After the World War II, disputes between Western Allies and Soviet Union emerged and Germany was split. In 1948 the Soviet Union tried to starve West Berlin of supplies by placing a blockade around the city. In turn, the western allies came up with a great air drop of supplies to the divided city that was known as the Berlin airlift.

The Background

After the end of World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the four Allied powers: the United States, the former Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and France. Germany was sympathized into two zones; the eastern and the western half but the four world powers also divided Berlin even though the city was located inside the Soviet dominated east Germany.

When the relations between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union started deteriorating, such splits could not be maintained. US, UK & France launched the process of unification of the occupation zones under which the Federal Republic of Germany also known as West Germany came into existence in May – 1949.

Growing suspicious with the impact of the so called western powers the Soviet Union turned hostile, even to the extent of blocking the supply of West Berlin in 1948.

The Berlin Blockade

In a bid to capture west Berlin in a full nod, the Soviet Union sealed all ground and water approaches to the city. Since the start the goal was to bring economic pressure on the city to challenge the Western Allies to withdraw their support. Consequences of the blockade became the scarcity of food, fuel and other products necessary for the Population of West Berlin.

But the Soviets did not appreciate resolve and ingenuity of the Western Allies. Understanding that they could not leave West Berlin to its fate, they decided to try an audacious project — to supply the city by the air.

The Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift was something colossal which started on June 26, 1948 and went on till eleven months. The Western Allies then established a plan to drop supplies through air drops, by flying planes directly into West Berlin non-stop which was accomplished mostly though three air routes running through the Soviet zone.

The air lift reached its maximum when planes were being launched and landed in Berlin within every 45 seconds and such things like food, coal and medical equipment were being transported. Airlift not only fed West Berlin population but also proved the challenge of western alliance to communism ideologies persisting in East Germany.

The Success of the Airlift

The Berlin Airlift can be considered as having been a success. But in such circumstances those western allies were able to shuttle more than 2.3 million tons of supplies to make West Berlin a viable place. The airlift demonstrated the commitment and cooperativeness of the West in standing against Soviet intimidation.

End of the Blockade

Realizing that the blockade could not work any longer, Soviet Union decided to raise the blockade on May 12 1949, after one year of this process. The western allies persisted with the airlift for few more months to create adequate stock pile point and to stabilize the situation in West Berlin.

The Legacy

Discussion need made about how the Berlin Blockade and Airlift changed the course of the Cold War. From the given sources, it made further division between East and West Germany and created a basis for the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

The Airlift also had a long term impact in the lives of Beraliner In Berlin Also, there were social ramification of the Airlift. They created a kind of steel of the residents, most of which referred to the airplane as ‘Candy Bombers’ because of their tradition of dropping souvenirs such as sweets and chocolates to the kids.

Altogether, the Berlin Blockade and Airlift are most important conflict during the early period of the Cold War. The Details The Soviet Union tried to cut off west Berlin from all supplies by putting embargo on the area This was reciprocated by stiff stand from the Western Allies who were able to feed West Berlin despite the Soviet blockade. The Berlin Airlift not only fed and supplies the people of west Berlin but also proved that the western power is determined to take a stand against Soviet Union aggression.