Berlin Blockade / Airlift 1948

• Germany and Berlin were split into 4 zones.
• Britain, France and USA combined their zones in 1948 to form one big zone (West Germany).
• They reformed the currency and helped Germany to recover.
• Britain and USA wanted to help Germany's industries recover so that it could feed its people.
• Stalin wanted Germany kept crippled so he blocked off all supply routes to West Berlin.
• Stalin believed that this would make West Germany more dependant on Russia.
• If USA rammed blocks this would be seen as an act of war.
• America wanted to continue its policy about containment.
• Allies airlifted supplies to Berlin for 10 months.
• In May 1949 the blockade was cleared.
• Both sides claimed victory as USA saw it bringing people of Western Europe closer and demonstrated how they could keep freedom.
• USSR saw it as costing USA money and there was no guarantee they would not do it again in the future.
• Both sides lost because neither gained anything but it just made them more stubborn and suspicious in the future.