Berlin Blockade

• Causes of the Berlin Blockade:

  • allies helped the Germans to rebuild their economy.

  • introduced a new, stable currency in 1948

  • USA and UK joined zones together (Bizonia)
• The Berlin Blockade:

  • 24 June 1948 - Stalin cut all land access to Berlin for the

  allies

  • sealed off roads, railroads and canals
• The Berlin Airlift:

  • USA supplied their sector from the air

  • cargo planes ferried provisions from Western Europe to West Berlin

  • 275,000 planes transported 1.5 million tonnes of supplies

  • a plane landed every three minutes

  • supplies - flour, wheat, cereal etc.
• Propaganda and the Berlin Blockade:

  • used the event to show Stalin in a very negative light

  • clever propaganda which showed him as controlling, and starving people of food

  • USA portrayed as a saviour
• Relations with Allies:

  • showed USSR in a negative

  light in propaganda

  • British hailed the Americans as

  heroes in films

  • strengthened the allies

  relationship

  • formation of NATO
• Results of the Berlin Blockade:

  • May 1949 - end of the blockade

  • allies determined to build up West Berlin - showcase for capitalism

  • Germans from the Soviet zone crossed into West Berlin

  • remained a source of tension

  • April 1949 - allied announced the formation of the German Federal

  Republic

  • a state of permanent hostility now existed

  • low point for international relations.

  • Europe divided into two opposing armed camps

  • NATO and Warsaw Pact