The Berlin Crisis

1
The Berlin Crisis

• How do the US Soviet Union fight their first
  Cold War Battle?

2
Trouble in Berlin

• At Yalta Conf. US, Britain, Soviets decide
  Germany will be split into three zones at end of
  the war US/GB will give France a 4th zone

• Capital city Berlin is also divided into four
  occupation zones even though it is inside the
  Soviet zone

• US, Britain, France will allow their 3 zones of
  Germany to combine into W. Germany by Spring 1949

• US/GB will supply City of W. Berlin (in Soviet
  Zone)

• Truman tells West Germans not to pay Stalin
  reparation money

Harry Truman
3
The Berlin Blockade

• Says not paying reparations is a violation of
  agreement made at Potsdam conference!

• Installs a puppet communist govt. in Soviet
  zone creating the country of East Germany

Joseph Stalin

• Soviets/E. Germans block road access to West
  Berlin, which is inside East Germany

• Soviets/E. Germans no agreement for road access

• Soviets hope US will just give up West Berlin

4
Berlin Airlift

• US Britain claim they have a legal right to
  supply West Berlin, will airlift supplies into
  city

• 278K flights were made (June 26-May 11)

• 2.3 million tons of food and supplies were
  delivered

• Stalin threatens military action, but ends
  blockade in May of 1949

5

• After Berlin Crisis each Superpower forms a
  defensive alliance

• US forms NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

• Soviets form Warsaw Pact

6
A miniature city is used instruct how the airlift
will work and locations that will be used.
7
US Air traffic controllers directing the airlift
8
Fueled by doughnuts, hamburgers and coffee, these
pilots at Rhein-Main flew four round trips per
day.
9
The limited load capacity of the C-47 aircraft
necessitated that the much larger C-54s be added
to the airlift as quickly as possible. A single
C-54 was capable of carrying as much cargo as
four of its older cousins.
10
Fresh milk being loaded on a C-47.
Shipments of whole milk soon were dropped in
favor of more weight efficient condensed milk.
11

• One of the first planes to bring in supplies.
  Food had to be rationed as well. Two-thirds of a
  pound per day for employed persons and one-half
  pound for the unemployed.

12
A C-54 flies over a graveyard and perilously
close to some apartments buildings while making
its landing approach.
13
Remains of a Navy C-54 after a crash landing on
the night of November 15, 1948.
14
Miniature parachutes carrying treats for the kids
can be seen dropping from a C-54 as it comes in
for a landing.
15
German children playing out their own Berlin
Airlift
16
Waiting for supplies. Notice the kids sitting on
rubble from WWII