8.Berlin Blockade And Air Lift Flashcards
When was the Berlin blockade?
6 am June 24 1948 to 12 May 1949
What happened in the Berlin blockade?
The su stopped all rail, road and canal traffic from west Germany to sectors of Berlin under western control and cut off all gas, coal and electrical supplies from east Berlin into West Berlin
What did the Berlin blockade cause?
2.5 million in West Berlin were surrounded by soviet troops being short of power and resources
Why did Stalin initiate the blockade?
After tensions increased when a British and soviet plane collided in June 5 1948
What happened (and when) that caused the blockade?
When Britain and the USA joined their zones to create bizonia in 1947 and then France joined in 1948 creating trizonia for further economic recovery creating a clearer divide between east and west
Why was bizonia such an issue?
It created the Deutschmark to strengthen west German economy causing an economic crisis in east Germany as everyone changed their marks and so made Stalin feel betrayed
What did Stalin think the blockade could do?
Force the allies out of West Berlin by starving the population and leaving them dependant on the su
What was another cause of the blockade?
(War)
As he had t received many from the German zones promised by the allies at Potsdam causing him to form a stronger mistrust
Give two examples to show Stalin wanted Germany to stay weak and so the blockade was important for this to happen.
- By 1948, west Germany was receiving Marshall aid but east Germany was not because it was forbidden to.
- the su also stripped the east from industrial resources as part of reparations
When was the Berlin airlift?
June 24 1948 to May 12 1949
How was the Berlin airlift happening?
With planes flying in 4600 tonnes of supplies a day but by 16th to 17th April 1949, 1398 flights landed almost 13000 tonnes of supplies in just 24 hrs (known as the Easter parade)
Give 2 considerations proving the west was determined to stand up to communism
It was a risky operation and it would cost a lot of money to supply 2.5 million Berliners by air
224 million dollars
Give 2 consequences of the airlift
Germany was now permanently divided and relations between east and west had worsened
Name organisations created as a consequence of the airlift that prove the division between east and west had worsened
- west Germany becoming the federal republic of Germany in 23 may 1949
- German democratic republic of October 1949 as an su style communist state
- in April 1949 the North Atlantic treaty organisation (NATO) was created where the USA was to protect west Europe but the su rival Warsaw Pact was created 6 yrs later
