Transcript The Berlin Airlift AKA the Berlin Blockade 1948-9

What was the Berlin Airlift?
AKA the Berlin Blockade _
1948-9
NOT THE BERLIN WALL
Connector
• What key questions does an historian ask
about an event?
• Which are the three most important
questions asked?
• Which are the ones most frequently asked
in an exam?
Answer
• Why did an event happen?
• What happened in an event?
• What were the effects on an event?
• For each question how could the same
question be asked in different ways?
Outcomes
• All will understand the key events of the
Berlin Blockade
• Most will research from a variety of texts to
find out what happened
• Some will see the event as a stepping
stone to further conflict and be able to
explain this.
1943 - Tehran
Conference
Timeline
1945 -
1948-9 -
Yalta
Berlin Airlift/
Berlin Blockade
Potsdam
1943
1950
1945 - End
of World
War 2
1991
1947-51 Truman Doctrine,
Marshall Plan
1946 ‘Iron Curtain’
speech
Berlin
• Look at map in exercise book
• Find Berlin
• In pairs discuss –
• What happened to Berlin at the Peace
conference?
• Why?
• What problems might this cause?
• Which of the Superpowers would like it and not
like it?
Bizonia
Look at map and draw a simplified version
Colour in map of Berlin
• Communist parts = Red
• Capitalist parts = another colour (not Blue)
• Shade in Bizonia over the top with lines
• What tension would this cause?
Research
•
•
•
•
Write Title
Berlin Blockade/ Airlift
Write notes on the event
Extension- use more
than one text
• Make sure you answer
these questions in your
notes
• Who Blockaded Berlin? Why?
• What was the response of the
other countries?
• Why?
• What did they airlift it?
• How long did the Blockade last?
• Who won?
• Why?
• What happened to tension
between the super powers?
• What was NATO?
• Why was it formed?
Watch clip for new info
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilBxZoaN6Y
Mime activity
• In groups of 8 create a tableau to show the
Berlin Blockade/Airlift
• Present key moments
• 1. The Blockade being set up
• 2. The Airlift
• 3. The Blockade being lifted
• Shout out appropriate comments
Briefly explain the key features of the Berlin
Blockade and Airlift 1948-49. (6 marks)
Tension between the two Superpowers reached brinkmanship over the Berlin blockade
and Airlift 1948 – 49. By 1949 the wartime alliance between the USA and USSR had
completely broken down.
The main reason why Stalin blockaded Berlin in 1948 was because in 1946 USA, Britain
and France had united the three Western German zones (called Bizonia) and in 1948
introduced a new West German currency, the Deutschmark. This was not agreed at
either Yalta or Potsdam. Equally West Berlin was also in the USSR’s buffer zone and
Stalin thought therefore that all Berlin should be under his Communist control.
In June 1948 Stalin provocatively ordered that all road, railway and canal linking West
Berlin to West Germany be blockaded. Two million West Berliners were isolated and
cut off from the West. Truman did not want to be bullied by Stalin and be forced out
of Berlin. For 11 months, from June 1948 to September 1949, 277,264 USA planes
flew in 8000 tonnes coal, food and clothes to supply West Berlin every day.
Eventually Stalin lifted the blockade and the USA appeared to have won.
However, with regards to Germany, both Superpowers had gone back on their post-war
agreements. By the end of 1949 their wartime alliance had completely collapsed.
Furthermore, superpowers tension increased, when in April 1949, 12 Western
European countries, led by USA, formed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
offering mutual military support if attacked by another country. The political, military
and ideological division of Germany became permanent when both sides formally
created the USA controlled FDR (May ’49) and the USSR controlled DDR (Oct ’49).
During the Berlin blockade and Airlift 1948-49 a hot war was avoided, but the Cold War
between the two Superpowers showed no signs of ending.
Review
What do these mean?
• NATO
• Bizonia
• Deutschmark
• Blockade
• Airlift