The first Berlin Crisis

– Berlin Blockade
Made by: Réka Valacsai
The Background

• Postwar division of
Germany
• Sectors of the devided
Berlin
• Allies access to Berlin?
Currency crisis East
German
• Currency reform Mark
• Used in all four
occupation
zones
• Soviet
opposition
Deutsche
Mark
Berlin Blockade
24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949

• propaganda campaign
• economic and administrative sanctions
• all land, rail and water traffic halted
• counter-blockade
• decision for an airlift
Airlift
• Operation Vittles - 25 June 1948
o air corridors
o Black Friday
• By August: 1,500 flights
delivered more than 4,500 tons
of cargo daily
• Operation Little Vittles
o Raisin Bombers
• Soviet response
End of the crisis
 successfull negotiations
 12 May 1949 – blockade was lifted
 30 September 1949 – official end
of the airlift
o 2,326,406 tons (2/3 coal)
o 278,228 flights 
How it could have been
avoided?
same currency in every occupation zone
negotiations
acceptance on Soviet side
Thank you for your
attention!