1. Case Study
The Berlin Blockade

2. Before the Blockade
Potsdam Conference political and economic policy for Germany. Germany was divided into 4 zones and was to be governed by the Allied Control Council (France, UK, USA and USSR). Germany was to be totally “occupied, denazified, demilitarised and deindustrialised”.
Berlin, the capital of Germany, was located in the Soviet zone.
1947 Truman Doctrine: protect free people from the subjugation …
1947 Marshall Plan: US aid package
1947 Comecon: the Soviet reaction to the Marshall Plan

4. The Berlin Blockade

5. Divided Germany*
Each zone would act as a single unit administered by a joint committee (ACC)
ACC- Allied Control Council
ACC headquartered in Berlin: new authority in newly recognized Germany
Germany a single economic unit, & all actions required unanimous agreement

6. Contributing factors
Feb London Conference: single currency to be used in Europe
Soviets disagreed, removed themselves from group
June 1948: currency introduced. In protest, USSR blocks access to Berlin
West previously had access to 1 road, 1 rail, 2 air corridors

7. Strategy: Berlin Airlift
The airlift marked a rise in tensions between the West and the Soviets, but it also helped heal divisions left by World War II.
Almost immediately, The United States, Great Britain, and France shifted from Germany's conquerors to its protectors.
"The airlift was the starting point for Germany's inclusion in the West and for the reconciliation with the Western powers," Berlin Mayor Eberhard Diepgen says.
Allied cooperation paved way for formation of new military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO

8. Berlin Airlift* Blockade of Berlin began on June 24, ’48
From June 1948 to May 1949, U.S. and British planes airlift supplies.

9. Operation Vittles -Airlift
All of the necessities for the city's 2.5 million residents -- an estimated 4,500 tons of food, coal and other materials each day -- had to enter the city by air.
On its biggest day, the "Easter parade" of April 16, 1949, the airlift sent 1,398 flights into Berlin -- one every minute.
Before it was all over, more than 278,000 flights would carry 2.3 million tons of relief supplies.

11. *
The Blockade ends in 1949 with the Soviets lifting the blockade as they see the US not giving up..

12. At the End* Berlin still divided between West and East
Each sector had it’s own administration
New governments formed in both sections of Germany
Federal Republic in West
Democratic Republic in East
Capital of West Germany: Bonn
DIVISION OF GERMANY IN TWO

13. Significance* First Cold War Conflict
Differing views as to how to deal with Germany
Truman’s popularity was at a low- this would boost it.
Germany is officially divided
NATO created shortly after as fear of communist build-up.
Warsaw Pact