The operation that was to be known as the Berlin Airlift started during the cold war on 24th June 1948 and ended on 12th of May 1949. It was a tremendous … welfare and organizational mission which sought to ensure that people of West Berlin received their needs and that the entire city did not fall into the hand of Soviet Union.

Background of the Cold War

More specifically, it is necessary to define what the Cold War actually was to comprehend the link between the Berlin Airlift and the Cold War properly. The cold war was a long fought competition between two major political and economic systems, democratic and communism headed by the soviet union.

The Berlin Airlift was a direct result of the growing hostility between these to world super powers. After world war II, Germany was split into four Sections where the United States of America, Soviet union Great Britain and France had their say. Berlin too was split into four sectors or zones, even though it lay entirely in the Soviet zone of occupation.

The northern blockade and the need for an airlift.

In a bid to expel the Western Allies from East Germany’s capital city, the Soviet Union closed the road, rail and waterways to West Berlin on June 24, 1948. This implied that all supply lines were severed which strand the two million population within West Berlin without food, fuel and other necessities of life.

The Western Allies had a question. They had three primary options: To help West Berlin the superpowers could either give up the city to the Soviets, employ force to end the blockade, or provide food and supplies through the air . Thinking it through they opted for the latter not to aggravate the situation into the actual war.

The Berlin Airlift Operation

The Berlin Airlift started on the 26 th of June 1948 only two days after the blockade had been announced. The operation entailed flying supplies into West Berlin by air most of which crossed through the control of Soviets. It would then fly to Tempelhof Airport which is one of the three airports in West Berlin region.

Towards the peak of the airlift the number of aircraft coming and going from West Berlin was one per minute. The very complexity of the fighting forces involved was at an enormous level: hundreds of aircraft, pilots, and ground staff. We came down a constant supply of food, fuel, medical needs and even toys for Christmas.

The Importance of Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift had several significant implications:

Humanitarian Aid: It supplied essential products without which the populace of West Berlin could not be sustained. It proved the stance of the West to contribute for the people and to stand against the aggressiveness of Soviet.

Show of Strength: The West alies proved their military might through the success of the airlift operation and demonstrated that they would not surrender to the Soviets.

Soviet Failure: Unfortunately, the Soviet Union’s blockade was completely ineffective to its aim of forcing the Western Allies to leave West Berlin. The volume reached during the airlift proved one more time that the Soviet Union was unable to effectively govern the city.

Formation of NATO: Its static role, despite being one of the significant events of the Cold War, was important in encouraging collective European unity against the USSR. It resulted into NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 1949, an expected military defense union.

End of the Berlin Airlift

When planned, the operation of the airlift continued for almost one year; it officially ceased on May 12, 1949. By then the Soviet Union had discovered that the blockade was of no use and they removed all the constraints. Nevertheless, hostility between East and West continued to be high, and was to some extent, the prolongation of Cold War in the later years.

Conclusion

Berlin Airlift is one of the post Second World War most fascinating events that depicts thepperseverance of the western Allies during the Cold War period. To many it was a sign of charity, military force and indication of the non-success of the Soviet invasion. The successful operation not only had ageable effect regarding the political situation in the world but also established reference point and foundations for organizations like NATO. Studying the importance of the Berlin Airlift also gives knowledge about the behavior of Cold War and its impacts.