The Berlin blockade and airlift Flashcards
What were the long term causes of the Blockade?
- soviet troops were able to control all access
- USSR believed western allies had no right to be in Berlin
- Western allies needed to be there to prevent the USSR gaining full control.
- The west could spy on soviet activity
What were the short term causes of the blockade?
- In January 1947 Britain and the USA combined there zones to form “Bizonia” and France joined a year later.
- Stalin felt threatened.
- Western Germany began to recover with the Marshall aid plan. In east Germany there was poverty and hunger.
- In 1948 the allies introduced a new currency. Stalin refused to intrude it into the Soviet zone.
What was the Berlin airlift?
- It was when western countries delivered much needed food and supplies to the city of Berlin through the air because all other routes were blocked by the Soviet Union.
What type of cargo were transported in the planes?
Coal, food, medicines and petrol.
how often were planes landing in west Berlin?
one every two minutes
How did the Soviets deal with the airlift?
jamming radios and shining lights into blind spots.
What happened in May 1949?
Stalin lifted the blockade having failed to achieve his goal
How long did the airlift last?
11 months
approx. how many flights?
300,000
what was announced in May 1949 after the blockade had been lifted?
Federal German republic, west Germany had been formed by merging the zones of the western allies.
What did Stalin do in October 1949?
turned the soviet union zone into the German Democratic Republic.
What was set up in April of 1949?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
What was set up in January of 1949?
COMECON
What was formed in May 1955?
The Warsaw pact
- was formed with eight communist countries. It was a direct response of NATO and the re-armanent of West Germany.
