Introduction
An early Cold War landmark, the Berlin Blockade took place. Under the lens of this blog post, we will look at the geopolitical landscape of this time in history, and the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The Berlin Blockade
In June 1948–May 1949, the Soviet Union closed all road, rail or water passages to Berlin, then in the Western sector, though controlled by the Western Allies. In essence the aim of the blockade was a recapture of the city and an isolation of the Western powers from it German allies.
The Impact on the Cold War
The Berlin Blockade had significant consequences for the ongoing Cold War:
1. Formation of NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was started as the after effect of the Berlin Blockade. That military alliance of the Western powers was formed in 1949 in response to the Soviet aggression so that Western powers should not be further expanded.
2. Symbolic of the Iron Curtain
The blockade pointed arms between East and West, and the term ‘iron curtain’ described such a division. In the Cold War it made itself a symbol of a wider division between communism and capitalism.
3. Development of Air Bridge
The Western powers solved the blockade by means of the Berlin Airlift. Even planes were brought in from day to day, bringing food, fuel, and other supplies into West Berlin. The airlift showed the Western powers would help their allies and sealed East and West apart.
4. Escalation of Tensions
The Berlin Blockade provided for a further development of the ferments between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War took a turn when both sides began to get more confrontational and began to really build out their military capability.
Conclusion
The Cold War had a big impact form the Berlin Blockade. This accelerated the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union and led to the formation of NATO, weaponizing a cold war more than any other nuclear stand off. It was a reminder of, as it were, the complexity and danger of the Cold War era.