berlin blockade

• when was it

  1948-1949
• what caused berlin blockade

  • US + UK zones formed Bizonia (1946)
  • France joined to form Trizonia (1947)
  • introduced Deutschmark currency (1948)
  • Stalin felt like he was being pushed out
• what did they use their zones for?


  Russia - take reparations and factories to weaken them so they'd turn to communism

  West - strengthened economy for trade and created good quality of life (threatened Stalin)
• Events of Blockade

  Berlin was entirely in USSR zone

  • Roads, rails + rivers cut off
  • Stalin wanted Berlin to entirely rely on Soviet
  • Berlin airlift began
• What was the Berlin Airlift

  • supplies lifted to West Berliners (food, fuel, clothes)
  • 1 plane landed every 2 minutes
  • lasted 11 months until Stalin stopped the blockade
  • Stalin couldnt shoot planes bc act of war
• Results of Blockade

  Officially split Germany in 2 - East + West

  USSR + US compete for world domination

  Arms race sped up, USSR tested first atomic bomb

  NATO formed (1949), COMECON formed (1949)

  West Germany joined NATO in 1955

  Warsaw Pact formed in 1955
• What was COMECON

  • Stalin could ensure market to sell Russian goods
  • Ensured cheap supply of materials like coal
  • Coordinated economy + trade within eastern bloc
  • helped the Molotov plan
• What was Warsaw Pact


  12 communist countries agreed to defend eachother if attacked.

  Response to NATO (Western alliance)