Berlin_Blockade

Berlin Blockade Before Berlin Blockade: - After WW2, Germany was divided into 4 zones. >US,France and Britain occupied West Germany AND West Berlin(~⅔ of Germany) >Soviet Union occupied East Germany and East Berlin (~⅓ of Germany) - Stalin wanted to control the whole city of Berlin, which was deep in the Soviet zone - French and Soviet wanted to extract huge amount of reparations from their zone - USA and Britain felt that Germany economic recovery is more important - France refused to join in Bizonia(US and British zone combined) - Stalin aimed for Berlin blockade was the starve off West Berliners and forced the western allies out of West Berlin by cutting off land and water supplies During Berlin Blockade: - Happened from 24th June 1948 to 12 May 1949 - 26th May 1948: Berlin Airlift began, bringing in the necessary supplies by air, the only route which wasn’t being block by the Soviet. - Soviet did not dare to shoot down planes fearing to be seen as an aggressor - 12 May 1949: Stalin realised the blockade had failed and reopen land and water routes to west Berlin and negotiate with the west. Consequence of Berlin Blockade: - Humiliated Soviet Union (seen as the evil) - Boasted credibility of the Western Power( seen as saviour)

- French zone united with the US and British zone to form Trizonia, which became the Federal Republic of Germany aka West Germany - West Berlin also became part of West Germany - Soviet zone formed German Democratic Republic(NOT democratic at all despite having the word there!) AKA ​ East Germany - East Berlin became part of East Germany - Forming of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation(NATO) in 1949 by US and western countries - Forming of Warsaw Pact in 1955 by Soviet and Eastern European Countries