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Page 1: Berlin Blockade & Berlin Airlift - IFWeblog · Web viewBerlin Blockade & Berlin Airlift historical context: Potsdam Agreement (July and August 1945) Marshall Plan Six-Powers-Conference

Berlin Blockade & Berlin Airlift

historical context: Potsdam Agreement (July and August 1945) Marshall Plan Six-Powers-Conference (February to June 1948) Soviet delegation left the Allied Control Council (20 March 1948) Soviets restricted traffic between Western Allies’ zones and West Berlin (25 March 1948) April Crisis currency crisis (June 1948)

the beginnings of the Berlin Blockade: Berlin Blockade began on 24 and 25 June 1948

transport by rail and roads as well as shipping traffic stopped electricity cut off food supply of non-Soviet sectors ended

air corridors only transport routes left West Berlin had food for 36 days and coal for 45 days 1500 tons of food and 3500 tons of coal (per day) needed to supply West Berlin US Air Force able to transport 300 tons a day and Royal Air Force 400 tons a day

Why did the Western Allies make the effort to stay in Berlin?(cf. Sources of Modern History, “Ernest Bevin on the Significance of Germany” (July 1948), p.107+108)

strong Germany as a barrier to Communism (cf. ll. 16-21) West Berlin as “a means to an end” (l.65)

control over West Germany “symbol of German unity” (ll.41+42) and “the last democratic island in the Soviet sphere” (ll. 52+53)

prestige support of European freethinkers (especially the German people)

Blockade as a Soviet bluff to gain influence no escalation expected

Berlin Airlift strengthened the Western Allies’ bargaining position

the course of the Berlin Airlift: “Operation Vittles” started on 25 June 1948 and “Operation Plainfare” on 28 June 1948 after two weeks 1000 tons were flown to Berlin every day William H. Tunner (“Tonnage Tunner”) became commander of “Operation Vittles” (28 July 1948)

aimed at 1440 landings a day changed “the ladder” improved unloading introduced Instrument flight rules introduced a common control center

accident rates and delays decreased drastically daily tonnage increased to 5,000 tons

in winter 1948/49 more coal was needed Ground Controlled Approach radar system installed runways improved by using asphalt and concrete France built the airport Tegel within 90 days (August to November 1948)

heavy machinery flown to Berlin Soviet radio tower blasted

however, the Airlift almost failed due to bad weather conditions situation settled down in spring 1949 William H. Tunner wanted to boost the Airlift by a new record on Easter Sunday

by Max Cleve

success for the Western Allies

Page 2: Berlin Blockade & Berlin Airlift - IFWeblog · Web viewBerlin Blockade & Berlin Airlift historical context: Potsdam Agreement (July and August 1945) Marshall Plan Six-Powers-Conference

13,000 tons delivered (16 April 1949) Airlift exceeded the “pre-Blockade tonnage”

Berlin Blockade ended on 12 May 1949 Berlin Airlift officially ended on 30 September 1949

Soviet reaction during the Airlift: Communists invaded the Stadtverordnetenversammlung von Groß-Berlin several times

SED boycotted the parliament free food for emigrants offered 733 events registered that aimed at disturbing the Airlift propaganda

basic facts: participants:

United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand & South Africa tonnage:

United States delivered about 1,800,000 tonsUnited Kingdom delivered about 550,000 tons

278,228 flights when the Airlift reached its peak, every thirty seconds one plane landed in West Berlin 101 pilots died during the Airlift

the consequences: Airlift improved co-operation between the Western Allies Berlin Blockade proved the Soviet Union to threaten the First World (the West)

sources:

Sources of Modern History (Klett) Horizonte (westermann) Germany (Oxford Advanced History) Germany 1848-1991 (Collins) http://www.deutschegeschichten.de/zeitraum/themaindex.asp?KategorieID=1004&InhaltID=1566 http://www.history.com/topics/berlin-airlift http://www.traces.org/BerlinAirlift.html http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/airlift.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Blockade#cite_note-miller2000_90-53 http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/beitrag/video/1374420/Berlin-Blockade http://www.history.de/videos/videokatalog/Gesellschaft/Geschichte/video-Momente-der-

deutschen-Geschichte-Berlin-Blockade-W%C3%A4hrungsreform-Stalin-W%C3%A4hrung-363764.html

by Max Cleve

2,350,000 tons