History - Cold War - 1st Berlin Airlift

Causes of the Berlin Crisis Pt.1

• At Potsdam 1945, it was agreed that Germany would be split into 4 sectors (USA, UK, France and the USSR)

• A joint organization called the Allied Control Commission was in charge of running Germany.

• Tensions began to grow substantially between USA and USSR.

• In March 1948, a representative of the USSR stormed out of an ACC meeting.

Causes of the Berlin crisis Pt.2

• In 1947, US and UK merged their zones to create Bizonia

• Later, in March 1948, France merged with Bizonia to create Trizonia

• The West controlled West Germany, and the USSR controlled East Germany.

• The ‘Iron Curtain’ now became evident between Capitalist West and Communist East.

Causes of the Berlin Crisis Pt.3

• The introduction of the Deutschmark by the West infuriated Stalin

• He thought that the West was ‘ganging up on him’

• It broke the agreement at Potsdam that Germany was supposed to be governed as a whole.

• After the Truman doctrine, the Marshall Plan had invested millions of dollars in West Germany and West Berlin whilst the USSR had taken away resources and money from East Germany instead of investing in it.

Events of the Berlin Crisis (1948-49) - Pt.1

• Berlin was inside of the USSR sector in Germany

• USSR closed off all land, canal, and rail links from the West into East Germany and West Berlin.

• Stalin hoped that the Western powers would give up their power over West Berlin.

• It would be a huge propaganda boost and victory for communism over capitalism

Events of the Berlin Crisis (1948-49) - Pt.2

• Without the support of the West, West Berlin would quickly run out of food, fuel and medical supplies.

• Due to this, West Berlin would handover themselves to the Soviets.

• As a result, the West flew into West Berlin via air to deliver essential supplies. This was known as Operation Vittles.

Events of the Berlin Crisis (1948-49) - Pt.4

• In January 1949, Over 170,000 tons of supplies were flown into Berlin

• USA and the UK collectively flew in 1000 tons of supplies everyday

• An airplane landed every 45 second in Berlin airport

• An offer to move to East Berlin for food was rejected by most West Berliners

• Allies refused Stalin’s offer if they removed the deutschmark from their sectors.

• Only 78 people died due to airport runway incidents, soviet military caused no casualities.

Consequences of the Berlin Crisis (1948-49) - Pt.1

• Members of Trizonia came together and acted first and created the Federal Republic of Germany

• West Germany elected their parliament (Bundestag) in their new relocated capital Bonn.

• Stalin responded by establishing the German Democratic Republic, It also had a volksammer (People’s Chamber), It’s president was the head of Germany’s socialist party

Consequences of the Berlin Crisis (1948-49) - Pt.2

• In 1949, in retaliation to the blockade, the US and UK set up NATO to achieve ‘collective security’ within Europe

• It marked a serious shift in US involvement as they moved from isolationism to full involvement in Europe.

• In response, Stalin set up the Warsaw Pact with similar aims of NATO (Collective Security) except it was against the West.

• Warsaw Pact leadership and command was all Soviet whilst the President of NATO was elected on a termly basis from NATO countries.