jerusalem liberated in 1187, the Ismaili Fatimids had finally been removed from harassing the Muslim world in the mid-1100s, and a powerful Khwarazmian Empire had emerged in Persia. However, all that would soon turn around when the ruthless Mongols would make their way into Southwest Asia. The destruction and devastation they left in their path has scarcely been seen anywhere else in history.

Who Are The Mongols?

A Brazen Escape over the Berlin Wall by hot air balloon (more detailed story)

Traveling by hot air balloon always seems adventurous and peaceful at the same time. But imagine what it’s like to travel in your own made balloon to escape to West-Germany. That is what the Wetzel and Strelzyk families did in 1979.

Escaping East Germany

Imagine what it’s like to never really say your opinion without fear of being spied on. The Wetzel and Strelzyk families were fed up with life in the GDR because they were always afraid a Stasi spy would be listening in on a conversation. Traveling to another country was impossible as well. At least, to Western countries on the other side of the iron curtain. Gunter Wetzel really hated all of it and wanted to leave the GDR, but he had no idea how to because escaping was nearly impossible. Until a relative that lived in West Germany showed him a picture of a large hot air balloon. He suddenly knew what to do: escaping by hot air balloon.

Brazen and brave escapes from East Germany :-) _by Paul Martin

 Meixner raced to the last steel bar, ducked his head, floored the accelerator and rocketed into West Berlin. :-)

Walls are usually erected to keep enemies out. The Berlin Wall was built to separate East Germany`s 17 million people from West Germany`s 62 million. A heavily fortified system of barriers, the Wall is 101 miles long, 28 miles of it in East Berlin. It is fortified with concrete, metal pipes, barbed wire, some 14,000 heavily armed guards, attack dogs, alarms and other electronic devices, mines and trenches.