The years from the conclusion of World War II through the early 1990s were a major geopolitical cold war battleground between the United States and the Soviet Union. During this period was one big event: the Berlin Blockade which lasted from 1948 to 1949. So let’s look at why the Berlin Blockade was so important in setting the terms of the Cold War.

What was the Berlin Blockade?

Soviet Union’s attempt to completely isolate West Berlin, controlled by the United States, Britain, and France from the remainder of West Germany, is known as the Berlin Blockade. In June 24, 1948, the Soviet Union literally cut off all land and water links to West Berlin, thereby cut off all supplies to the city.

Reasons for the Blockade

The Berlin Blockade was a reaction to the West Allies’ attempt to introduce a new currency, the Deutsche Mark, throughout their occupation zones within West Germany and West Berlin. That would be a threat to Soviet influence in Germany, the Soviet Union opposed this move.

The impact on Berlin

Cutting the supply routes, the people of West Berlin were left with appalling shortages of essential supplies —such as food, fuel and everyday necessities. The city was at stake rather as it depended on supplies from the Western Allies. The blockade was prevalent enough, that an enormous airlift operation was started to overcome it.

The Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift was a truly extraordinary humanitarian effort in which the United States, Britain, and France flew not only supplies, but human beings to save Berlin from starvation. From June 1948 to September 1949 these countries air lifted essential supplies to West Berlin over almost a year.

Operation Vittles

The Berlin Airlift was a so impressive feat of efficiency that it was named ‘Operation Vittles.’ And cargo aircraft continued to land day and night at Tempelhof Airport in West Berlin, loaded with supplies. To sustain a population for the besieged city, the airlift increased transportation capacity to an unparallel level.

The role of the Allied forces

General Lucius D. Clay was the United States man who made the airlift a success. Hundres of aircraft were stationed at various airports and a complex system of supply routes was arranged so that deliveries would be uninterrupted.

Supplies Delivered Approximate Number

Coal 1.5 million tons

Food 2.3 million tons

Medicine 13,000 tons

The end of the Blockade

In May 1949 the Soviet Union ended the Berlin Blockade. The success of the airlift and the relentless efforts of the Western Allies have had something to do with this. The Soviet Union’s blockade was a failure, in that it failed to achieve its aim of driving the Western Allies out of Berlin.

Berlin Blockade In The Cold War

The Berlin Blockade was a critical event in the Cold War, and its consequences were significant:

1. Symbolic importance

The Berlin Blockade showed that the capitalist West was divided from the communist East ideologically. It showed how solidly the Western Allies wanted to dig their heels in Berlin and hold on to what was left of the city, the last Communist redoubt in Europe.

2. Formation of NATO

Another of the lead-ups to NATO was the 1949 Berlin Blockade. It was formed as a defensive alliance to counter Soviet aggression in Europe, which is NATO.

3. Escalation of tensions

During the Berlin Blockade the Cold War approached its maximum between the Soviet Union and the United States. This, in turn, spurred a further arms race, augmented the military presence in Europe, and raised the chances of a direct confrontation between the two superpowers.

4. Consolidation of West Germany

The Berlin Blockade solidified the division of Germany into two separate entities: Federal Republic of Germany, West Germany (in Frankophone usage) and German Democratic Republic, East Germany (in Frankophone usage). What it did was pave the way to two different political systems in what would come to be separated Germany, making deep East-West divide.

The then Berlin Blockade can be considered an essential part of the Cold War. For what it was, it demonstrated the Western Allies’ willingness to give the Soviets a kicking and protect West Berlin’s freedom. It marked the Western powers’ sucessful operation of the airlift, which had shown resilience and a will to keep the presence in Berlin.

In the end, it helped widen the gap between East and West and brought NATO into being and raised the temperature far during the Cold War.