The Berlin Airlift is also synonymous with the Berlin Blockade and completed in June 1948 to May 1949. It will be useful to discuss this event in connection with another Soviet action that led to confrontation – the blockade of West Berlin. In this blog post, the focus will be made to the Berlin Airlift and its role in history will be explained in detail.

[Assignment Instructions: This is a brief report of what led to the Berlin Airlift]

The quiz question: After the Second World War, Germany was partitioned into four zones occupied by the United states of America, Britain, France and USSR respectively. Germany was divided into four zones, and Berlin, being the capital, was located in the Soviet zone and was split into four as well. Tensions between The Western Allies and Soviet Union began to sow seeds for the conflict that would eventually turn into the Berlin Airlift.

The Blockade

Seeing themselves as fully sovereign in Berlin, the Soviet Union decided to encircle the city and cut off all its supply lines, both on land and water on June 23rd, 1948. The goal was to force people of West Berlin to surrender and to make western allies stop aiding in the city.

The Response

When the Soviet Union blocked the access to West Berlin through a blockade, the western Allies using America’s leadership resorted to an air drop – The Berlin Airlift. Instead of stepping down they stood firm for their decision of providing West Berlin with all the basic necessities as their message and support to the people of Berlin.

How Berlin Airlift Operated?

To feed the people of West Berlin the extensive airlift operation was initiated. The first role was air delivery of products that are needed in the city such as food, fuel, etc. These trips took many airplanes and much planning and coordination.

The Logistics

Collectively called the Berlin Airlift, the operation was carried out from Tempelhof Airport, situated in the American zone of West Berlin. It comprised three airfields and was functional twenty-four hours in a day. It was, however, an outstanding facility for the airport was capable of accommodating more than 1000 flights per day.

The two most principal aircraft employed in the airlift were the C-54 Skymaster and the C-47 Skytrain. These could transport huge volumes of cargo and also manoeuvre through the somewhat complicated skies of Berlin. The airlift operation soon started getting symbolic as planes landed and off-loaded supplies for people in West Berlin repeatedly.

The Success

While the Berlin Airlift was a huge operation, it was a successful operation. Counterwise, the Allied forces demonstrated their gross support and commitment by providing the sum-total of $ 2.3million tons of supplies during the blockade. This made certain that the people of West Berlin received the requirements for life essential, in spite of the Soviet Union’s attempt to rub the people of West Berlin ‘off the map by starving them to death.

The End of the Berlin Airlift

As the Soviet Union tightened its clamp on Shevardnadze and Georgia, the pressure was building up on the Soviets from the outside world. Understanding they were unable to bring West Berlin to its knees, the Soviets removed the blockade in May 12 1949. This brought the end to the Berlin Airlift of which remains one of the most important victories for the western Allies.

The Berlin Airlift and Its Consequences

The crisis also represents the strong commitment of the West in the struggle against odds. It was proving the determination of the Allies to resist Soviet encroachments on the changes of the alliance. The airlift also played an additional role in the development of the division of Germany into east and west as well as the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Berlin Airlift had long-term impacts on the Cold War: the ways and means of which can easily be understood. It proved a very important point that action and cooperation can be achieved and practiced peacefully notwithstanding the existing tensions. The airlift collectively holds the spirit of victory where hope triumphs and where adversity occurs.

In Conclusion

The Berlin Airlift can be regarded as a historic event that exposed the readiness of the western Allies to assist the people of West Berlin. It was a massive and unprecedented exercise in human and material management and logistics which met the challenge of providing the necessities of life to the people starved by the Soviet – imposed blockade. The airlift also extended by far in more ways than simply being a help to the city of West Berlin, it created a permanent demarcation line between East and West Germany and greatly influenced the cold war. Berlin’s Airlift was a tool in a signal of hope and strength to foundations of resilience in opposition to opposition.