The Berlin Blockade was indeed a significant event that took place during the Cold War. It occurred from 1948 to 1949 and refers to the Soviet Union’s attempt to isolate West Berlin, which was controlled by the United States, Great Britain, and France, from the rest of the world.
Background of the Cold War
The Cold War could be described as a state of continued conflict between two large world blocs headed by the USSR and the USA. It spanned from the late 1940 s and ended in the early 1990s and it was a political, economic and military rivalry.
After the end of World War II, Europe was divided into two ideological spheres: the First and Second Worlds; the developed and the so-called third world; the prosperous capitalist countries and the poor socialist countries. This division led to tension and furor which developed into a cold war.
The Berlin Blockade Explained
The Berlin Blockade also mainly stemmed from the Allied powers’ control of Germany after World War II. After the second world war, the country was divided into four zones and the area was occupied by the Soviet Union in the east and the United States, Great Britain and France in the west.
This cold war started growing in 1948 when there were acute contradictions between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. The allied forces of post-World War II Europe agreed to combine all their zones in the western part of Germany and named the new state as the Federal Republic of Germany or West Germany. The above move endangered the status of the Soviet Union in the region as far as political influence was concerned.
Subsequently, the Soviet Union sealed all avenues of transportation; the Road, railway and Canal links to West Berlin making food and other supplies scarce. They wanted to either compel Allies to relinquish West Berlin or just surrender to them.
The Effects of the Blockade
The sequel of The Berlin Blockade was a humanitarian and political catastrophe. Overnight the 2.5 million inhabitants of West Berlin found themselves in a position where they had no fresh food, water or fuel. However, instead of choosing the path of surrendering the Allies decided to launch a massive airlift to supply Berlin from the air.
Itself known as the Berlin Airlift, this operation continued for nearly a year. Round the clock, planes from the United States, Great Britain, and France brought in food to the besieged city. It was a great exercise in organization that reflected the determination of official allies to support West Berlin and freedom against communism from the Soviet Union.
The End of the Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was however in effect for some time until May 1949. The Soviet Union saw that the blockade of Berlin failed to make the allies abandon Berlin as they intended. Hailed internationally, this led to a pressure to dismount the airlift that made the Soviets withdraw the blockade.
Here we can identify the Importance of the Blockade:
The event that by now attracted considerable public attention was the Berlin Blockade that could be classified as one of the most significant events of the Early Cold War period. They brought out the preparedness of the Western Allies to defend their interests and fight the Soviets. The airlift also established a strong assertion to the United States and all the so-called allies about the prowess and resolve.
In addition, as a result of the Berlin Blockade two separate German states, the East and the West German emerged. West Germany is an important NATO member; East Germany still remains under the control of Moscow.
Conclusion
Indeed one of the most significant events of the Cold War was the Berlin Blockade. They stood for ideological and political confrontation of the Soviet with the Western Allies. While it created numerous challenges for the inhabitants of West Berlin it proved the solidity of the Western position for freedom and democracy.
