Divided
Germany. THE BERLIN
AIR LIFT: Divided
Berlin.
Under the system of quadrapartide, adopted at the conclusion of World War
II, Germany was divided into four zones of occupation, each controlled
by either the French, British, Americans, or the Soviets. By 1948 the US,
England, and France had decided that Germany required a more stable economy.
To this end they produced a new German currency, the Deutsch Mark, which
they hoped would benefit the western German economy. The Soviets were infuriated
by the currency reform, and called for the withdrawal of the the allied
forces from Berlin.
Berlin, like the rest of Germany, had been divided into zones of occupation.
It is for this reason that the Russian call for withdrawal of the British,
French, and American forces from Berlin quickly turned into a blockade
of Berlin, where access to Berlin was denied to the western powers. The
possibility of war threatened as the western powers thought of ways in
which to keep access to Berlin open.
The idea for a massive air lift was adopted in order to avoid confrontation
with the Soviets, as well as to show the Soviets the futility of their
blockade. By air lifting in supplies to the west Berliners the western
powers effectually avoided conflict with the U.S.S.R., as well as forced
the soviets to drop their blockade in the spring of 1949. The superior
military prowess of the western powers, exemplified by the United States'
atomic power made it unwise for the U.S.S.R. to take further military action,
and they were forced to abandon their blockade.
source cited:
http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/germany/lectures/36airlift.html
pictures
taken from: http://www.wall-berlin.org/gb/ciel.htm
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