After World War II, the Berlin Airlift was a historic event. The activity, however, was a difficult and complicated one conducted by the Allied Forces chiefly by United States and Great Britain. This blog post will take you through the main points about the Berlin Airlift and why it was important in history.

Background

At the end of World War II Germany was divided into four occupation zones occupied by the Allied forces (the US, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union). Just as the city of Berlin was divided among the four powers, but still deep within the Soviet zone, so was it in the Jewish sector. On June 24, 1948 began the blockade of West Berlin by the Soviets, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western powers reached an impasse.

The Blockade

Soviet Union cut off all land and water access to West Berlin trying to force the Western powers to relinquish control over the city. As such, people of West Berlin, in whom completely relied the supplies from the Western zones of Germany, were in such a desperate situation. There were little or no food, and no fuel or medical supplies.

The Airlift Begins

The Soviet action faced by the United States and Great Britain with a plan to break the blockade. The Berlin Airlift started on June 26, 1948. We were trying to get supplies to West Berlin by air until the Soviets lifted the blockade. Tempelhof and Gatow were the two principal airfields used.

Operation Vittles

They called this piece of the airlift operation “Operation Vittles.” In transport of supplies, the American cargo planes were mainly C-47s and C-54s. Tempelhof airport was on the American sector of Berlin, so these planes landed there.

Operation Plainfare

Operation Plainfare was their name for it. A variety of aircraft was used including Avro Yorks and Handley Page Hastings. Most of the supplies were flown to Gatow airport in the British sector of Berlin.

The Challenges

On several counts, the Berlin Airlift was a challenge. The first, was the sheer amount of supplies needed to ensure the supply of a population of West Berlin. This called for a continuous and precise logistical planning. The airports, though, had limited capacity, so the planes had to land and take off every several minutes, making for an intense operation.

Navigation was also a challenge, because pilots had to fly through cramped air corridors, under poor weather conditions. To disrupt communication and radar, the Soviet Union had a goal to undermine the airlift. However, the Allied forces continued.

The Success

But the Berlin Airlift did succeed. Meanwhile in West Berlin, the Western powers showed they are sending a message to the people of West Berlin and vow to resist Soviet aggression. During the airlift, which took 11 months, almost 2.3 million tons of supplies were flown.

And it was also instrumental for its success, the resilience and solidarity of the people of West Berlin. They survived rationing and made those sacrifices needed to get through the periods of the blockade.

End of the Blockade

Having witnessed the success of the airlift, the Soviets lifted their blockade of May 12, 1949. The Berlin Airlift was officially over on September 30, 1949. The celebrations reached Western powers, and West Berlin was to remain under Allied control.

Legacy

The Berlin Airlift left a mark. It underscored the Western powers’ will and the effort to defend democracy and the people of West Berlin. During the early years of the Cold War, it became a symbol of hope and solidarity.

In addition, the airlift helped instigate NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 1949. NATO was created so the member states would be collectively defended if attacked from outside.

Conclusion

Marketed with hubris and perils wrapped in profits, PR runs in danger of emulating the Berlin Airlift. That it is a testament to the power of cooperation and spirit of humanity is not at all strange. If people in West Berlin weren’t successfully transported, it not only kept the people of West Berlin alive, but it also sent a very strong message to the world, freedom and democracy will win.