The Blockade
The blockade started by the Soviet Union hurt Berlin and its citizens.
They set up a blockade and prevent them from getting food, hoping they would starve and leave the city if they did not get food. But instead of leaving, they had food and supplies airlifted into the city. The Soviets realized they were not going to leave. Stalin eventually lifted the blockage years later.
Soviets control the Country
"Our control and restrictive measures have dealt a strong blow at the prestige of the Americans and British in Germany.” ~Soviet authorities when the blockade first went up
A blockade was instituted on June 24, 1948 at 6 a.m. to May 12, 1949. All 80 access routes were sealed. Soviets made the blockade so that the they could have greater control of the Country. They came up with the blockade to restrict food or water or the other necessities to be able to live for people who are not siding with the Soviets. Soviets turned off electricity to Berlin and stopped all shipments of food and other essential supplies into those parts of the city not under communist control. In March 1948 Soviets withdrew from the council. Soviets refused to deliver packages to their zone. The Soviets All British, French and Americans were to leave Berlin. The Soviets thought that the allies were going to abandoned Berlin, then tried to bribed the Westerners to go to the East by giving them food and donations. The Airlift’s starting flying on June 21, 1948 which flew in food and fuel into West Berlin 24 hours a day for the 324 days. The U.S. delivered 5,000 tons of necessities each day and raised to 8,000 tons of food each day in the 324 days that they had to airlift necessaries to the West side of Berlin.
MArshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was introduced by the United States in June of 1947 to provide economic aide, helping prevent more countries from coming under future control of Soviets. The United States did not like communism which was why the came up with the Marshall plan. Senator McCarthy told President Truman that communism would spread and communism would soon take over the entire world. President Truman wanted to stop the spread communism. If the Marshall plan had not been put into place then communism would have taken over the world. Since Truman wanted to rebuild the economy of Europe and stop the spread the communism, the Marshall plan would allow the U.S. to trade with other countries. If you wanted Marshall aid you would be told how to spend your money and you would be able to trade with the U.S. plus you would have about a sum of $17 billion dollars. All the money would be going to turning countries back into capitalist countries. The first country to accept aid from the Marshall plan was Italy.
GENERAL LUCIUS Clay
If Berlin falls, Western Germany will be next. If we mean to hold Germany against communism, we must not budge." ~ U.S. Commander in Berlin, General Lucius Clay
The first plane during the Berlin Airlift landed on June 28, 1948 and the last plane toke off on May 11, 1949. On May 23, 1949 the allies combined the three individual Western zones into one called FRG or West Germany, which was a capitalist and democratic country. Then in October 1949 the Soviets then toke their Eastern zone and made GDR or East Germany which was a communist country. Germany stayed divided for the next 41 years