The Origins of the Berlin Blockade

World War II destroyed Europe and the continent was split apart when the war was finally over. Germany, a one time unified nation, was now divided: the victorious allied forces divided the defeated nation into zones. There were four main countries and powers, the America, Soviet Union, Britain and France and they had the responsibility of administering the zones.

By 1945, there was this rising conflict between the Kremlin and the West. In the post war planning of Germany, tensions emerged and both sides did not trust each other any longer. This struggle between communism and capitalism would finally reach its climax in 1948 when the Stalin’s Soviet Union put a blockade on Berlin.

The Berlin Blockade: Dates and Significance

The Berlin Blockade was carried out by the Soviet Union from 24th June 1948 to 12 May 1949. Its main purpose was to deny the Western Allies the access to West Berlin, which was located to the west deep within the Soviet Zone of Occupation. It was an attempt to change situation to own advantage, to make Western powers give up on the initiative of German unification and to accept the Soviet-occupied zone as the separate German state – the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany that would remain under the Soviet control.

All access to West Berlin was sealed of by Soviet forces by cutting all the rail, road and canal links to the city during the blockade. This meant that supplies to the population of West Berlin, already under a grim existence in the middle of the East Germany Soviet Zone, were under a real danger of being starved out.

The response of the Western Allies was not ambiguous. Panicking at what they saw as a synthetically constructed crisis, they developed a brilliant strategy for maintaining the people of West Berlin known as the Berlin Airlift. This eventually emerged as one of the biggest humanitarian operations in the twentieth century.

The Berlin Airlift: A Triumph over Adversity

In response to the Soviet blockade, the U.S and its allies initiated the Berlin Airlift, whose main participants were the American and Britain forces. The airlift was one of the biggest and certainly the most daring exercises that aimed at supplying the West Berliners with the most needed supplies and materials – foodstuffs, fuel and others.

From June 26, 1948 to September 30, 1949 Air lifts of cargo planes continused to arrive at the Tempelhof Airport in Berlin. These planes made their deliveries and in record time left the city to avoid a jam that would likely be observed when planes are parked in the city with loaded supplies waiting to deliver them. The extent of the operation reached record proportions because over 277,000 flights airlifted more than two million tons of supplies, thereby providing the means for supporting the population of West Berlin throughout the entire blockade.

Problems were unmistakably present during the Berlin Airlift operation. Extremely severe weather, few fields for operation, and potential Soviet involvement made the given operation almost impossible. Nevertheless, there was definite determination and all out perseverance of the Western allies to see that the people of West Berlin were not left to the mercy of the East.

Demystified: Consequences of the Berlin Blockade If You Need Help, Contact Us!

The Berlin Blockade is revealed to have started disintegrating on account of various reasons. The strategy of the Western Allies involved in the Cold War was also proved effective for the Berlin Airlift where they tried to supply the people of West Berlin feeding them in spite of the Soviet Union’s intention to strangle them to death. It also did not effectively sever the flow of communication between the Western Allies and West Berlin through other means such as through the Autobahn and subterfuge.

Given the set up of the Cuba crisis and as the blockade unfolded, the Soviet Union realized that their plan was not having the desired effect. External pressure together with humiliation when their blockade failed to bring the desired outcome made the parties sit for negotiation. The blockade ended fully on May 12, 1949, when the Soviets rejoiced the access to West Berlin. Though, the division of Germany stayed and the conflict between the East and the West continued and developed into the building of the Berlin wall in 1961.

The Significance of Berlin Blockade

The Berlin Blockade is a recognized event in the history of the world after World War II and has historical value. It was a significant step up in the overall cold war between the USSR and the Western Allies due to its clear ideology divide in terms of power structures of the time.

Successful completion of the Berlin Airlift also expresses the determination of the Western Allies in defending liberty and welfare of the West Berliners. It also stand as the symbol of unity with cooperation of people in face of hardships of life.

However, as a result of the Berlin Blockade and what followed from it, the situation was even graver. It however deepened the divide between east and west in Germany and also increased the prospect of pushing more on the arms race between super powers. The blockade also exposed the allies to containment, the western allies to contain communism through the domino theory.

Conclusion

Berlin Blockade was one of the more significant events in that period following the World War II showing relations of hostility between the Soviet Union and the western allies. Not only did the West Berlin avoid being starved to death through the failed blockade but also the subsequent successful Berlin Airlift highlighted and paved way for the willingness of the Western Allies especially America to stand up to Soviet injustice.

The story from this era remains valid and educating to this date. The Berlin Blockade shows the need to fight for freedom, fight for freedom and fight for Liberty when all is against you.