The cold war was a post world war II conflict between powers that included United States and Soviet Union up to early 1990s . It was marked with ideological cleavage and formation of the cold war, two world super powers – United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Background: Division of Berlin
After the Second World War was completed in 1945, the totalterritory of Germany was split into four zones occupied by the USA, Great Britain, France and the USSR. The city of Berlin, located deep into Soviet zone was also divided into four sectors also creating deep cleavage between the western allies and the USSR.
When the tension between the U.S and the USSR escalated, the Soviet Union put a blockade in West Berlin in the hope of gaining control of the city. This is the point where the Berlin Airlift became important.
The Berlin Airlift Initiative
The berlin blockaded as a result of which the United States and its allies initiated the Berlin Airlift programme. It intended to bring food, fuel and other requirements into the besieged West Berlin. When the Berlin Airlift started on June 26, 1948, it remained in force for nearly one year ending on May 12, 1949.
The Berlin Airlift was by far a major supply operation of over 200 aircraft carrying food and all sorts of supples non-stop to West Berlin. Tempelhof and Gatow, Schonefeld and Tegel, these airports welcomed the aircraft used in this operation cumulatively making about 200000 flights.
Soft drops including candies as a symbol of solidarity were also airlifted to the people of West Berlin in addition to essentials such as coal thus meeting their daily needs and relieving them from the grip of the soviets. He himself saw the West’s effort in defending free world become symbolized through NOR; it represented determination, perseverance, as well as the West’s will and desire to defend freedom and democracy.
Its importance in Cold War background
The Berlin Airlift held immense significance for various reasons:
1. Demonstrated Western Allies’ commitment:
The airlift proved that the Western Allies was not willing to surrender to the Soviets and was willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the freedom of West Berlin. It informed the world that America and its partners would not submit to the Soviet aggression and its attempts to increase an area of its political dominance.
2. Highlighted the failure of the Soviet blockade:
Through a resolution of the Berlin crisis by supplying West Berlin through the air, the Western Allies therefore equally responded to the Soviet blockade. It revealed that the Soviet strategy was flawed and that they failed and demonstrated the firmness of both the United States and its allies in defending democracy.
3. Strengthened NATO and the unity of the Western Allies:
Berlin Airlift was conducted by USA, Great Britain, and France with appeals to international coalition. It revealed the intention and collaboration of the western allies and paved way for the creation of NATO (North Atlantic treaty organization) in April 1949. As was seen, based on the nature of the Soviet threat within Eastern Europe it functioned as a defensive alliance against the Soviets and helped cement the Western front within the Cold War.
4. Propaganda victory for the West:
The triumph of the airlift had a profound impact on the allied victory, the major influence among which was propaganda. The free flow of supplies into West Berlin was an eye opener to the benefits of democracy and the towering vices of the soviet regime. It interfered with Soviet Union’s strategy of presenting the western world as vulnerable and made those who lived under soviet domination to have freedom desires.
Conclusion
The Berlin Airlift was an important part of the processes taking place during the Cold War. The American people and its allies used it to show their solidarity in the fight against communism and to prevent the expansion of Soviet influence. As a way of assisting the West Germans the airlift demonstrated the integrity of the Western Allies and was an encouragement to many who were living under Soviet’s rule. The Berlin airlift is a significant of the Cold War because it cemented the Western destabilized and provided the basis for future decades of the superpowers’ conflict.