Compare how international events affected the responses of East Germany's and
China's governments to the protests of 1989.
A. East Germany was isolated from the more general trend of collapsing communist rule that was occurring in 1989, giving its government a greater ability to crack down on protesters. In China, the government's decision to grant greater civil liberties in the wake of the 1989 protests was heavily influenced by the success of anti-communism in many of its neighboring countries.
B. The governments of both East Germany and China curtailed civil liberties and became less democratic following the protests of 1989, making both countries exceptions to the larger global trend of collapsing communist rule.
C. The protests in East Germany in 1989 were part of a larger trend of successes in anti-communist activism in neighboring countries, making it harder for the government to continue to deny citizens' civil rights. China was more isolated from this larger trend so its government was able to assert firmer control over protests.
D. Both East Germany and China were part of a larger global trend of collapsing communist rule that led their governments to embrace greater civil liberties and democracy after the protests of 1989.