| Name of the Event |
Berlin Airlift |
| Who was involved? Which Side was supported by the Soviet Union/USA? |
After the Second World War, the western part of Berlin was occupied by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the eastern part was controlled by the USSR. These countries were directly involved in the conflict; however, France, Britain, and the United States were also supported by the other 12 European countries that became the founders of NATO (“The Berlin Airlift,” 2018). |
| Where did the event take place? |
The events took place on the territory of Berlin in occupied Germany, precisely in its western part, which at that time received the name Bezonia (“The Berlin Airlift,” 2018). In the cartoon (Shepard, 1948), the location is displayed with the Berlin sign in the background. |
| When did the event take place? |
East Berlin was also indirectly involved in the events, as well as regions adjacent to West Berlin, controlled by the USSR. The Soviet authorities needed these areas to block transport roads with the city. |
| What happened during the event? |
On June 24, 1948, Soviet troops closed water, rail, and auto roads that connected the western part of Berlin with the rest of the country. Food, coal, and even electricity were no longer supplied to this part of the city, so residents would soon have to face hunger. However, the combined forces of France, the United States, and England launched Operation Vittles” and “Operation Plainfare,” the purpose of which was to deliver food to West Berlin by air (“The Berlin Airlift, 1948–1949,” n.d.). Initially, such measures were difficult to implement, so diplomats tried to negotiate with the Soviet government. However, the USSR did not want to make concessions, so Western countries continued to deliver food and coal (The Berlin Airlift, 1948–1949,” n.d.).
In the cartoon, instead of airplanes, there are storks, which are usually symbols of good news, and they also hold coal and food in their beaks (Shepard, 1948). At the same time, the USSR could not attack aircraft, as this step would mean a declaration of war (Reading Through History, 2016). For this reason, the cartoon depicts Stalin, the head of the Soviet Union, who looks at the sky but can not use his weapons to shoot the birds. |
| Why did the event happen? (i.e. what caused the event?) |
The reason for the beginning of the blockade was the creation by the West Berlin authorities of a new currency, the Deutsch Mark (“The Berlin Airlift,” 2018). This step showed the intentions of the United States, Britain, and France to create a new state on the territory that the USSR wished to have in its power. For this reason, the USSR tried to force Western countries to change their intentions by endangering the lives of thousands of people. However, the context that created this situation was the beginning of the confrontation between the two camps in the Cold War. |
| How was the event resolved? |
The attempts of the USSR to force the western countries to retreat were unsuccessful, so they gave up. On May 11, 1949, Moscow lifted the blockade of West Berlin as it realized that it could not resist the airlift. |
| Outcome(s): who emerged victorious? What were the consequences/Effects? |
In this conflict, the United States, Britain, and France won, which forced the USSR to lift the blockade. However, these incidents had more global consequences as they deepened the separation of Berlin and Germany, and also intensified the confrontation between the USA and the USSR. In addition, in those events, Western countries pushed for the creation of a military alliance of NATO, which has a significant influence on modern politics. |