Berlin Blockade And Berlin Airlift

Question 1

How did Stalin know the West part of Berlin was vulnerable?

Answer 1

.They were surrounded by Soviet Union territory
. There were only two zone ‘corridors’ and air routes across the Soviet zone of Germany to Western-occupied Berlin

Question 2

What did Stalin do in June 1948?

Answer 2

Shut off land routes across Soviet-controlled Germany into Berlin, now commonly known as the Berlin Blockade

Question 3

What did Stalin hope would happen to a united Germany after WW2?

Answer 3

It might become communist. This was very unlikely

Question 4

Even in Soviet zones, how were the Soviets seen?

Answer 4

Not popular

Question 5

How was deep resentment created amongst many Germans?

Answer 5

As Red army advanced into Germany at end of WW2, its soldiers carried out brutal atrocities in revenge for what the Nazis had done in the Soviet Union

Question 6

What did Stalin want to show in the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 6

That a divided Germany wouldn’t work

Question 7

How would the Berlin Blockade cause people of Berlin to soon run short of food?

Answer 7

As the main section of Trizonia in Western Germany would no longer be able to communicate with the capital of Berlin

Question 8

If the blockade was successful, how would it benefit Stalin?

Answer 8

Would be a huge propaganda success at the expense of the West
. Might also mean the Western powers would give up control of their zones in Berlin and allow the whole of the capital to be controlled by the Soviet Union

Question 9

How was the Berlin Blockade a direct challenge to Truman?

Answer 9

Stalin knew the blockade couldn’t be ignored because of his speech anout defending the world from communism

Question 10

What did the West have to be careful pf?

Answer 10

They knew an attempt to force supplies to Berlin along the closed land routes would be seen as a potential act of war

Question 11

What did the West do instead of forces supplying through blocked land corridors?

Answer 11

Flew supplies into their zones in Berlin

Question 12

How was flying planes into Berlin a great idea?

Answer 12

They could only be stopped if the planes were shot down and that would make Stalin the aggressor which Truman doubted Stalin was prepared to be

Question 13

What is the Berlin airlift also known as ?

Answer 13

Operation Vittles

Question 14

What was Operation Vittles?

Answer 14

Western allies flew food, coal and other necessities along the air corridors

Question 15

How were the pilots taking a huge risk in operation vittles?

Answer 15

They couldn’t be sure the Soviets wouldn’t shoot them down

Question 16

What did the people of west berlin and western troops in the city join to do?

Answer 16

Build a runway at the old airport Berlin-Tempelhof and a new airport at Berlin-Tegel so supplies could be landed in the Western zones

Question 17

What did ordinary citizens do in operation vittles?

Answer 17

Helped unload planes and hand out the supplies to those who needed them

Question 18

How much supplies were flown over every day?

Answer 18

At least 1000 tonnes from Americans and similar rate from Brits

Question 19

What was operation Little Vittles?

Answer 19

American pilot Gail Halvorsen saw children watching from fence as he landed supplies. He decided to drop sweets in parachutes next flight and so did other pilots

Question 20

What happened on May 9 1949?

Answer 20

Soviets gave in and lifted blockade.

Question 21

What were the casualties of Operation vittles?

Answer 21

Amazingly, no casualties

Question 22

Did west Berlin survive with the airlift?

Answer 22

Yes

Question 23

How did Stalin look after Operation Vittles?

Answer 23

His attempt for a propaganda victory backfired
Stalin’s blockade seemed like an unwise and aggressive attack now

Question 24

What did the West prove from Operation Vittles?

Answer 24

They could respond peacefully