Berlin Blockade Essay

279 Words2 Pages
The Berlin Blockade starting June 24, 1948 was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access making it so that they were not able to get food or fuel, Which practically gave Soviets control over the entire city. In response, the Western Allies organized the Berlin Airlift to carry supplies to the people in West Berlin. The United States Air Force and the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing up to 4,700 tons of daily necessities such as fuel and food to the people of West Berlin. Alongside US and British personnel, the airlift involved aircrews from the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, and South African Air Force. By the spring of 1949, the effort was a success and, by April, the airlift was delivering more cargo than was transported into the city by railroads. The success of the Berlin Airlift embarrassed to the Soviets who had refused to believe it could make a difference. The blockade was lifted in May 1949 and resulted in the creation of two separate German states; West Germany and East Germany. In remembrance of the airlift, three airports in the former western zones of the city served as the primary gateways to Germany for another fifty years. Gail Halvorsen (aka Uncle Wiggle wings) was known as the original “candy bomber” in Germany. He told kids to look out for a plane “wiggling” its wings, and when they saw it, they knew he was there to drop candy bars for
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