Berlin Blockade & Airlift 1948-49

Different aims for Germany

USSR wanted Germany weak (invaded twice since 1914), West wanted Germany to recover to be a barrier against Communism and to help Europe recover

Different economics

Western zones recovered well (Marshall aid - over $1300mil), USSR removed resources from Soviet zones (poor living standards).

Trizona (March 1948)

USA, Britain, France merged their zones into 1, Stalin saw this as: first step to rebuilding Germany to threaten USSR

New currency (June 1948)

West introduced Deutschmark without consulting Stalin, Stalin feared Eastern Germany would resent living standards

Blockade (24th June 1948)

Stalin closed road+rail+canal links to West Berlin (hoped to force the west out), Berlin had 6 weeks of supplies

US Response

West Berlin=powerful capitalist symbol against communism, Truman rejected using force, decided to airlift, flying 13,000 tonnes a day as Stalin wasn’t going to shoot down (act of war).

Consequences

Blockade lifted on 12th May 1949 (propeganda triumph for the west, major fail for the ussr), NATO set up (April 1949) WG & EG created, tensions between superpowers increased