The Berlin Blockade was an extremely delicate situation during the Cold war that almost lead to real military conflict between The Superpower nations of USA and USSR in mid 1984. After the war Germany was split up between France, UK, USA and USSR. Its capital Berlin, which was deep inside the Soviet zone, was also divided between the four. Problems arose when the UK and US combined their zones to form Bizonia. Stalin, the head of the Soviet Union, was very displeased and felt threatened by this as Bizonia had its own new form of currency and was in a much better state than Soviet controlled Germany. In an act to re-establish his authority, Stalin blocked all routes in and out of Soviet Germany under the guise of “reparations”. Since the only way for the allies to get to berlin was through the Soviet zone, an isolated West Berlin could not support itself for very long without supplies from outside. Stalin had done this in hope that the Allies would just give Berlin up and later claimed that Berlin had been part of Soviet territory all along. 2.5 million Berliners had only five weeks worth of food and this led the Allies to try and make a quick decision in order to avoid starvation. Knowing that any wrong step they took could probably lead to war, America and Britain decided to Airlift supplies into the city using the air corridors that had been previously allotted to them after the war. By doing this they had shifted the decision of war in USSR’s hands. If Stalin shot down any of the airlift planes he would be responsible for war and be seen as the villain in the scenario. This period can be called one of the most intense during the cold war as actual war was a huge possibility and international relations were at stake. In the end the airlift became one of the most successful operations and the blockade was lifted. As a consequence of the blockade, many Germans were now severely opposed to the Soviet regime as they were furious Stalin left so many citizens to starve for his own personal gain. Also as a result NATO and the Warsaw pact were introduced and relations between the superpowers got considerably worse.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
1. Berlin Blockade and Airlift • Who - Soviet and Western Allies • What - The soviets chose to seal the city off by closing all railroads and highways that led from Berlin to West Germany in order to drive the Western powers out of Berlin. Soviet wanted to get the Allies to give up Berlin. The Allies chose to drop off supplies via planes to support West Berlin. When - 1948/49 Where - Berlin Why - Rising tension over control of Berlin caused by the western power’s decision to declare a separate constitution for the western sectors of Germany and the western power’s decision to issue a new currency in their zone. Plus, because Soviet could not come to a conclusion with the Allies in the Four Power Commission, they got out of the four power commission. The Soviet is trying drive Western out of West Berlin through the Berlin Blockade. Significance - Makes Germany central point of the cold war. Increased tensions between Soviet and the Western Allies. It provoked genuine fears of war in the west. The increased tension over the blockade led to the creation of two independent German States, divided city of Berlin. Plus, this event hastened the creation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an American-Western European military Alliance.…
- 3729 Words
- 15 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The Berlin Airlift began on June 24, 1948 in reply to the Soviet Unions’ blockade of the capital city of Berlin.. Most of all it was a period of humanity. The German people were no longer the enemy, but the cold, hungry victims of a cruel and powerful government. What began as an act of division had ended as a way to unite wartime Relations between western Allies and the Soviet Union began to worsen soon after the Potsdam Conference. The United States had changes in their currency that was unacceptable to the Soviet Union so they restricted all traffic out of berlin then blocking all food shipments to all non-Soviet sectors. With the reduction of their United States air force in England armies and the soviets with a large number after World…
- 291 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
At the time when the Cold War was just beginning, Russia had cut off West Berlin to make sure that no trade made its way into West Berlin. Although, The United States, Great Britain, and France had decided to help the people that lived in West Berlin by airlifting supplies into West Berlin. The United states, Great Britain, and France took a stand for the German citizens and the world by standing up to the Communist rule of Russia. While also airlifting supplies to the citizens of West Berlin. The immediate impact of standing up to the communist rule of the Russian government was that the citizens that lived in West Berlin got supplies vital for life. Some Long term changes or a legacy of the Berlin Blockade is that the countries saw that they could stand up to Russia. There were also some Political, Cultural, and economic effects that took place during the Berlin…
- 1027 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
The city of Berlin was located within the Soviet area of the country, and the Yalta and Potsdam agreements split the city into sectors in which the Soviets took the east half, while the United States if America, Great Britain, and France took the west. With quite the amount of tactics to drive the United States, Britain and France out of Berlin, the Soviets had blockade West Berlin with the purpose of starving them out of the city, but this tactic did not work however. The United States of America, Great Britain, and France supplied their sectors through the Berlin Aircraft, which delivered more than two million tons of food, fuel and goods to West Berlin. With another effort from Berlin such as the one above occurring in 1958, 70,400 refugees fled East Germany, leading to the construction of the Berlin Wall. Within two weeks, the Berlin Wall was built and the conversion between East and West Berlin became strict.…
- 1500 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Berlin Airlift During the Cold War the Soviet Union put a blockade in place in hopes that West Berlin would need to start relying on the Soviets for necessities, basically putting all the power into their hands. Allies organized Airlift to carry supplies to West Berlin. When the Soviets failed and lifted the blockade, East and West Germany were created.…
- 1517 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
It was quite harsh for the Berliners during the winter months of the airlift. Food was strictly limited and fresh vegetables were rare. There were extreme power cuts, due to the city’s power plant being cut off in the Soviet sector (Halvorsen. http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/airlift.html). East and West Germany became the Democratic Republic of Germany and Federal Republic of Germany, respectively. This continued until 1990. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir2/berlinblockaderev2.shtml). Stalin 's militant actions also lead to the development of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), which was created to stop communist threats in parts of Europe. Also, because of Stalin’s actions, the United States became more involved in European military security. (Harrisville,…
