Download Berlin Airlift 1948-1949

Berlin Airlift 1948-1949
Background
• There were many questions facing the Allies
following World War II
• One of the biggest involved what should be
done with Germany
– Having suffered from German Aggression twice in
the first half of the 20th Century, France and the
USSR wanted a weakened Germany
The Solution
• Create occupation zones based on the way in which
the armies had entered the country
• The Soviets received the agricultural areas in the
east, the British received the industrial areas to the
north, and the Americans received the scenic areas
to the south.
• The French zone was later carved out of part of the
American zone.
Occupation Zones in Germany
Berlin
• The city of Berlin was
to remain the capital,
and although it was
situated deep within
the Soviet zone, it
became a divided city,
with the western half
occupied by the
British, the United
States, and the French
• Although the western allies had territory in
Berlin, there was never an agreement with the
Soviets to allow surface access into the city.
• In the interest of safety, however, an
agreement was reached establishing air
corridors to and from the city.
• The Allies wanted five
corridors, but the
Soviet Union only
agreed to three
• Two were in the
British Zone, one in
the American
• Each corridor was 20
miles wide
• Two airbases
existed in West
Berlin
• Tempelhof in the
American Sector
• Gatow in the
British Sector
What Caused the Blockade?
• Europe was not recovering from the war as
quickly as hoped
• The United States came up with the idea of
combining the three western zones into
“Trizonia” to help Germany recover
• The Soviet Union, opposed Germany unity and
imposed a short, possible test, blockade in
April 1948, preventing supplies from reaching
Berlin
• The Western zones decided to replace the
nearly worthless German currency with new
money, a move the Soviets ferociously
opposed
• In response, the Soviets imposed a total
ground blockade in July 1948.
• The purpose was not to drive the western
allies out of Germany, but rather to force their
hand.
What is a President to Do?
• Truman’s advisors offered many solutions:
Lucius Clay, Military Governor of
Germany wanted to force a convoy
into Berlin, risking World War III, but
the British said “No”
The British suggested that the Allies use an airlift
to supply Berlin to buy time for negotiations
with the Soviets.
• What began as a temporary measure, grew
into one of the greatest logistical feats ever
attempted.
• Though the two airports in Berlin had only
one runway each, the allies began airlifting
supplies into Berlin
The Solution
• Using the northern and
southern corridors to enter
Berlin and the center
corridor to exit, the Allies
began sending planes into
the ravaged city
• Before long the planes
were landing every three
minutes, each one bringing
ten tons of needed supplies
Conditions in Berlin
• People were living on
as little as 1000 to 1500
calories per day even
before the blockade
• The Allies determined
they needed to supply
at least 1700 calories a
day to the 2.3 million
people residing in West
Berlin
The End of the Blockade
• In spite of the obstacles
involved, the Berlin
Airlift was maintained
and the Soviets
eventually gave up and
removed the blockade
• President Truman
announce the end of
the blockade on May
12, 1949
Between the 25th of June 1948 and the 1st of
August 1949, two million two hundred thousand
occupants of West Berlin were supplied
2,223,000 tons of supplies in 266,600 flights.
Mileposts
18th February
1949
First million short tons delivered.
2nd July 1949
Second million short tons delivered.
5th August
1949
Two and a quarter million tons delivered to
Berlin.
Total Tonnage
US
by Commodity:
British
Coal
1,421,730
164,800
Food
296,303
241,713
Military
Supplies
Miscellaneous
Wet Fuel
Total
---
18,239
65,540
25,202
---
92,282
1,783,573
Total Combined Tonnage
542,236
2,325,809 tons
While the Statistics are impressive
• The main things the airlift provided the people
of Berlin were:
HOPE and FREEDOM