1.5.2
The Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade, June 1948 - May 1949
The Berlin Blockade, June 1948 - May 1949
The Berlin Blockade was an attempt by Stalin to force the Western Powers to allow the entirety of Berlin to be controlled by the USSR.
The blockade
The blockade
- The USSR responded to the creation of the Deutsche Mark quickly. Stalin closed all of the access to West Berlin by blocking road and rail links from the Western controlled areas to Berlin.
- Stalin was attempting to force the Western Powers to allow the entirety of Berlin to be controlled by the USSR. Stalin knew that the powers wouldn’t use military force to stop the blockade.
- The British believed that the USSR was carrying out the blockade with the view to convert the whole of Germany to communism.
British & American response
British & American response
- In order to avoid war but prevent communist control, the USA and Britain planned to provide those in Berlin with supplies.
- The British and Americans dropped supplies by planes into Berlin and made it clear that they would continue to do this for the duration of Stalin’s actions. Stalin did not want war either so wouldn’t shoot down any of the planes bringing aid.
- Stalin stopped the blockade in May 1949.
Historical interpretation
Historical interpretation
- Historians David Evans and Jane Jenkins (2001) argue that 'Stalin was determined to show the West that their sectors of Berlin existed only on Soviet sufferance. It was also likely that he hoped that he might be able to force the Western powers to withdraw permanently from the city.'
- Historian John Lewis Gaddis in The Cold War argues that ‘Defensive it may have been, but the offensive character of this (The Berlin Blockade) and the other measures Stalin took in response to the Marshall Plan wound up increasing, not decreasing, the Soviet Union’s security problems.’
1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9
1.1Events of 1945
1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance
1.3Developing Tensions
1.4US Involvement in Europe
2Widening of the Cold War
2.1US Containment in Asia
2.2The Korean War
2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953
3The Global War
3.2Cold War Rivalries
3.3Conflict in Asia
3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers
4Confrontation & Cooperation
4.2Cooperation
4.3Pressures on the USSR
5Brezhnev Era
5.1Detente
5.2Second Cold War
5.3Developments in Africa & Americas
6Ending of the Cold War
6.1Gorbachev
6.2Cooperation between US & USSR
6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
6.4End of Tensions Across the World
Jump to other topics
1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9
1.1Events of 1945
1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance
1.3Developing Tensions
1.4US Involvement in Europe
2Widening of the Cold War
2.1US Containment in Asia
2.2The Korean War
2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953
3The Global War
3.2Cold War Rivalries
3.3Conflict in Asia
3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers
4Confrontation & Cooperation
4.2Cooperation
4.3Pressures on the USSR
5Brezhnev Era
5.1Detente
5.2Second Cold War
5.3Developments in Africa & Americas
6Ending of the Cold War
6.1Gorbachev
6.2Cooperation between US & USSR
6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
6.4End of Tensions Across the World
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