Effects Of The Berlin Blockade

When the Cold War was starting to take place, the Soviets took the chance to isolate the people of West Berlin and block them from the outside world in a time of crisis for the western people. Although the people of West Berlin suffered greatly from this event, America, Britain, and France helped ease the pain by flying in supplies and aid to the wounded people. These actions caused the Berlin Blockade to end, and America became closer to Germany and diminished their ties with Russia.

While many thought the Berlin blockade was a spontaneous event between two different sides, it can be traced back to after WW2 was over. It really started when the Soviets thought that they could implement communism into the war torn western Europe. But

The ways being economical, political, relational, and detrimental to many people in the Western Berlin area. First off the Berlin blockade hurt the western Berlin economy in many ways. One way was going into West Berlin when the city was war torn and in a state of distress. This caused poverty and loss of money, food, and supplies. The economy was also hurt when the Soviets blocked off all land and water routes into Western Berlin. This caused the trade to diminish greatly, and it also cuts off all ways for the people of West Berlin to get any goods because the Soviets inspected everything that came through the gates of West Berlin. Another aspect that was affected was the political part. Around the time of the end of WW2 and the beginning of the Berlin airlift, the Soviets or Russians were getting viewed as the bad guys and deservingly so. The major political effect is that they were cut off from the world for a long period of time and that caused them to lose trading partners and allies. Now one of the ways the Berlin airlift affected the western Berlin people were starvation and lack of supplies to survive. When the Soviets blocked off all land and water routes in, it cut off all supplies that the Berlin people import and rely on to survive. And that shook the people pretty bad, some died of starvation, some died of disease, and some died of hypothermia. Once the United States saw what was happening,

So they had to take care of the animals as well. These animals were eating up to 6,000 lbs of meat a month, once the blockade happened the animals were reduced to a meal every other day. This was happening in August, in November the animals were finally able to have a meal every day. Food was a valuable part in survival, but keeping warm was a major key to staying alive. So to help them keep warm the US flew in 2,534 tons of coal to the western people. In addition to the 550 tons of fuel that was flown in. To break things down even more the US calculated how many calories the Berlin people needed to stay alive. The people were getting 1,550 calories a day, and in march it dropped to 1,275. Food, fuel, vitamins and coal were a big key in keeping the people of West Berlin alive, but the biggest factor in keeping the people alive was having hope. The people knew the Soviets would be defeated and they