Cold War Crises - Berlin Blockade

Causes - Divided Germany and Berlin (4)

Tehran (1943),Yalta (1945), Occupation (1945), Bizonia (1947)

Causes - Economic path for Europe and Germany (3)

Potsdam (1945), Marshall Plan (1947), Currency initiative (1948)

Causes - Ideological differences (3)

SED formed (1946), Truman containment (1947), Cominform (1947)

Short Term Causes 1948 (2)

London 6 power conference (Jan-June), Deutschmark Introduced (20th June)

Start of Blockade

24 June 1948

Immediate effects (3)

36 day food supply, lack of basic goods, restriction of travel

Allied response (2)

11 month airlift, counter blockade (on coal, steel, machine-tools)

Berlin airlift statistics (3)

at height 1 plane per minute, cost USA $350 mill, cost GB £17 mill

Effects on East Berlin (2)

more enticing, demonstration (September 1948)

Stalin calls off Berlin Blockade (3)

12 May 1949, Airlift successful & could continue indefinitely, Counter-blockade causing shortages

Berlin wall built

13 August 1961

Creation of Federal Republic of Germany (Adenauer)

September 1949

Creation of German Democratic Republic (Pieck, Ulbricht)

October 1949

Creation of NATO

April 1949

Creation of Warsaw Pact Forces

1955

USSR got nuclear weapons

August 1949

US launches ‘Operation Vittles’

26 June 1948

GB launches ‘Operation Plainfare’

28 June 1948

Issues in Berlin

September 1948, SED marches on Berlin City Council and forces it to adjourn, 300,000 WBers demonstrate at Reichstag against Soviet domination

US support for German rearmament

1950

USSR starts accelerated socialisation programme

1952

Comecon created

January 1949