Causes Of The Berlin Blockade

What is the Berlin Airlift? The Berlin Airlift was an international crisis in which the Soviet Union attempted to cut off West Berlin from the allied occupation zone in Germany resulting in an Allied airlift. This occurred from June 24, 1948 - May 12, 1949. The Berlin Airlift, also known as Operation Little Vittles, was done in response to Berlin blockade. The Berlin blockade by the Soviet Union was three years after World War II ended. President Truman, Winston Churchill, and Josef Stalin met at Potsdam to divide Germany into what they saw as four temporary occupation zones, American, British, French and Soviet (Tunnell, 2010). Germany was divided into four allied occupation zones and the city of Berlin subdivided into four sectors (Sil,
No one could enter or leave the city. The communists gave no reason for these actions. One official mumbled that the train tracks were shut down “for repairs.” The blockade was a disastrous diplomatic defeat for the Soviet Union. In the short-term, it had failed to accomplish its two primary goals. One, which is to prevent the creation of a pro-Western German state and two, to expel the Allies from Berlin. The Soviets' aim was to halt the creation of a West German state and force the Western Allies out of Berlin. It became apparent to the Allied powers that any compromise or appearance of backing down before Soviet intimidation would be diplomatically disastrous (Stein, 2002). Although several U.S. generals argued that Berlin was not strategically important enough to risk a confrontation and pressed for withdrawal, President Harry S. Truman and Secretary of State George C. Marshall at the times felt that Berlin was critical to maintaining a strong front against the spread of communism. The Western Allies affirmed their support for their respective sectors in Berlin. However, the explanation for the sudden blockade was clear to the United States. There were few actions that they could take. With only 15,000 Allied troops in West Berlin, a fight was not possible. General Clay advocated using an armed convoy to break the blockade, but both the U.S. State Department and the
This would be about three-thousand to four-thousand goods a day. When winter started it increased to five-thousand to six-thousand a day. During winter they brought coal so people could heat their homes. The citizens of Berlin greatly appreciated the Allied efforts, and many West Berliners aided in distributing supplies throughout the city. One popular American, Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen pilot dropped tiny parachutes holding candy bars just for the children. Children called the plane Rosinenbomber (Raisin Bombers). All the people in Berlin called him the “candy bomber” (Tunnel, 2010). Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen is still alive today and is affectionately known by Berliners and is respected for his