The Berlin Airlift & Iron Curtain

1. The Berlin Airlift&Iron Curtain By Blake Wilson

2. The Iron Curtain: • During World War II and after, the “Iron Curtain” was being started. The USSR was starting to establish lines of influence and control by taking the countries that were once invaded and controlled by the Germans. • The Iron Curtain was given the name from Winston Churchill’s speech representing the manner in which the Soviets controlled their new borders. • This was expansionism.

3. Events Leading to the Berlin Airlift: • After World War II came to an end in 1945 and Germany was defeated, the victors (USA, Russia, and Great Britain) decided at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences in 1945 that both Berlin (the capitol) and Germany would be divided into four sections of occupation, they would each get a section of occupation and they decide France would get one too. • Berlin ended up being entirely located in the Soviet section of Germany. Berlin Germany

4. Events Leading to the Berlin Airlift: The Tensions Increase • In 1946 U.S.A. and Britain combined their two sectors into one “Bizonia” and the French were going to join too. The Russians had no interest in reuniting Germany since they had been invaded before by them, and they wanted to have Germany communist. This move by the allies put pressure on the Soviets to join Germany together in one democratic country, this increased tensions. • In 1948 the allies created a new currency for the west side of Berlin, the Deutsche Mark. Russia feared It was going to devalue their Reich marks (currency they used). • The soviets had enough, they had to stop Berlin from eventually being one and stop it from being democratic.

5. The Berlin Airlift June 27th,1948 - May 12th,1949 • On June 15th,1948 the Russians took action against a democratic Berlin, they announced that the Autobahn highway would be closed for repairs, then they stopped all road traffic, canal traffic, and the closed the railway into Berlin from their section of Germany. • The Russians thought since the people in west Berlin couldn’t get food or other supplies it would force the allies to give up west Berlin, then the Russians could claim all of Berlin as their own. • The Western allies agreed giving in was not an option because they did not want communism running rampant in Europe. A military strike back wasn’t a good idea since it would turn the Cold War into a Hot War. The allies then decided they were going to supply west Berlin by the air, this was called the Berlin Airlift or Air Bridge by the West Berliners and started on the 27th of June 1948. • This was containment and expansionism.

6. The Ending of The Berlin Airlift:May 12th,1949 • Life during the Airlift wasn’t easy, but the citizens of Berlin supported the cause. By 1949 it was clear the Russian failed in their attempts, so the Soviets allowed the allies through to west Berlin by land and water ways and ended the Airlift. • The allies still dropped cargo in by air for a short while after to stock pile supplies in fear that Russia would blockade it again. • During the airlift: 2.3 million tons of supplies were deliverd, there was a plane landing or taking off in Berlin every 30 seconds, 78 airmen died from crashes, and 700 aircrafts were used.

7. The Berlin wall • On August 13, 1961 the wall that separated east and west Berlin started, this gave a literal meaning to the Iron Curtain. • The Russians started building this to stop a uniting of Berlin and it from being democratic, this was exactly what they were trying to do with the rest of eastern Europe. • Families were separated over night and people were shot on sight if they were trying to escape into west Berlin. • This was containment. • Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9VKVt4yuhI

8. Sources Used: • http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-delivers-iron-curtain-speech • http://www.historyguide.org/europe/churchill.html • http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-blockade • http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-airlift • http://www.english-online.at/places/berlin-wall/berlin-wall.htm • http://www.pbs.org/behindcloseddoors/in-depth/prelude-coldwar.html#Berlin