Berlin Airlift, NATO, + Warsaw Pact

where is Berlin

East Germany

1947

Great Britain + US combine their sectors - France joins shortly after

1948

the Deutsche Mark, new currency, is created in the Western Germany

what worried the Soviets

• UK, France, + US combine their sectors

• the Deutsche Mark is made in Western Germany

• Berlin’s location

what actions did the Soviets take to block Berlin

• June 24, 1948: the Soviets closed the highway leading to Berlin

• shortly after, all barges + trains are shut down + any motor traffic

what did the Soviets hope to accomplish by blocking Berlin

• people would not be able to receive any food or supplies

• forcing Britain, US, and France to leave

Berlin airlift

• Truman declared “We shall stay, period”

• if the Allies withdraw, communism could spread

• we could not use military force to strike back at the Soviets

how did the Allies decide to supply Berlin

• the Berlin airlift: flying supplies into Berlin from the air

by the end of the airlift

roughly 2.3 million tons of supplies were flown into Berlin

In May, 1949

• the Soviets would lift the blockade, but supplies were still flown in until September

effects of the Berlin airlift

• blockade heightened tensions - strengthened relationships between western Europe nations + US

• sped up the creation of west Germany

what did the Berlin airlift motivate

the creation of NATO

what was NATO and when was it created

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• created on April 4, 1949

why was NATO created

as a defensive pact intended to counter the Iron Curtain + Soviet armies in eastern Europe

how many original members were there in NATO

16

when did Greece + Turkey join NATO

1952

when did West Germany join NATO

1955

when was the Warsaw Pact created

May 14, 1955

how many original members were there in the Warsaw Pact

8

when did the Soviets enter the Warsaw Pact

after West Germany entered NATO

the Warsaw Pact was countermeasure

against NATO

the Warsaw Pact continued to allow

Soviet troops to be stationed in member countries and for the troops to be under Soviet control