Crisis in Berlin (1945-1989)

Today: TWO stories of where/when/why/how the USSR challenged the USA’s containment policy.

1.) The Berlin Blockade and Airlift (1948-1949)

2.) The Berlin Wall (1961-1989)

Crisis in Berlin (1945-1989)Feb 1945 – Yalta Conference Divided Germany into 4 occupied zones.

July 1945 – Potsdam, USA & USSR fight about whether Germany should pay reparations.

June 1947- July 1948: USSR blockades West Berlin…USA begins airlifting supplies to starving West Berliners. Eventually the blockade comes down.

August 1961- The East Germany (communist) Government builds the Berlin Wall to stop East Germans from leaving.

Germany would remain a divided nation until 1989.

In beginning years of the Cold War…who was in charge?

Truman(1945-1953)

Eisenhower(1953-1961)

Kennedy(1961-1963)

Stalin(1922-1953)

Khrushchev(1953-1964)

Story #1: The Berlin Blockade and Airlift

(1948-1949)

Berlin Blockade and Airlift(June 24, 1948 – May 12, 1949)

Q: Why did the USSR blockade

all the roads/railroads

into West Berlin?

A: Because the USA, GB, and France

had reunited their portions of

Germany/Berlin and we allowing the

nation to be free and to rebuild their

economy.Stalin did not like this!

WESTGermany

EASTGermany

WESTBerlin

EASTBerlin

Berlin Blockade and Airlift (June 24, 1948 – May 12, 1949)

Q: People in West Berlin are

starving and winter is

coming…what can the USA do?

A:

AIRLIFT in supplies!

Load planes in West Germany…fly

into West Berlin. This way we never cross

into the USSR’s section.

Containment Berlin Airlift (June 24, 1948 – May 12, 1949)

The Berlin Airlift

USA planes were landing in

West Berlin every 4 minutes for 15 months!

The Berlin Airlift

May 1949- USSR takes

down the blockade…

- CONTAINMENT wins!

Story #2: The Berlin Wall

(1961-1989)