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COLD WAR : BERLIN BLOCKADE. JUNE 1948 : Stalin cuts off road,rail and water routes into the American controlled section of Berlin. Berlin was in the Russian controlled part of Germany and this meant 2 million people were cut off and could not have food delivered.
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COLD WAR : BERLIN BLOCKADE • JUNE 1948 : Stalin cuts off road,rail and water routes into the American controlled section of Berlin. Berlin was in the Russian controlled part of Germany and this meant 2 million people were cut off and could not have food delivered. • Stalin hoped that the Western powers would allow West Berlin to become part of Russian controlled East Germany rather than letting the people starve.
BERLIN BLOCKADE • The Americans were determined not to give in as it would encourage Soviet aggression. They wanted to send a message to Stalin that they would not allow Communism to spread. • They organised a massive airlift operation whereby goods were flown in, it was called OPERATION VITTLES. • Planes took off every 3 minutes and delivered 10,000 tonnes per day.
Food was rationed and Berliners only had electricity for 4 hours a day. 125,000 people lost their jobs. • The blockade lasted 320 days, in May 1949 Stalin lifted the blockade. He realised the city would survive and it was bad publicity to be seen trying to starve 2 million people into surrender.
BERLIN BLOCKADE • This was a huge victory for the US and its policy of Communist Containment. • Because of the blockade NATO was set up in April 1949. It was a military alliance that meant if one of the countries was attacked they would all join together to defend that country. It included the US, FRANCE, CANADA, BRITAIN, ITALY and TURKEY.