- 1387 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
In 1948 Soviet authorities ceased all road, rail, and barge traffic from entering West Berlin. This became known as the Berlin Blockade and soon to be the Berlin Airlift. Americans knew that occupation of West Berlin was vital and leaving was no option. The airlift originated as a short term policy but was prolonged after Soviets refused to lift the blockades. For over a year American, British and French cargo planes brought vital supplies to those living in West Berlin.…
- 543 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
needed to break the blockade to keep West Berlin from becoming communist, but an outright war with the Soviet Union risked World War III, as stated in document 16. America and its allies supported West Berlin by flying supplies in from West Germany. The non-violent solution ended the blockade without…
- 973 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
When the Soviet Union built the Berlin, wall dividing east and west Berlin, its purpose was stop western fascist from entering social east. As an attempt for Russia to remove the 3 countries from holding power over Berlin, a soviet blockade happened to try to starve the people from the city. The US came to the aid and began to drop food and supplies from aircrafts, giving it the name of Berlin airlift. Through the United states’ constant aid and support, the soviets finally decided to stop the restriction of passing and began to tear down the wall. Americas aid and peaceful but still firm…
- 534 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The population of people can be either mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually suffering into pain. We all have different perspectives we can choose to suffer death or have assisted-suicide likewise, snapping your fingers at the instant death. I believe that we do need to euthanasia. I will set reasons why we can be for and against euthanasia. In the hope that, euthanasia it’s needed and follow to have less painful moments.…
- 863 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Euthanasia is very controversial and in most countries illegal. Even though it is illegal there are a lot of people who think that it should be legalized. Euthanasia is when a medical professional administers medicine that will end the patient`s life. People would make the option to have this done if they were suffering or if they had someone in their life who come make the decision for them when they could not , then that person would. This would put them out of their misery and they would pass away shortly after.…
- 1136 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Physician-assisted suicide is the act of a physician prescribing a drug to a patient which the patient is able to take on his or her own without the assistance of a medical provider or another person. This drug generally results in unconsciousness within five minutes and death within thirty minutes. Physician-assisted suicide became legal in the state of Oregon on October 27, 1997. From the date of legalization through December 31, 2000, there have been seventy reported cases of people utilizing the law to end their lives. The debate over physician-assisted suicide has never been a simple one. In 48 states the practice remains illegal and the issue has only grown more complicated in recent years. Since 1992 the legalization of this practice…
- 1504 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
According to West’s Encyclopedia of American Law, between 1990 and 1999, a well-known advocate for physician assisted suicide, Jack Kevorkian helped 130 patients end their lives. He begun the debate on assisted suicide should be legal or should be illegal. Kevorkian believed in the right to die, “The voluntary self-elimination of individual and mortally diseased or crippled lives taken collectively can only enhance the preservation of public health and welfare” (Kevorkian). He created his own machine that would be used to give the patient a mixture of pain killers and poisons to end a patient’s life. Kevorkian was charged with first degree murder for the death of one of his patients he had helped end their life. Kevorkian tried to get a ballot…
- 715 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Physician-assisted suicide, the practice that allows physicians to prescribe medications to terminally ill people to end their lives, is illegal in forty five states and Washington, DC. Oregon in contrast, is one of the five states that have legalized this procedure. One of the most recent and publicized cases of euthanasia (as it is also known) happened there, in 2014. The patient, a former California resident had to move to Oregon so she could get a physician to prescribe the drugs for her. Her story led to a bill that legalized euthanasia in California. The bill was signed into law by the California governor on October 5, 2015. Assisted suicide is also permitted in Washington,…
- 4278 Words
- 18 Pages
Powerful Essays -
I decided to use block style for my argumentative essay. I started the essay with the explanation of the euthanasia. Then I wrote my thesis statement which includes my position of the issue. In the body paragraph, I will first include the rebuttal of the opposite side's arguments, Then I will list my own arguments with the reasons and evidences that I find. Finally, in the conclusion paragraph, I will be restating my thesis statement, write brief summary of my arguments, and then end it with final statement. Euthanasia I. Intro A. Explanation of the issue: "Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering" ( Wikipedia). It is used by patients with terminal illness as a way of relieving their physical pain and/ or the burden and emotional pains of the friends and families around them. B. Thesis statement: Legalizing euthanasia has been a heated topic for many years. Many countries and states have banned euthanasia but there are still some that allow it. Though there are good reasons for both sides, I support legalizing euthanasia because of freedom of choice, humanness, and economic benefits. II. Body A. Block1: Rebuttal 1. People against legalizing euthanasia claims that performing euthanasia is still killing a person, that legalizing it would cause people to use it wrongfully as a way of murdering, and that increasing life span is good no matter how its done. 2. Euthanasia can be pain relieving and dignifying way of dying for terminal illness. 3. It can be prevented from being used wrongfully by setting tight regulations and restrictions. 4. It is not right to keep people alive beyond their natural life span. B. Block 2: argument 1. Freedom of choice- People should have right to take their own life. 2. Humaneness- It is not right to keep people in pain. It is not only physically painful for the patient himself, the friends and families around him also have to endure emotional pain by watching their loved one…
- 370 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays