Introduction
The Berlin Airlift can well be ranked among the most outstanding humanitarian operations of the twentieth century. It occurred soon after the second world war, and the city of Berlin was split into the four zones, each run by different allied power. The Soviets which had jurisdiction over East Berlin sought to strangle West Berlin into submission through a blockade in the belief that the west would abandon the city. In turn, the United States and its allies decided on the Berlin Airlift, the massive operation to supplied West Berlin with the necessities to prevent it from failing. Here in this article, the reader will learn at what point the Berlin Airlift began as well as how it progressed.
The Beginning of the Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift could be said to have started on 26 th June, 1948 after the Soviets had blocked the city. Soviet forces had sealed all the avenues West Berlin depended on to get supplies in terms of road, rail, and even waterway. To the United States, Britain, and France largely the western powers the blockade threatened the occupation forces in the post-war Germany and supposed that the situation could only be remedied immediately.
Its code named operation Vittles, the Allies flew in essential supplies into West Berlin. It’s task was to supply the inhabitants of the surrounded city with food, fuel and everything else they needed. The technological function of the invention was to support the people until a political or diplomatic outcome of the conflict might be achieved.
The Logistical Challenges
Even in the first stages of the Berlin Airlift there were many operational difficulties to be encountered. One of the major preoccupations was the small capacity of the airports in West Berlin. The three airfield used for the operation of the mission were the Tempelhof airport, Tegel airport and Gatow airfield. These airports were meant to be used for this sort of operation but could not handle the sheer volume of flying traffic so they were built upon.
The western powers also needed to build as effective logistic support chain to ensure they provided steady support to the airlift. They had to arrange transfers of supplies to several places before they could transport them to the airport so that they could be loaded on cargo planes and airlifted into West Berlin. This entailed much planning and organization at all levels of military and civil bureaucracy.
The Role of the C-47 Skytrain
It is for this reason that the C-47 Sky train a military transport aircraft was instrumental during the Berlin Airlift. It was able to accommodate large quantities of cargo and was suitable to be operated. These planes apart from these models like C-54 Skymaster played a crucial role of providing regular supply of essentials to West Berlin.
Operation Maintenance
One of the critical factors for the Berlin Airlift’s success was practical management of maintainance of these aircrafts and airports. The planes were constantly flying during the observation time and made a landing or took off after each few minutes. The traveling schedule described herein proved to be demanding to the aircraft and it became imperative to ensure regular servicing of the aircrafts. Also, pristine conditions of the airports had to be maintained to accommodate the ever arriving airplanes with cargos.
This paper seeks to establish the duration of the Berlin Airlift.
The Berlin Airlift went on for the whole of one year, up to May 12, 1949 for it to be officially halted. From this time over 2,3 million of tons supplies were transported into West Berlin by air. Flight operation wasn’t interrupted by poor weather conditions, political relation between Kenya and Tanzania, or sometimes the minor accidents that would happened during flights.
The Impact and Legacy
They conquered the Berlin Airlift regarding education of the people of Berlin as well as proving the strenuousness of the Western powers. It proved their determination and firmness for the people of West Berlin as well as readiness to stand for democratic values in the heat of Soviet invasion.
With the successful ending of the Berlin Airlift there were serious implications for the political development of Europe after the Second World War. Its outcome led to the creation of two German states – the Federal Republic of Germany commonly referred to as West Germany and the German Democratic Republic which was famously known as East Germany. The airlift was also a great proclamation of Western togetherness and unity in the early stage of the Cold War.
Conclusion
The Berlin Airlift was started on June 26, 1948 and continued for 11months which resulted in severing off the Soviet blockade to West Berlin. It was an enormous operation that required the use of planes in order to transport needed supplies into the city for the endurance of its citizens. The Berlin Airlift demonstrated the attitude and the will of the western powers to fight against Soviets’ aggression and had an imprint on political situation in Europe after deliverance. That is why the concept of humanitarian aid as well as the idea of hope overcoming suffering is becoming a symbol.
Table of Contents
