Berlin Crisis, thereby, became one of the critical forces that spreading tension during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It spanned from 1948 to 1961, and was focused on the division and influence over West Berlin – a city placed firmly inside East Germany. Here in this blog post we will discuss the causes, effects and events leading to Berlin crisis and gain Insight about the Incident.

1. Background: Division of Germany

After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones, each controlled by one of the victorious Allies: the four, the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. Like Paris, Berlin – which is the capital city of Germany – was similarly divided into four sectors. First, the allies cooperated, but as the relationship between USSR and the western countries strained, cooperation declined.

2. The Berlin Airlift and Blockade

The Soviet Union wanted the Western powers out of Berlin; therefore, in June 1948, it cut off all routes – by land and water – to West Berlin. This effectively isolated West Berlin’s two million from the stock they need to survive. To this, the United States and its allies reciprocated by putting into action what came to be known as the Berlin Airlift to bring in food supplies, fuel amongst other items to West Berliners. During the 11 months of the airlift Western planes flew more than 270,000 sorties demonstrating the determination of the Allies and a symbol of their policial and military will power.

2.1 The role of the Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift remained a great success. Not only it supply the needy West Berliners with the necessary food and other essential goods, it also was a sign of USA and its allies stand for their democratic brethren. The blockade was lifted in May 1949 after the leaders of the Soviet Union realized that the blockade had not done what was expected of it.

3. How was East and West Germany created?

The situation explained the two German states as the crisis deepened in Berlin. The Federal Republic of Germany (western Germany) was founded in 1949 only as a democratic country following the American, British and French model. In response, Soviet formed the German Democratic Republic also known as the East Germany, which is socialist State under the Soviet’s control.

4. Construction of the wall in Berlin

The Wall that was erected in Berlin in 1961 was a wall that divided the city into two parts; East and West Berlin. Officially built to neutralize thethreat posed by the ‘fascist’ Western powers to the eastern German state, the wall was designed to stem the flood of East Germans fleeing to the West and its greater opportunities… Creation of the wall, complete with barbed wire, watch towers and armed guards felt like an escalation of tensions in the already thawting Cold War.

5. The Berlin Crisis as a Macro Historical Event

The Berlin crisis ultimate significance was felt and expressed on the contest of the Cold War agenda as well as world politics. It also demarcated east and west in Europe and well defined the clash between capitalistic democracies and communism. The crisis also revealed the readiness and tenacity of the western powers to defend themselves from soviet aggression and exhibits more clearly the bipolarity of the superpowers.

5.1 The lessons which may be drawn from the Berlin Crisis

These includes most crucially diplomacy and negotiation, which were best illustrated through the Berlin Crisis of 1948. It also pointed out toward the need of building friendly environment for transparent calls and effective cooperation between countries. The successful airlift showed that the otherwise unattainable goal of supporting people fleeing the war can be achieved thanks to support from around the world.

Conclusion

The Berlin Crisis could rightfully be said to have been one of the most important events of the entire period of the Cold War. It made the cold war experience worse between the United States and the Soviet Union and paved way to the split of Germany. The construction of the Berlin Wall itself, was an illustration of the existence of both, ideological and political barrier between East and West. The study of the Berlin Crisis is the vital requirement to comprehend the layered history of the Cold War and the outcomes due to it.

Thus, knowing the background about the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, creation of East and West Germany, construction of the Berlin Wall and the meaning of the crisis we can learn more about this critical stage in history.