Berlin Airlift 1948-49 Flashcards
Short term causes…
Jan 1948 - Bizonia made in the West.
March - Soviet representatives walked out of Allied Control Commission complaining western attitudes made it unworkable.
April - allied zones included in Marshal Plan. Soviet troops held up traffic entering West Berlin.
June - new currency introduced - Deutschmark. Aims to create a west German state were met with the East introducing the Ostmark to retaliate. And
When did the blockade begin?
On the 24 June, 1948 - the aim was to make the West abandon development.
What were the features ?
Truman wanted West Berlin to be a symbol of freedom so the allies began to airlift supplies as this would prevent a hot war. The Soviets did not shoot them down. This started on June 28th and the planes had 90 second intervals to airlift supplies. Stalin set up Soviet Planes and obstructions but these were met with the US sending B-29 bombers, capable of holding atomic bombs, to the UK.
By September the Soviets encouraged people to leave West Berlin and a small percentage did due to starvation. The winter was mild so the airlift powered on, reaching a peak in April where 13,000 tons were supplied in 24 hours.
Clothes, oil, and building materials all supplied in 275,000 flights.
When did the blockade get called off?
12 May 1949
What were the results?
Victory for Truman.
East-West rivalry worsened.
NATO formed in 1955.
Defeat and humiliation for Soviets, they blamed the airlifts on the US using it as propaganda due to being desperate.
May 1949 Federal Republic of Germany formed.
October 1949 - German Democratic Republic formed - Soviets.
What were the causes?
Germany, despite being split in four, was supposed to have free elections.
The Soviets attempted to gain control of the east by securing communist control of Berlin but the socialists resisted.
The west wanted to speed up recovery as the Germans faced shortages in food and fuel due to the War. The Soviets wanted East Germany to be under their control and so they wanted Germany to be weak and not a threat.
The west had access to Germany by train, canal, road, and air. The Soviets did not want the east to see the affluence of the West and also concerned espionage.
