Berlin Airlift

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Berlin Airlift

• 1948-1949

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Background

• There were many questions facing the Allies
  following World War II
• One of the biggest involved what should be done
  with Germany
• Having suffered from German Aggression twice in
  the first half of the 20th Century, France and
  the USSR wanted a weakened Germany

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The Solution

• Create occupation zones based on the way in which
  the armies had entered the country
• The Soviets received the agricultural areas in
  the east, the British received the industrial
  areas to the north, and the Americans received
  the scenic areas to the south.
• The French zone was later carved out of part of
  the American zone.

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Occupation Zones in Germany
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Berlin

• The city of Berlin was to remain the capital, and
  although it was situated deep within the Soviet
  zone, it became a divided city, with the western
  half occupied by the British, the United States,
  and the French

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• Although the western allies had territory in
  Berlin, there was never an agreement with the
  Soviets to allow surface access into the city.
• In the interest of safety, however, an agreement
  was reached establishing air corridors to and
  from the city.

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• The Allies wanted five corridors, but the Soviet
  Union only agreed to three
• Two were in the British Zone, one in the American
• Each corridor was 20 miles wide

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• Two airbases existed in West Berlin
• Tempelhof in the American Sector
• Gatow in the British Sector

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What Caused the Blockade?

• Europe was not recovering from the war as quickly
  as hoped
• The United States came up with the idea of
  combining the three western zones into Trizonia
  to help Germany recover
• The Soviet Union, opposed Germany unity and
  imposed a short, possible test, blockade in April
  1948, preventing supplies from reaching Berlin

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• The Western zones decided to replace the nearly
  worthless German currency with new money, a move
  the Soviets ferociously opposed
• In response, the Soviets imposed a total ground
  blockade in July 1948.
• The purpose was not to drive the western allies
  out of Germany, but rather to force their hand.
• Click below to hear Trumans explanation of the
  blockade.

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What is a President to Do?

• Trumans advisors offered many solutions

Lucius Clay, Military Governor of Germany wanted
to force a convoy into Berlin, risking World War
III, but the British said no
The British suggested that the Allies use an
airlift to supply Berlin to buy time for
negotiations with the Soviets.
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• What began as a temporary measure, grew into one
  of the greatest logistical feats ever attempted.
• Though the two airports in Berlin had only one
  runway each, the allies began airlifting supplies
  into Berlin

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The Solution

• Using the northern and southern corridors to
  enter Berlin and the center corridor to exit, the
  Allies began sending planes into the ravaged city
• Before long the planes were landing every three
  minutes, each one bringing ten tons of needed
  supplies

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Conditions in Berlin
People were living on as little as 1000 to 1500
calories per day even before the blockade The
Allies determined they needed to supply at least
1700 calories a day to the 2.3 million people
residing in West Berlin
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• This video, made by Gail Halvorsen (the Candy
  Bomber) illustrates the conditions he observed as
  a pilot flying goods into Berlin.

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The End of the Blockade

• In spite of the obstacles involved, the Berlin
  Airlift was maintained and the Soviets eventually
  gave up and removed the blockade
• Click here to hear President
• Truman announce the end of
• the blockade on May 12, 1949

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While the Statistics are impressive

• The main things the airlift provided the people
  of Berlin were
• HOPE and FREEDOM