The Berlin Blockade

Germany’s Punishment

Pay $23 billion

Many leaders were imprisoned or executed

Air force was removed

Army and Navy reduced

Germany’s would be controlled by the Allies

Dividing up Germany

Divided into 4 occupation zones

France, UK, US, and USSR each getting a zone

Berlin, the capital, also divided into 4 zones

Even though it was well within USSR’s zone

Allied countries were to help rebuild their zone and eventually allow elections to set up Germany’s new government.

Berlin Blockade Soviet refuses to let their zone have elections

France, UK, and US unite their zones into one zone

Creates East and West Germany

East and West Berlin

West Germany creates new currency

Angers USSR

USSR also didn’t like the idea of a capitalist and democratic city (West Berlin) being in their zone

USSR cuts off railroad access to Berlin

USSR hopes Western Allies will give up Berlin

Berlin Airlift Unable to reach Berlin by

land, Western Allies send supplies to Berlin by air.

Over 200,000 flights in one year

8,000 tons of supplies per day

USSR removes the blockade

Failed to stop supplies from getting to West Berlin

Two Berlins USSR gives up hope on uniting

West Berlin under their control

Life in East Berlin was very poor

Little food, economy was poor

People flee to West Berlin/Germany

2.2 million people leave

How does this make USSR look??

Berlin Wall USSR builds a wall to separate West Berlin from Soviet

Berlin

Wanted to prevent people from leaving to go to West Germany

Families were separated

People caught trying to escape were shot

Impact More tension between U.S. and Soviet

Union

Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Alliance between U.S. and democratic countries of Europe

Warsaw Pact

Alliance

Damaged the global image of Soviet Union

How?