Berlin Blockade facts for kids

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Berlin Blockade

Part of the Cold War

West Berliners watch a Douglas C-54 Skymaster land at Tempelhof Airport, 1948

Date

April 1948 – 12 May 1949

Location

West Berlin, Germany

Result

Western Allied victory

Blockade lifted
West Berlin remains under the control of the Western Allies

Belligerents

Soviet Union

United States

United Kingdom

France

Canada

Australia

New Zealand

South Africa

Commanders and leaders

Vasily Sokolovsky

Robert A. Lovett

Lucius D. Clay

Brian Robertson

Casualties and losses

None

In aircraft accidents:
39 British, 31 Americans killed and 1 Australian killed
15 German civilians killed

"Operation Vittles" redirects here. For the 1948 American short documentary film, see Operation Vittles (film).

The Berlin Blockade was a major international problem that happened right after World War II. It was one of the first big events of the Cold War, a time of tension between the Soviet Union and Western countries like the United States and United Kingdom. From June 1948 to May 1949, the Soviet Union blocked all land and water routes into West Berlin. This meant that people in West Berlin couldn't get food, fuel, or other important supplies by road, railway, or canal.

To help the people of West Berlin, the Western Allies started the Berlin Airlift (called Berliner Luftbrücke in German, meaning "Berlin Air Bridge"). This was a huge effort where American and British planes flew supplies into the city every day. It was like building a "Berlin Air Bridge" in the sky! Planes landed thousands of times, bringing everything from food and coal to medicine. This amazing operation showed the world that the Western Allies would not abandon West Berlin. The Soviets eventually lifted the blockade because the airlift was so successful, and it became a symbol of hope and determination.

American and British air forces made over 250,000 flights to Berlin. They carried necessities like fuel and food. The goal was to deliver about 3,475 tons of supplies daily. By spring 1949, they often delivered twice that amount. One day, they even delivered a record 12,941 tons!

A special part of the airlift was "Operation Little Vittles." Pilots, known as "raisin bombers," dropped candy attached to small parachutes for German children. This created a lot of goodwill.

The Soviets initially thought the airlift wouldn't work. Its continued success became embarrassing for them. On May 12, 1949, the Soviet Union lifted the blockade of West Berlin. This was partly due to economic problems in East Berlin. However, the Americans and British continued air supplies for a while. They wanted to build up enough reserves and were worried the Soviets might try to block the city again. The Berlin Airlift officially ended on September 30, 1949, after fifteen months.

During the airlift, the US Air Force delivered over 1.7 million tons of supplies. The British Royal Air Force delivered over 540,000 tons. This totaled more than 2.3 million tons, with nearly two-thirds being coal. They completed 278,228 flights to Berlin. Air crews from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa also helped the British. The French Air and Space Force also flew flights to supply their own military.

American C-47 and C-54 transport planes flew over 92 million miles. This is almost the distance from Earth to the Sun! British planes, including Handley Page Haltons and Short Sunderlands, also took part. At the busiest time, a plane landed in West Berlin every thirty seconds.

Sadly, 17 American and 8 British aircraft crashed during the operation. A total of 101 people died. This included 40 Britons, 31 Americans, and 1 Australian. Most deaths were from accidents not related to flying. Fifteen German civilians also died.

The Berlin Blockade showed the different ideas for Europe after the war. It helped make West Berlin strong allies with the United States and Britain. It also led to West Germany joining NATO a few years later in 1955.

How the Blockade Started

Germany Divided After World War II

A map showing Germany divided after World War II, with the Soviet-controlled East in red.

After World War II, the winning countries, called the Allies, decided what would happen to Germany. They signed the Potsdam Agreement in 1945. Germany was divided into four temporary zones, each controlled by one of the Allies: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union.

Berlin, the capital city, was also divided into four zones. This was tricky because Berlin was located deep inside the Soviet-controlled part of eastern Germany. The United States, United Kingdom, and France controlled the western parts of the city. Soviet troops controlled the eastern part.

Each country's military leader had power in their zone. For decisions about all of Germany, the Allied Control Council in Berlin needed everyone to agree. There was a spoken agreement about Western Allies being able to reach Berlin. A written agreement in November 1945 allowed three air corridors. These were 20-mile-wide paths in the sky for French, British, and American planes to fly to Berlin.

In the Soviet zone, the authorities combined two political parties to form the Socialist Unity Party. They removed factories and equipment to the Soviet Union.

Growing Tensions and Early Problems

A map showing the different sectors of Berlin during the blockade.

The three air corridors used by Western Allies to reach Berlin.

