Download Importance of Berlin Blockade and Airlift

Importance of Berlin Blockade and
Airlift
• USA and West proved they were prepared to
stand up to USSR and resist further expansion
(Truman Doc in action)
• Ended any possibility of speedy unification of
Berlin and Germany (divided into West Germany
and East Germany)
• West saw it as a victory and led to formation of
NATO (common defence strategy)
• First main crisis of the Cold War – set the pattern
for the future (i.e. Threats but not all-out war)
• Deepened hostility between East and West
Formation of NATO & Warsaw Pact
• Common defence strategy
• America could build air bases in Western Europe
(stationed with planes equipped with nuclear bombs
ready for use if there was an act of aggression) and
have armed forces permanently in Europe
• Stalin saw America’s presence as an act of war and
once West Germany joined NATO (1955) he feared a
strong Germany with American weapons and troops
stationed close to Eastern Europe
• Hence the WARSAW pact allowed Soviet troops to also
be stationed all over Europe
Nuclear Arms Race
• 1945 US – dropping of A bombs on Nagasaki and Hirochima
• 1949 USSR – exploded first A bomb
• 1952 US – Hydrogen bomb successfully tested (2,000x more
powerful)
• 1953 USSR – own Hydrogen bomb created
 Increased climate of fear especially fears of a pre-emptive
strike to win a possible ‘hot-war’
 Both sides felt arms race had to continue to protect
themselves from other side
 ‘Brinkmanship’ pushing a dangerous system to the verge of
disaster