The Berlin Crisis of 1948 to 1949

• 1. In March 1948, talks between the Soviets and the West about reunifying Germany broke down
• 2. In March 1948, the British, Americans and French decided to unify just their zones instead, calling it ‘Trizonia’
• 3. In June 1948, the three Allies decided to introduce a single currency, the Deutschmark
• 4. In response, Stalin shut off land routes across Soviet-controlled Germany into Berlin. This was the ‘Berlin blockade’
• 5. The West wanted to avoid a direct confrontation by trying to force supplies through the closed land routes, so instead they decided to fly in key supplies like food, coal and medical supplies
• 6. The West flying in supplies was called Operation Vittles, the ’Berlin Airlift‘
• 8. On 9 May 1949, the Soviets lifted the blockade and Stalin's efforts had failed
• Consequently, Germany became permanently divided, into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
• Consequently, the West realised that they needed a formal military alliance and created NATO
• Consequently, the USA had shown that they were prepared to stick to the Truman Doctrine
• Consequently, it was shown to be an embarrassing defeat for the USSR, while Western propaganda portrayed it as a huge success
• 7. In January 1949, 170000 tonnes of supplies were sent into Berlin by air