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When the Allied Powers met at [[Potsdam]] they agreed to divide [[Germany]] into four occupation zones, American, British, Soviet, and French. They divided Berlin into four zones as well. Berlin was surrounded by the Soviet occupation zone, so the only way to get to the three western controlled sectors was driving through Soviet-controlled territory.

When the Allied Powers met at [[Potsdam]] they agreed to divide [[Germany]] into four occupation zones, American, British, Soviet, and French. They divided Berlin into four zones as well. Berlin was surrounded by the Soviet occupation zone, so the only way to get to the three western controlled sectors was driving through Soviet-controlled territory.

== Causes ==

== Causes ==

The Soviet Union began the blockade because they thought the western half of Germany (controlled by the UK, USA and France) was becoming too strong, because one currency had recently been introduced throughout the entire western half - the [[Deutsche Mark]]. The Soviets were worried that a single currency would help the economy of the western half recovered quickly from the damage caused by the [[Second World War]], and that this stronger western half would eventually develop into a country (it eventually did, called [[West Germany]]). The Russians wanted one Germany, without an army, that they could easily control. The [[Operation Barbarossa|Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union]] had killed one in seven Soviet people, and the Soviets feared that Britain, France and America might try to launch their own invasion at some point in the future. They therefore wanted as much land between them and France as possible, so that any major war would be fought in central Europe, and not in the Soviet Union where Soviet civilians might be killed (which is what had happened during WWII).  

The Soviet Union began the blockade because they thought the western half of Germany (controlled by the UK, USA and France) was becoming too strong, because one currency had recently been introduced throughout the entire western half - the [[Deutsche Mark]]. The Soviets were worried that a single currency would help the economy of the western half recovered quickly from the damage caused by the [[Second World War]], and that this stronger western half would eventually develop into a country (it eventually did, called [[West Germany]]). The Russians wanted one Germany, without an army, that they could easily control. The [[Operation Barbarossa|Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union]] had killed one in seven Soviet people, and the Soviets feared that Britain, France and America might try to launch their own invasion at some point in the future. They therefore wanted as much land between them and France as possible, so that any major war would be fought in [[central Europe]], and not in the Soviet Union where Soviet civilians might be killed (which is what had happened during WWII).  

Germany also had lots of coal and iron near its border with France. The Soviets wanted to use the coal and steel to help rebuild their own country, but these resources would be difficult to access if the western half of Germany turned into a capitalist country that was allied to Britain, France, and the USA. If Germany was a single neutral country, gaining access to these resources would be easier because Germany could be bullied by the Soviet Union.

Germany also had lots of coal and iron near its border with France. The Soviets wanted to use the coal and steel to help rebuild their own country, but these resources would be difficult to access if the western half of Germany turned into a capitalist country that was allied to Britain, France, and the USA. If Germany was a single neutral country, gaining access to these resources would be easier because Germany could be bullied by the Soviet Union.

On 24 June 1948, the Soviet Union blocked access to the three Western-held sectors of Berlin. They cut off all rail and road routes going through Soviet-controlled territory in the United States. They also blocked routes by river and canal to the [[Baltic Sea]]. The Western powers had arranged a treaty with the Soviets guaranteeing the right to use the roads, railways and waterways.

On 24 June 1948, the Soviet Union blocked access to the three Western-held sectors of Berlin. They cut off all rail and road routes going through Soviet-controlled territory in the United States. They also blocked routes by river and canal to the [[Baltic Sea]]. The Western powers had arranged a treaty with the Soviets guaranteeing the right to use the roads, railways and waterways.

The commander of the U.S. occupation zone in Germany, General [[Lucius D. Clay]], wanted to send some tanks along the [[Autobahn]] from West Germany to West Berlin, with instructions to fire if they were stopped or attacked. President [[Harry S. Truman|Truman]] said no, because that may start a war. Clay was told to ask General [[Curtis LeMay]], commander of [[United States Air Forces in Europe]], to see if an airlift was possible. General [[Albert Coady Wedemeyer|Albert Wedemeyer]], the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, was in Europe when the blockade began. He had been commander of the American forces in India and China in 1944–45. He knew about the Allied airlift from [[India]] over "The Hump" of the [[Himalayas]] to China. He was in favour of starting an airlift.<ref>* D.M. Giangreco, D.M and Griffin, Robert E.; (1988) ''[http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/BERLIN_A/PAGE_11.HTM The Airlift Begins] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506092238/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/BERLIN_A/PAGE_11.HTM|date=2016-05-06}}'' on [[Truman Library]] website, a Chapter section from: ''Airbridge to Berlin --- The Berlin Crisis of 1948, its Origins and Aftermath.''</ref>

The commander of the U.S. occupation zone in Germany, General [[Lucius D. Clay]], wanted to send some tanks along the [[Autobahn]] from West Germany to West Berlin, with instructions to fire if they were stopped or attacked. President [[Harry S. Truman|Truman]] said no, because that may start a war. Clay was told to ask General [[Curtis LeMay]], commander of [[United States Air Forces in Europe]], to see if an airlift was possible. General [[Albert Coady Wedemeyer|Albert Wedemeyer]], the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] Chief of Staff, was in Europe when the blockade began. He had been commander of the American forces in India and China in 1944–45. He knew about the Allied airlift from [[India]] over "The Hump" of the [[Himalayas]] to China. He was in favour of starting an airlift.<ref>*D.M. Giangreco, D.M and Griffin, Robert E.; (1988) ''[http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/BERLIN_A/PAGE_11.HTM The Airlift Begins] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506092238/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/BERLIN_A/PAGE_11.HTM|date=2016-05-06}}'' on [[Truman Library]] website, a Chapter section from: ''Airbridge to Berlin --- The Berlin Crisis of 1948, its Origins and Aftermath.''</ref>

[[Image:BerlinerBlockadeLuftwege.png|250px|thumb|left|Air corridors to Berlin.]]

