Berlin Blockade and Airlift.docx

Berlin Blockade and Airlift 1948-49

• After WWII Germany was divided into four zones, each to be controlled by the British, Americans, Soviets and French. Berlin was also divided but it was in the Soviet Zone.

Causes of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift

Different aims

The USA and USSR had different ideas about what to do with Germany

• The USSR wanted Germany weak so it couldn't invade other countries

• The USA wanted Germany to recover to help stop communist spread

Different Economies

• By 1948 there was economic recovery in Western Europe due to the Marshall Aid.

• But because Stalin rejected the money from the Marshall aid, life was much poorer there than in the Western zones.

A new currency

- The USA, Britain and France united their zones into ‘Trizonia’ in March 1948, introducing a new currency called the Deutschmark.

- Stalin thought it would disturb Germans living in poverty under communist rule in East Berlin

Events of the Berlin Blockade

• On June 24th 1948, Stalin closed all the roads, railways and canals connected to West Berlin.

• Stalin hoped that he could force the Western powers to leave Berlin as they would quickly run out of supplies

• But the USA had to hold on to Berlin as it symbolised their policy of challenging communist rule

Events of the Berlin Airlift

• President Truman decided to airlift supplies to West Berlin to break the blockade, knowing that if Stalin shot down a plan, he’d risk starting another war.

• The USA flew in 13,000 tonnes of supplies a day.

• After a year of strict rationing in West Berlin, Stalin admitted defeat and the blockade was lifted

• Two million tonnes of supplies had been transported and 101 men had died, due to plane crashes.

Consequences and Impact

• The airlift was a propaganda victory for the USA. Containment had worked.

• In April 1949, 12 Western nations set up the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to prevent Soviet attack. An attack on one member would be considered an attack on them all.

• In May 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany (known as West Germany) was established.

• In October the USSR renamed its zone the German Democratic Republic (East Germany)

• The Soviets saw NATO as an aggressive alliance. The Warsaw Pact was established in May 1955 to the communist version of NATO