Berlin+Blockade

Date: June 24 1948 to May 12 1949
 *  __The Berlin Blockade__ **

" without freedom, you're lost " -Mr.Quast

Berliners watching a c-54 land at Tempelhof Airport (1948)

Loading milk on a West Berlin-bound aircraft to fly for the citizens. "Lucius Clay, the military governor of the American zone of occupied Germany wrote: "When the order of the Soviet Military Administration to close all rail traffic from the western zones went into effect at 6:00AM on the morning of June 24, 1948, the three western sectors of Berlin, with a civilian population of about 2,500,000 people, became dependent on reserve stocks and airlift replacements. It was one of the most ruthless efforts in modern times to use mass starvation for political coercion... "

US Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen, who pioneered the idea of dropping candy bars and bubble gum with handmade miniature parachutes, which later became known as "Operation Little Vittles".

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Timeline:


 * June 24, 1948, Stalin imposed a blockade on all roads (Autobahn) and rail traffic into West Berlin. All food supplies from the Russian occupied zone (later East Germany) were stopped immediately. This was an attempt to force the Western powers out. Stalin saw a strong united western sector of Germany as a threat.
 * June 25, 1948, beginning of the Luftbrücke (Airlift). The Luftbrücke is an act of transporting supplies by aircraft, typically in a blockade or other emergency. The Americans and the British decided to retain control of Berlin, as they felt that if they allowed the takeover of the capital, the Soviets would be encouraged into West Germany. They began to aid West Berlin by airlifting in all necessary supplies The American and Britain had to ship in at least 1,500 tons of goods a day for the people in Berlin to maintain a subsistence level of food, light, and warmth. Flying conditions were extremely hazardous and stressful
 * June 28, 1948, the British started their airlift under the name “Plainfair” and the Americans under “Operation Little Vittles”.
 * July 17, 1948, Operation Little Vittles took place. The Berlin aircraft with pilot Gail Halvorsen, dropped some chocolate bars attached to a handkerchief parachute. Everyday after that he made several more drops.Other pilots participated and the news reached the US and children sent in their own candy to help out. Soon over three tons of candy were dropped on West Berlin. The candy dropping aircraft was called "Raisin Bombers" and it became a major propaganda success.
 * July 25 1948, two Luftbrücke airplanes crashed over Berlin
 * September 18 1948, the total aircraft flying into Berlin is 897.
 * September 20 1948, The children airlift begins.The first 80 children in need of recuperation was flown from Berlin, to host families in the West Zone.
 * December 20, 1948, through the airlift “Santa Clause” operation, presents for 10.000 kids were flown in.
 * May 12, 1949, the blockade was lifted and all entries were opened again. Stalin judged it ineffective in its purpose.
 * August 29 1949, the Soviet Union ignites its first atomic bomb
 * September 30, 1949, the last airplane landed in Tempelhof.

Facts

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 * The planes flew so frequently that they often became stacked above the city in a dangerous waiting line. On August 13, known as Black Friday, there were several accidents. As a result, a new policy was instituted. If a plane could not land on its first try, the pilot would immediately head back for his home base. If a plane returned to Berlin it would be given a new crew and sent back in rotation.
 * When Stalin began the blockade of Berlin in early June of 1948, he was hoping the Americans, French, and British would not want to spend time and energy preserving their presence. However, Truman as well as his colleagues realized the importance of Berlin as a symbol of Western resistance to Communism.