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Berlin Airlift

May 12, 2009

On May 12, 1949, the Soviet Union ended the 11-month Berlin blockade. DW recounts the history of the Western Allies' airlift of food and supplies into the city.

https://p.dw.com/p/HoMg

From June 26, 1948 to May 12, 1949 American and British aircraft delivered thousands of tons of food, fuel and other supplies into the city of Berlin on a daily basis. The Soviet Union had blocked the Western Allies' railway and road access to the sectors of Berlin that they controlled. Moscow's aim was to force the Western powers to allow the Soviet controlled regions to start supplying Berlin with food and fuel, thereby giving them nominal control over the entire city. In response, the Western powers began the Berlin Airlift to bring supplies to the nearly two million people of Berlin.

The US and the British Royal Air Force flew more than 200,000 flights that provided 13,000 tons of food daily. These planes became known as ‘Raison Bombers’ among Berliners and ‘Candy Bombers’ by Americans. By the early spring of 1949 it was obvious that the airlift was succeeding, and by April British and US aircraft were delivering more cargo than had previously flowed into the city via rail.

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Reports & Analysis

NL2406 Berlin airlift

englisch: NL2406 Berlin airlift - Produziert: 24.06.2008 - 08:49:53 von Hessler
June 24, 200803:33 min

60th Anniversary Berlin Airlift

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Tempelhof airport is closing its doors for good. Authorities here have wanted to shut down the airport for years - mainly because of high costs - je 30.10.2008 10

Welcome back. A chapter in Berlin's history will come to an end in just a few hours. Tempelhof airport is closing its doors for good. The last flight is due to take off this evening. Authorities here have wanted to shut down the airport for years - mainly because of high costs. They faced alot of opposition. But in April Tempelhof's fate was sealed after a referendum to prevent its closure failed because of low turnout. Since it opened Tempelhof has been intimately bound up with the history of the city. Expanded under Hitler it is associated with the Nazi era. It is also a symbol of the Cold War following its role in the Berlin airlift during the soviet blockade of west berlin. Here's a final look now at Tempelhof airport. +++syn+++
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Children sit on the fence at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport as a US aircraft prepares to land as part of the Allied Berlin Airlift in 1948

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The Berlin airlift in 1948

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Old American supply plabne parked in front of Tempelhof airport

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