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The Berlin Airlift: A Short Summary

by | Mar 7, 2024 | Cold War Tour Berlin

Hello to all readers of our blog – today we will focus on one of the most important events of the so-called Cold War period, the Berlin Airlift. In this article, we will give you detailed information on this time period, its relevance and main subjects. This means that anyone who just has a casually interest in history or a complete novice can put their knowledge of the Berlin Airlift in the palm of their hands.

What Was the Berlin Airlift?

Berlin Airlift is also known as berlin blockade, it lasted from June 1948 to September 1949 and was a massive humanitarian operation of the western powers during cold war. It came as a result of the Soviet Union’s blockage of West Berlin thus denying the city supplies.

The Background

After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones: American, British, French, and Soviet. Berlin, also the capital, was divided into similar sectors as well. Soviet –western relations began to deteriorate as the ideological gulf widened which in turn saw the Sowiets place a blockade on West Berlin.

The Blockade

As a measure to get complete control over all of Berlin, the Soviets sealed all the roads and water ways linking West Berlin to the Western world, hence literally starving West Berlin off essential commodities such as food, fuel and many others. Stalin’s purpose of the blockade was to make the Western Allies lift their blockade of East Germany or surrender the whole of Berlin to the Soviet Union.

The Western Response

Rather than willingly yielding to Soviet pressures, the Western Allies fashioned an approach to deliver the required food and other essentials to the people of West Berlin by airlift. The operation was given the title, the Berlin Airlift.

The Airlift

Carrying food and supplies, cargo planes flew non-stop sorties from air fields in West Germany under the auspices of the Western powers- the United States, Britain and France directly to Tempelhof Airport in West Berlin. These planes conveyed important necessities such as food stuffs, coal, water, and medical supplies. Flights took place around the clock, and for the people in West Berlin they provided much needed supplies during the blockage.

The Results and Impact

The Berlin Airlift therefore proved to be a complete success. During the airlift period it is estimated that 277, 000 flights were flown and about 2.3 million tons supplied to West Berlin. This was not only an achievement of supplying necessary products to the people of West Berlin but also showed the intentions and willingness of the Western Allies to stand against the Soviets.

The End of the Blockade

Unfortunately after nearly a year in which many people starved to death, the Soviets finally came to understand that the blockade had not worked. They raised the siege on the 12th of May in the year 1949. However, the BERLIN AIRLIFT went on until September 1949 to accumulate enough stocks in the city and make a proper handover.

The Significance

The end of the Berlin Airlift on May 12, was considered the first major event in the Cold War period. For not only did the Americans save West Berlin from its collapse but also exposed the difference between the dark reality of the Soviet Union and the life of free people in West Berlin. It also underscored the features of cooperation and solidarity between the western allies in the presence of the Soviet threat.

Conclusion

The Berlin Airlift is still the symbol of hope and survival during certain social conditions. It made an unflinching exhibit of the determination of the western powers to protect democracy and freedom. This event is an important event in world history and bears testament to the extremities at which nations will go to ensure the safety and security of its people.

The Berlin Airlift: A Short Summary