[[Image:BerlinerBlockadeLuftwege.png|250px|thumb|left|Air corridors to Berlin.]]

The USSR lifted its blockade at midnight, on 11 May 1949. But, the airlift did not end until 30 September 1949, because the Western states wanted to build up enough supplies in West Berlin in case the Soviets blockaded it again.

The USSR lifted its blockade at midnight, on 11 May 1949. But, the airlift did not end until 30 September 1949, because the Western states wanted to build up enough supplies in West Berlin in case the Soviets blockaded it again.

The three major Berlin airfields involved were [[Tempelhof Airport|Tempelhof]], in the American Sector, [[Gatow Airport|RAF Gatow]] in the British and [[Tegel Airport|Tegel]] in the French. To keep everything safe, air traffic control was located at Tempelhof. A new four-power organization also started, [[Berlin Air Safety Center]] (BASC). BASC only closed down in 1990, when [[German reunification|Germany was reunited]] and the ordinary German [[civilian]] air traffic control took over.

The three major Berlin airfields involved were [[Tempelhof Airport|Tempelhof]], in the American Sector, [[Gatow Airport|RAF Gatow]] in the British and [[Tegel Airport|Tegel]] in the French. To keep everything safe, [[air traffic control]] was located at Tempelhof. A new four-power organization also started, [[Berlin Air Safety Center]] (BASC). BASC only closed down in 1990, when [[German reunification|Germany was reunited]] and the ordinary German [[civilian]] air traffic control took over.

== British operation ==

== British operation ==

The British had about 150 [[C-47 Dakota]]s and 40 [[Avro York]]s. The RAF was also using 10 [[Short Sunderland]]s and later by Short Hythe flying boats. These flew Finkenwerder on the [[Elbe]] near [[Hamburg]] to the [[Havel]] river. The flying boats were designed to resist rust and water damage so were very useful for transporting bulk salt, which would have rusted the other planes. Many other aircraft were later used, and the British had flown in about 100,000 tons of cargo by the end of the blockade.

The British had about 150 [[C-47 Dakota]]s and 40 [[Avro York]]s. The RAF was also using 10 [[Short Sunderland]]s and later by Short Hythe flying boats. These flew Finkenwerder on the [[Elbe]] near [[Hamburg]] to the [[Havel]] river. The flying boats were designed to resist rust and water damage so were very useful for transporting bulk salt, which would have rusted the other planes. Many other aircraft were later used, and the British had flown in about 100,000 tons of cargo by the end of the blockade.

== Berlin Blockade Media ==

== Berlin Blockade Media ==

<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>

<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>

File:Map-Germany-1947.svg|The red area of Germany (above) is Soviet-controlled [[East Germany]]. German territory east of the [[Oder-Neisse line]] (light beige) was ceded to Poland, while a portion of the easternmost section of Germany [[East Prussia]], [[Königsberg]], was annexed by the [[Soviet Union|USSR]], as the [[Kaliningrad Oblast]].

File:Map-Germany-1947.svg|The red area of Germany is Soviet-controlled [[East Germany]]. German territory east of the [[Oder-Neisse line]] (light beige) was ceded to Poland, while a portion of the easternmost section of Germany [[East Prussia]], [[Königsberg]], was annexed by the [[Soviet Union|USSR]], as the [[Kaliningrad Oblast]].

File:Berlin Blockade-map.svg|Map showing sectors of occupation of Berlin

File:Berlin Blockade-map.svg|Map showing sectors of occupation of Berlin

File:Germans-airlift-1948.jpg|Germans watching supply planes at Tempelhof

File:Germans-airlift-1948.jpg|Germans watching supply planes at Tempelhof

File:Berlin airlift.ogv|1950s film by the British Government about the Berlin airlift

File:Berlin airlift.webm|1950s film by the British Government about the Berlin airlift

File:C-74 Globemaster unloading flour at Berlin Gatow during Operation Vittles.jpg|A [[Douglas C-74 Globemaster|C-74 Globemaster]] plane at Gatow airfield on 19 August with more than 20 tons of flour from the United States

File:C-74 Globemaster unloading flour at Berlin Gatow during Operation Vittles.jpg|A [[Douglas C-74 Globemaster|C-74 Globemaster]] plane at Gatow airfield on 19 August with more than 20 tons of flour from the United States

File:Wiesbaden Air Base during Berlin Airlift 1949.jpg|C-54s stand out against the snow at Wiesbaden Air Base during the Berlin Airlift in the Winter of 1948–49

File:Wiesbaden Air Base during Berlin Airlift 1949.jpg|C-54s stand out against the snow at Wiesbaden Air Base during the Berlin Airlift in the Winter of 1948–49

</gallery>

</gallery>

== Related pages ==

== Related pages ==