Soon after the war, Joseph Stalin, the Soviet leader, wanted to unite Germany under communist control. Berlin quickly became a key place for both the US and the Soviets. As a Soviet minister said, "What happens to Berlin, happens to Germany." Berlin had been badly damaged in the war.

Many Germans in the Soviet zone were unhappy with Soviet rule. In 1946, elections in Berlin showed strong support for non-Communist leaders.

The Soviets only allowed three air corridors for planes to reach Berlin from the West. In 1946, the Soviets stopped sending farm goods from their zone to the Western zones. In response, the American commander, Lucius D. Clay, stopped sending dismantled factories from Western Germany to the Soviet Union. The Soviets then started to make it harder for the four zones to work together.

The Marshall Plan and Soviet Concerns

The United States wanted a strong, friendly Germany to help rebuild Western Europe. In 1947, US President Harry S. Truman was worried about the spread of communism. He started a plan called the Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program. This plan gave a lot of money to Western European countries to help them rebuild their economies.

To make their economies stronger, the British and American zones in Germany joined together in 1947. This was called the Bizone. Later, the French zone also joined, creating the Trizone.

The Soviets saw the Marshall Plan as a threat. They used propaganda to warn against America. They believed America was trying to control Europe.

The Blockade Begins

Western Allies Plan for Germany

In early 1948, the UK, US, France, and other Western European nations met in London. They discussed the future of Germany. They decided to extend the Marshall Plan to Germany and create a federal system of government for the Western zones.

The Soviets were unhappy about these meetings. On March 12, 1948, Stalin secretly planned to control access to Berlin. The Allied Control Council, where all four powers met, broke down on March 20, 1948. The Soviet representative walked out, saying there was no point in continuing. This showed that the four-power control of Germany was no longer working.

On March 25, 1948, the Soviets started restricting Western military and passenger traffic to Berlin. They announced that no cargo could leave Berlin by rail without Soviet permission. General Clay ordered that supplies for the military garrison be flown in. This was a small-scale airlift called the "Little Lift."

The Soviets eased some restrictions but continued to cause problems for road and rail traffic. Meanwhile, the US continued to fly in supplies. By the time the full blockade began, they had stockpiled enough food for at least 18 days.

Soviet military planes also started to fly close to Western planes, trying to bother them. On April 5, a Soviet fighter plane crashed into a British airliner near RAF Gatow airfield. Everyone on both planes died. This event, known as the 1948 Gatow air disaster, made tensions even worse.

New Money Causes Problems

The Western zones needed a stable currency. The old German money, the Reichsmark, had lost a lot of its value. The Soviets were printing too much of it, causing inflation. Many Germans were using cigarettes to buy things!

The Western Allies decided to introduce a new currency, the Deutsche Mark, on June 21, 1948. The Soviets were against this. They believed only their own currency should be used in their zone and in Berlin.

On June 18, the Western Allies announced the new Deutsche Mark. The next day, Soviet guards stopped all passenger trains and traffic on the main highway to Berlin. They also delayed freight shipments. On June 21, the day the Deutsche Mark was introduced, the Soviets stopped a US military supply train to Berlin and sent it back. On June 22, the Soviets announced they would introduce their own currency, the East German mark, in their zone.

The Blockade Begins in Full

On June 24, 1948, Joseph Stalin ordered Soviet troops to block all rail and barge traffic in and out of Berlin. The Soviets claimed there were "technical difficulties" on the railways and roads. Electricity was cut to only 2 hours a day in West Berlin.

Only the air corridors remained open, as there were clear agreements for them. People could still walk between zones and use public transport to get food in the Eastern Zone. The Soviets thought the Western Allies would give up. However, the West responded with a counter-blockade. This meant that East Germany also faced problems, as coal and steel shipments were stopped.

The Blockade Ends

On April 25, 1949, the Soviet news agency reported that the Soviets were willing to lift the blockade. The next day, the US State Department said the way was "clear" for the blockade to end. The four powers began talks and reached an agreement. On May 4, 1949, the Allies announced the blockade would end in eight days.

The Soviet blockade of Berlin was lifted just after midnight on May 12, 1949. A British convoy immediately drove to Berlin, and the first train from West Germany arrived early that morning. Later that day, a huge crowd celebrated the end of the blockade. General Clay, a key American leader, was honored for his role.

Even after the blockade ended, supply flights continued for some time. This was to build up a large surplus of supplies. This way, if the Soviets tried another blockade, West Berlin would be ready. The Berlin Airlift officially ended on September 30, 1949.

What Happened After

Impact on Berlin

As the airlift grew, it became clear that the Western powers could keep an entire city supplied by air. The Soviets tried to get West Berliners to cross into East Berlin for free food. But most West Berliners refused these offers.

