Homework due this lesson: 5 minutes to discuss Fact-file on the Nuremburg Trials: No more than a single side of A4, - Include pictures & key info

Problems with Berlin Berlin was deep inside the Soviet sector, yet Berlin remained divided between the four Allied powers (USA, USSR, Britain and France). The countries differed as to how they felt Germany should be governed. The USSR wanted to keep Germany weak, but the USA and Great Britain wanted to rebuild the German economy. Germany was run by a joint Allied High Commission. Berlin was run by a joint Allied Kommandatura.

Questions to consider How do you think Stalin feels about that part of a capitalist society (West Berlin) is in East Germany? What would he want to do about it?

A crisis begins Stalin thus wanted to force the Western Allies (USA, Britain and France) out of West Berlin. In June 1948, Stalin blocked all routes in and out of Berlin. All surface transport links such as roads, rails and canal routes were all cut.

Questions to consider 1.What should the western Allies do to aid West Berliners? 2.What are the potential drawbacks to each option?

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June 1948 and think about the following options:- Give in to Stalin’s demands.

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June 1948 and think about the following options:- Give in to Stalin’s demands Invade the Soviet zone

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June 1948 and think about the following options:- Give in to Stalin’s demands Invade the Soviet zone Fly food, fuel and all other supplies into West Berlin.

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June 1948 and think about the following options:- Give in to Stalin’s demands – hand over control of West Berlin. This would prevent 2 million people starving. Invade the Soviet zone Fly food, fuel and all other supplies into West Berlin.

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June 1948 and think about the following options:- Give in to Stalin’s demands – hand over control of West Berlin. This would prevent 2 million people starving. Invade the Soviet zone – blast through the blockade. This would start an armed conflict, but show Stalin who has most power. Fly food, fuel and all other supplies into West Berlin..

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June 1948 and think about the following options:- Give in to Stalin’s demands – hand over control of West Berlin. This would prevent 2 million people starving. Invade the Soviet zone – blast through the blockade. This would start an armed conflict, but show Stalin who has most power. Fly food, fuel and all other supplies into West Berlin - A massive undertaking, requiring much organization and immense cost.

The Berlin Airlift The choice to fly supplies in was taken. This meant the Western Allies wouldn’t give in to Stalin, but also wouldn’t provoke war. It placed pressure back on Stalin – he couldn’t just shoot Western planes down! Czechoslovakia Poland

How were the West Berliners kept alive? For 11 months food and other supplies were flown into Berlin by British, French and US planes. 275,000 flights carried in 1½ million tons of supplies. At its peak, one plane landed every 30 seconds. Inhabitants of West Berlin depended on these flights for everything. In the winter of 1948 they lived on dried potatoes, powdered eggs and cans of meat, with just four hours of electricity per day. The airlift cost over $100 million, together with the lives of 79 servicemen who died in accidents.

‘Uncle Wiggly Wings’ During the Berlin Airlift Colonel Halvorsen dropped more than 850 pounds of candy from the sky to children in West Berlin

Berlin Airlift Remembered (CNN video) WP0 WP0 1:59

Arms Race – both sides focused on building conventional and nuclear weapons Was the airlift a success? In May 1949, Stalin called off the blockade. The impact of the blockade should not be underestimated. It highlighted the divisions between East and West – and made these divisions more permanent. They lasted until the early 1990s! Cold War got more tense as war had almost broken out. Germany would now be split up into West Germany (FDR) and East Germany (GDR). NATO and the Warsaw Pact – defensive alliances would be set up. Results of the airlift

What is the meaning behind the cartoon on page 227? “The Bird Watcher,” a Punch cartoon about the Berlin blockade from July 1948.

Task to complete (15 minutes) 1. Fill in definition sheet using page 227 of your textbook. 2. Answer questions 2 and 3 on page 227. – #2 – Why was the Berlin blockade a significant event in the Cold War? – #3 – What does the Berlin blockade say about Germany’s importance as a world power?

Wider-viewing – Cold War Confrontation 18:48 (Watch from the start up to 9:15) The video reviews: 1) the division of Germany / 2) introduces the Berlin Air-lift Note: the rest of the video is about the Korean War (unnecessary for this course)