Berlin Airlift

1948-1949

Background
There were many questions facing the
Allies following World War II
One of the biggest involved what should
be done with Germany
Having suffered from German Aggression
twice in the first half of the 20th Century,
France and the USSR wanted a weakened
Germany

The Solution
Create occupation zones based on the way in
which the armies had entered the country
The Soviets received the agricultural areas in
the east, the British received the industrial areas
to the north, and the Americans received the
scenic areas to the south.
The French zone was later carved out of part of
the American zone.

Occupation Zones in Germany

Berlin
The city of Berlin was
to remain the capital,
and although it was
situated deep within
the Soviet zone, it
became a divided city,
with the western half
occupied by the
British, the United
States, and the
French

Although the western allies had territory in

Berlin, there was never an agreement with
the Soviets to allow surface access into
the city.
In the interest of safety, however, an
agreement was reached establishing air
corridors to and from the city.

The Allies wanted five

corridors, but the
Soviet Union only
agreed to three
Two were in the
British Zone, one in
the American
Each corridor was 20
miles wide

Two airbases existed

in West Berlin
Tempelhof in the
American Sector
Gatow in the British
Sector

What Caused the Blockade?

Europe was not recovering from the war
as quickly as hoped
The United States came up with the idea
of combining the three western zones into
Trizonia to help Germany recover
The Soviet Union, opposed Germany unity
and imposed a short, possible test,
blockade in April 1948, preventing
supplies from reaching Berlin

The Western zones decided to replace the

nearly worthless German currency with new
money, a move the Soviets ferociously opposed
In response, the Soviets imposed a total ground
blockade in July 1948.
The purpose was not to drive the western allies
out of Germany, but rather to force their hand.
Click below to hear Trumans explanation of the
blockade.

What is a President to Do?

Trumans advisors offered many solutions:
Lucius Clay, Military Governor of
Germany wanted to force a convoy
into Berlin, risking World War III,
but the British said no
The British suggested that the Allies use an
airlift to supply Berlin to buy time for
negotiations with the Soviets.

What began as a temporary measure,

grew into one of the greatest logistical
feats ever attempted.
Though the two airports in Berlin had only
one runway each, the allies began airlifting
supplies into Berlin

The Solution
Using the northern and
southern corridors to
enter Berlin and the
center corridor to exit, the
Allies began sending
planes into the ravaged
city
Before long the planes
were landing every three
minutes, each one
bringing ten tons of
needed supplies

Conditions in Berlin

People were living on as little as 1000

to 1500 calories per day even before
the blockade
The Allies determined they needed to
supply at least 1700 calories a day to
the 2.3 million people residing in West
Berlin

This video, made by Gail Halvorsen (the

Candy Bomber) illustrates the conditions
he observed as a pilot flying goods into
Berlin.

The End of the Blockade

In spite of the obstacles involved, the Berlin
Airlift was maintained and the Soviets
eventually gave up and removed the
blockade
Click here to hear President
Truman announce the end of
the blockade on May 12, 1949

Between the 25th of June 1948 and the 1st of August 1949, two
million two hundred thousand occupants of West Berlin were
supplied 2,223,000 short tons of supplies in 266.600 flights.

Mileposts

18th
February
1949

First million short tons delivered.

2nd July
1949

Second million short tons delivered.

5th August
1949

Two and a quarter million tons delivered

to Berlin.

TotalTonnage
by
US
Commodity:

British

Coal

1,421,730

164,800

Food

296,303

241,713

Military
Supplies
Miscellaneous

Wet Fuel
Total

---

18,239

65,540

25,202

---

92,282

1,783,573

Total Combined Tonnage

542,236

2,325,809 short tons

While the Statistics are impressive

The main things the airlift provided the
people of Berlin were:

HOPE and FREEDOM