Berlin Airflift

The Berlin Airlift

At the end of world war two, two super powers emerged, Soviet Union and the Trizone Government which consisted of United States of America, Great Britain and France. As a result of the war, Germany the once glorious country was brutally bombed by the Americans, the British and the Red Army. By the end of the war most of the city was in ruins. It was then agreed at the Yalta and the Potsdam Conferences that between the four allies, Germany would be split into four zones; allowing military control until a suitable government could be formulated in order to return Germany back to its replenished state. At the time of this plan, it was thought between the four allied countries that little dispute would arise. Little did they know that a cold war was to emerge between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Berlin, Germany's capital lay war-stricken and demolished following the aftermath of World War Two. Food and resources were at a limited supply for the already populous city which was still mounting with the vast quantity of people seeking refuge. Germany's currency was now worthless, making cigarettes and bartering an unofficial form of tender. Berlin was in the East of Germany which was in the Soviet sector. Both superpowers had different views on the way in which Germany and Berlin should be administered which led to their first conflict Ð'- currency. The west ( US, Britain, France) wanted to introduce legal tender to stabilize the economy and impede the Black Market. However, the East (Soviet Union) opposed; hence establishing their own monies thus creating tensions.

Between 1945 and 1948, a temporary respite using air, road and rail routes was introduced to allow free movement between the east and the west of Germany, so that food and resources could be delivered to the people. However in 1948, the Soviets placed a blockade around west Berlin, therefore