What was the Berlin Airlift? AKA the Berlin Blockade _ NOT THE BERLIN WALL

Connector What key questions does an historian ask about an event? Which are the three most important questions asked? Which are the ones most frequently asked in an exam?

Answer Why did an event happen? What happened in an event? What were the effects on an event? For each question how could the same question be asked in different ways?

Outcomes All will understand the key events of the Berlin Blockade Most will research from a variety of texts to find out what happened Some will see the event as a stepping stone to further conflict and be able to explain this.

Timeline Tehran Conference End of World War Yalta Potsdam ‘Iron Curtain’ speech Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan Berlin Airlift/ Berlin Blockade

Berlin Look at map in exercise book Find Berlin In pairs discuss – What happened to Berlin at the Peace conference? Why? What problems might this cause? Which of the Superpowers would like it and not like it?

Bizonia Look at map and draw a simplified version Colour in map of Berlin Communist parts = Red Capitalist parts = another colour (not Blue) Shade in Bizonia over the top with lines What tension would this cause?

Research Write Title Berlin Blockade/ Airlift Write notes on the event Extension- use more than one text Make sure you answer these questions in your notes Who Blockaded Berlin? Why? What was the response of the other countries? Why? What did they airlift it? How long did the Blockade last? Who won? Why? What happened to tension between the super powers? What was NATO? Why was it formed?

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Mime activity In groups of 8 create a tableau to show the Berlin Blockade/Airlift Present key moments 1. The Blockade being set up 2. The Airlift 3. The Blockade being lifted Shout out appropriate comments

Briefly explain the key features of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift (6 marks) Tension between the two Superpowers reached brinkmanship over the Berlin blockade and Airlift 1948 – 49. By 1949 the wartime alliance between the USA and USSR had completely broken down. The main reason why Stalin blockaded Berlin in 1948 was because in 1946 USA, Britain and France had united the three Western German zones (called Bizonia) and in 1948 introduced a new West German currency, the Deutschmark. This was not agreed at either Yalta or Potsdam. Equally West Berlin was also in the USSR’s buffer zone and Stalin thought therefore that all Berlin should be under his Communist control. In June 1948 Stalin provocatively ordered that all road, railway and canal linking West Berlin to West Germany be blockaded. Two million West Berliners were isolated and cut off from the West. Truman did not want to be bullied by Stalin and be forced out of Berlin. For 11 months, from June 1948 to September 1949, 277,264 USA planes flew in 8000 tonnes coal, food and clothes to supply West Berlin every day. Eventually Stalin lifted the blockade and the USA appeared to have won. However, with regards to Germany, both Superpowers had gone back on their post-war agreements. By the end of 1949 their wartime alliance had completely collapsed. Furthermore, superpowers tension increased, when in April 1949, 12 Western European countries, led by USA, formed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) offering mutual military support if attacked by another country. The political, military and ideological division of Germany became permanent when both sides formally created the USA controlled FDR (May ’49) and the USSR controlled DDR (Oct ’49). During the Berlin blockade and Airlift a hot war was avoided, but the Cold War between the two Superpowers showed no signs of ending.

Review What do these mean? NATO Bizonia Deutschmark Blockade Airlift