Berlin Blockade / Airlift (jun 24, 1948 – may 4, 1949)

Description:

Blockade:
• Stalin wanted Germany to remain weak, unthreatening and as a ‘buffer zone’ between it and the West. He rapidly lost patience with the way the West were acting in Berlin and decided to push them out.
Why was Stalin angered at the West? - Due to the Marshall Plan, investment into west Berlin meant there were more jobs and a stable currency. Contributing to the brain drain from the East.
• 24th June 1948 Stalin cuts all land access to Berlin for the allies. Starting the blockade.
• West Berlin only had enough food for 36 days and there was a lack of basic goods like fuel and medicine.
Airlift:
• “I am ready to try an airlift.” – General Clay (Leader of US forces in Germany to the Berlin Mayor)
• Lasted 11 months until end of blockade in May 1949.
• At the height of the airlift, a plane would land every minute.
• More than 250,000 flights took place.
• Cost the USA $350M and the UK £17m.
• Airlift delivered more than 2.3m tons of cargo.
Aftermath:
• Two weeks later the state of West Germany would be formed with anti-communist leader.
• NATO would form in April 1949.
• Defeat for the USSR, Stalin forced to back down.

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