During the airlift, Soviet and German communists tried to discourage West Berliners. They said that all of Berlin belonged to the Soviets and that the Western powers would soon leave. They also bothered members of West Berlin's elected city government.

There were 733 reported incidents between Soviet and Allied aircraft during the airlift. Soviet planes sometimes flew very close to Allied planes, tried to blind pilots with searchlights, or dropped parachutes in the air corridors. But these actions did not stop the airlift.

Political Changes in Berlin

In late 1948, it became impossible for the non-Communist members of Berlin's city parliament to meet in the city hall, which was in the Soviet sector. Communist-led groups often interrupted meetings and threatened members. The Soviets tried to take control of the city government on September 6.

Three days later, a radio station urged Berliners to protest. On September 9, 1948, half a million people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate. A city councilor, Ernst Reuter, spoke to the crowd. He asked the world not to abandon Berlin. The crowd was so large and united that it sent a strong message to the world.

Berlin's parliament then decided to meet in the British sector. The Communist members boycotted these meetings. On November 30, 1948, the Communists set up their own city government in East Berlin. This meant that Berlin now had two separate city governments, one for East Berlin and one for West Berlin.

In December 1948, West Berlin held new elections. A very high number of people voted, showing their support for democratic parties. Ernst Reuter was elected as the new mayor of West Berlin. This officially split the city's government into East and West.

Lasting Effects

Costs and Casualties

The airlift delivered over 2.3 million tons of supplies to Berlin. American and British planes flew over 92 million miles. Pilots came from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.

A total of 101 people died during the operation. This included 40 Britons, 31 Americans, and 1 Australian. Most deaths were from accidents not related to flying. Seventeen American and eight British aircraft crashed.

The airlift cost a lot of money, shared by the US, UK, and German authorities. Estimates range from about $224 million to over $500 million (which would be much more in today's money).

After the blockade, the Western Allies required West Berlin to keep a six-month supply of food and other necessities. This was in case another blockade happened.

Shaping the Future

The Soviets' actions during the blockade convinced Western leaders that they needed to work together more closely. This helped lead to the creation of NATO, a military alliance, which Portugal, Iceland, Italy, Denmark, and Norway joined.

The blockade also helped unite German politicians in the Western zones. They supported creating a new West German state. Many people in Europe saw the Soviets as a danger, which strengthened ties between Western countries.

The Berlin Airlift greatly improved relations between Germans and the Western Allies. Former enemies recognized they had common interests. The Soviets refused to return to the Allied Control Council, making the four-power control of Berlin useless. The events of the Berlin Blockade showed that the Allies wanted to avoid war and found a peaceful solution.

Aircraft Used in the Berlin Airlift

Many different types of aircraft were used during the Berlin Airlift.

United States Aircraft

Douglas C-47 Skytrain
Douglas C-54 Skymaster and Douglas DC-4
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Fairchild C-82 Packet
Lockheed C-121A Constellation

Douglas C-47 Skytrain
Douglas C-74 Globemasters
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster, called Spirit of Freedom, operated as a flying museum by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation.
Boeing Stratofreighter
Fairchild XC-82 Packet
Lockheed C-69 Constellation

In the beginning, the Americans used C-47 Skytrain planes. These could carry about 3.5 tons. Later, they were mostly replaced by C-54 Skymasters and Douglas DC-4s, which could carry up to 10 tons and were faster. These 330 planes were the most used types. Other larger planes, like the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, were used less often.

British Aircraft

Avro York
Bristol Type 170 Freighter
Douglas DC-3 (Dakota)
Handley Page Hastings
Handley Page Halifax Halton
Short Sunderland
Vickers VC.1 Viking

Avro York
Bristol Freighter
Short Sunderland flying boat
Avro Tudor
Handley Page Hastings on display at the Alliiertenmuseum (Allied Museum), Berlin, Germany

The British used many different types of aircraft. Many were former bombers or civilian versions of bombers. Since there weren't enough military transport planes, the British hired many civilian airlines to help. They even used flying boats, like the Short Sunderland, especially for carrying corrosive salt. These planes could land on water and were built to resist rust.

In total, 692 aircraft were part of the Berlin Airlift. More than 100 of these belonged to civilian companies.

Images for kids

The Berlin Airlift Monument in Berlin-Tempelhof, displaying the names of the 39 British and 31 American airmen who lost their lives during the operation. Similar monuments are located at the military airfield of Wietzenbruch near the former RAF Celle and at Rhein-Main Air Base.
Base of the Berlin Airlift Monument in Berlin-Tempelhof with inscription "They gave their lives for the freedom of Berlin in service of the Berlin Airlift 1948/49"