The Berlin Blockade & Airlift

Key points on the causes and events of the Berlin Blockade and airlift

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Economics

What did the two superpowers want for Germany/Berlin economically?

  • West wanted to speed up economic recovery. They didn't want Berlin to be poor because then they might be drawn into communism
  • East wanted to secure itself from future attack. If the east became rich, they may strive for independence
  • Stalin also feared that the new western currency and democracy would spread to the east 

 

 

 

 

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Democracy

How did the east and west want Germany/Berlin to be run?

  • Western sectors set up free elections to establish democracy. The west was capitalist
  • Stalin's hopes for Berlin's council failed as he wanted communist control
  • Stalin was unhappy that tge western sectors of Germany would be exposed to the Allies (capitalism). Stalin didn't want the Allies in Berlin
  • Truman wanted Berlin to be a symbol of freedom behind the iron curtain and saw Berlin as a test case
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Berlin Blockade

What did Stalin do when Europe became involved in Marshall Aid in 1947?

  • Began searching roads and supplies going into Germany
  • He didn't want east Berlin to be exposed to this 'island of capitalism'
  • Banned eastern Europe from Marshall Aid

 

 

 

 

 

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Berlin Airlift

What did the Allies do in response to the Blockade?

  • They decided to airlift the supplies into Berlin
  • The Berlin airlift lasted for 10 months, starting in June 1948 and ending in April 1949
  • Between 16-17th April 1949, over 1,000 flights landed nearly 13,000 tonnes of supplies in 24 hours
  • These supplies consisted of everything from flood, clothing, oil and building materials
  • Stalin called off the Blockade in May 1949. He had failed to push the Allies out of Berlin
  • Truman- 'We refused to be forced out'

 

 

 

 

 

 

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