THE BERLIN BLOCKADE

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LEARNERS 11 to 12 graders, who have a background in some U.S. History. They must have access to a computer with the internet.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT In a computer lab where the teacher can see if someone is not doing the assignment. A teacher may have to walk around the lab to do this. Students should have 1 period to complete, and be able to finish what they do not complete as homework.

OBJECTIVES 1. Given a point of view of someone involved in the Berlin Blockade, students will be able to identify at least 2 causes of the blockade. 2. Given a map of Berlin, student will be able to identify all key access points into Berlin, as well as the zones that West and East Berlin consisted of. 3. Given information on the months following the Berlin Blockade, students will be able to identify at least 2 consequences of the blockade.

It’s great to see a new face on my plane! My name is Gary and I will be your pilot today!

On our way to Berlin I will be telling you about the Berlin Blockade! You may use the screen on the back of your chair to follow along!

Home Screen Next Slide Previous Slide But first you must know how to operate the controls!

Click on any of the pages to see different aspects of the Berlin Blockade! Once you have done all four take the quiz! Quiz The Zones Afterwards Inside Berlin Access Points

THE MILITARY ZONES

After WWII, Germany was divided into 4 occupational zones: I.Soviet Union II.United States III.French IV.British The same happened to Berlin! When deciding the zones, they meant for all of them to be temporary.

Berlin was inside the Soviet Union Zone!

THE BEGINNING OF THE BLOCKADE In 1948, the French, British, and American zones decided to consolidate. The Soviet Union responded by charging them with violation of the Potsdam Agreement and withdrew from the Allied Control Council This council oversaw German actions.

When the 3 decided to consolidate anyway, the Soviets blocked all access into Berlin!

POINT OF VIEW: TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION With the Soviet Union opposed to the consolidation, President Truman and his administration had to decide if they should continue with the plan. However, some in the United States understood the Soviet Union’s position and did not wish to risk war.

POINT OF VIEW: TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION The Truman Administration decided to continue with the consolidation. They believed that if they lost Berlin to the Soviets then that would mean that they lost of all Germany.

POINT OF VIEW QUESTION! If you were in President Truman’s place what would you do?

GREAT ANSWER! Remember that by continuing to consolidate could have meant WWIII. Also, the United States was responsible for those living in their zone.

THE ACCESS POINTS

When the blockade started, Soviets blocked all land and water access into Berlin.

FINDING A WAY IN However, the Soviet Union had agreed at the Yalta Conference that they would always have access through 3 air corridors. This meant if the Soviet Union tried to stop the plans, it would be in violation of the agreement. This is one of the three air corridors that were used to gain access into Berlin!

THE AIRLIFT On June 27, 1948, the United States and Britain began what became known as the Berlin Airlift.

THE AIRLIFT For over a year, tons of thousands of supplies and goods were flown into Berlin.

THE AIRLIFT Each day planes would fly in food, coal, and other supplies at a rate of thousands of tons. At least every minute there was a plane landing or taking off in Berlin.

FUN FACT! Close to 700 planes were used to transport supplies during the Berlin Airlift! And not all of them were military owned!

INSIDE BERLIN

At the beginning of the blockade, Berlin had about a month’s worth of food available. Citizens turned to the United States, Britain, and French for aid.

THE PLANES LANDING Planes came in through the air corridors. Tempelhof was the airport that mostly American planes used. Gatow was the airport that mostly British planes used. While the airlift was supposed to be a short term, as the blockade continued both countries realized the airlift would be long term. As a result, they increased the amount they supplied to the citizens of Berlin.

POINT OF VIEW: A CITIZEN IN BERLIN As the food lines were cut off due the blockade, a citizen had to rely on the planes coming and going. Some citizens were employed to work at the airports and unload the planes. During the winter, they had to rely on the planes to bring even more coal and fuel for them. Food, coal, and electricity were rationed out to the citizens.

POINT OF VIEW QUESTION! If you had lived in Berlin during the blockade, how hard do you think it would have been to live there? What would you do?

GREAT ANSWER! Remember that during the airlift, citizens only had what the planes brought. Also, there was little chance to leave through the blockade.

FUN FACT! Planes would drop candy to the citizens of Berlin when they flew over!

AFTERWARDS

THE END OF THE BLOCKADE With the airlift a success, the Soviet Union looked like bullies. The Berlin Blockade became an embarrassment over the months.

THE END OF THE BLOCKADE On May 12, 1949, the Soviet Union allowed access through land and water to Berlin again.

THE CONSEQUENCES The Berlin Blockade solidified the fact that there were 2 separate Germanys as well as Berlins.

MOVING CITIZENS Over the next 12 years the barrier between West Germany and East Germany hardened. During this time millions of citizens from East Germany moved to the West.

MOVING CITIZENS Most were highly educated, like: 1.Doctors 2.Lawyers 3.Teachers To stop people from leaving, the East Germans (the Soviet Union zone) created a wall around West Berlin. The black line around West Berlin is the entire Berlin Wall.

THE BERLIN WALL The Berlin Wall stood until The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War, which ended in 1991.

FUN FACT! The Berlin Wall began as a barbed wire fence that was eventually built into the wall. An East German Soldier defects and jumps over the barbed wire fence surrounding West Berlin.

FUN FACT! The U.S. and Britain still used the air corridors for several months after the end of the Berlin Blockade to fly in supplies. We are following the air corridors now, to fly into Berlin!

Watch this video on the Berlin Wall!

Welcome to Gary’s Berlin Blockade Quiz!!

QUESTION 1 The Berlin Blockade began in ______, when the Soviet Union _____. 1961; built the Berlin Wall 1949; closed all access points into Berlin 1948; opposed the consolidation of the three other zones 1989; tried to hold on to Berlin longer Wrong Answer! --The Berlin Blockade wasn’t in 1961, although the Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall. A B C D Wrong Answer! --The Berlin Blockade ended in 1949! Correct!! -- Next Question Next Question Wrong Answer! --The Cold War ended in 1991 and several decades after the blockade.

QUESTION 2 Name at least two causes of the Berlin Blockade. Explain how and why they contributed to the start of the blockade.

Great Answer! Remember that the Truman Administration was responsible for the inhabits of the American zone and the others when they consolidated. Also, the Soviet Union believed the three other powers to be in violation of the Potsdam Agreement. Next Question

QUESTION 3 Label the access points available during the blockade and what type of access it was (land, water, air).

Good Answers! Remember that the Soviet Union cut off all land and water access during the blockade. Next Question

QUESTION 4 Which is NOT an outcome of the Berlin Blockade? The Berlin Airlift Separate West And East Germanys The Berlin Wall All of them are outcomes A B C D Wrong Answer! -- The Airlift is an outcome as it began after the blockade started and lasted throughout the blockade. Wrong Answer! --After the blockade ended separate West and East Germanys started to form. Wrong Answer! --The Berlin Wall, while 12 years later, resulted due to the increasing differences between the two Germanys that began after the blockade. Correct!! --Next Question

QUESTION 5 Label the zones of occupation.

Good Answers! Remember that the 3 zones to the west are (going from top to bottom of the map) the French, British, and American zones. The zone to the east is the Soviet Union zone.

You have it made to Berlin! It’s time for you to get off the plane and enjoy stay! I hope you enjoyed your flight!