Download Berlin Air Lift DBQ honors

Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
Background to the Berlin Airlift
Post war Germany was divided into three sections—half was controlled by the United States, Great
Britain and France [capitalist], while the other half was part by the Soviet Union [communist]. The single
country of Germany was split into two separate countries: West Germany and East Germany. The
capital city of Berlin, although located in the eastern Soviet half, was also divided into four sectors—
West Berlin occupied by the United States, Great Britain, and France and East Berlin occupied by the
Soviet Union. In June 1948, the Soviet Union attempted to take control of all of Berlin by stopping road
traffic to and from the city of West Berlin. This became known as the Berlin Blockade. The Soviet
Union thought they could gain control by starving the people of Berlin and cutting off their business and
trade with West Germany. The Truman administration reacted with a continual, daily airlift which
brought much needed food and supplies into the city of West Berlin. This Berlin Airlift lasted until the
end of September of 1949, after the Soviet government gave up their plans to take control of West Berlin
and lifted the blockade.
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
Document A
1. What is significant about the location of Berlin?
2. Why is Berlin in the Soviet occupation zone?
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
Document B
3. Why did President Truman answer "No Comment" when asked about the situation in Berlin?
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
2335 Norwalk Avenue
Los Angeles 41, Calif.
September 12, 1948
President Harry S. Truman,
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir:
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
The so-called "Berlin Crisis" is entirely an outgrowth of your own incredible stupidity. When you attended the
Potsdam Conference to arrange final details for the occupation of Germany, it was your duty to look out for
American interests and insist upon the establishment of a corridor to the American Zone for ingress and egress to the
city. This you failed to do. Possibly this was because Joe Stalin to be a "good old chap," as you expressed it some
time ago. But I am inclined to think that you were just too dumb to know that such a corridor was necessary.
In the meantime, you seem to be willing and even eager to force this country into a war with Russia merely for the
purpose of "saving face." If you do this, the blame for such a war will rest upon your own shoulders, and the blood
of American boys butchered in this war will be on your head.
Read the enclosed article from the Los Angeles Times of September 12, and then perhaps even your feeble mind
will grasp the fact that the Berlin Crisis can be solved without dragging the United States into war.
Yours truly,
PHILLIP JOHNSTON
Letter from an American citizen to President Truman
Document C
4. How does Philip Johnson assess the President's handling of the Berlin Crisis?
5. According to Mr. Johnson, what will be the result of President Truman's handling of the
situation?
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
Document D
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
6. What indicates how determined the allies were to remain in Berlin?
7. What indicates that the Berlin Crisis was of concern to not just the United States, Great
Britain, and France?
8. What is one possible outcome of this concern?
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
Document E – Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, Germany
9. Who are the people in the picture and what are they doing?
10. Why is there such interest in the plane?
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
Document F
11. What is being loaded on this plane?
12. What countries might be involved in this and why?
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Name: __________________
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Date: ______________
Document G
13. What does this tell us about the Berlin Blockade?
14. Why is milk a weapon?
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Name: __________________
Period: ____
Date: ______________
ASSESSMENT
Document Based Question:
Why was the Berlin Airlift successful at stopping the Soviet Blockade of West Berlin
without going to hot war?
Write a response to the question using and citing a minimum of four documents.
Your response should include an explanation of the policy of containment and
background information to the Berlin Crisis.
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