The Berlin Blockade, June 1948 (AQA GCSE History) : Revision Note
The Berlin Blockade, June 1948 - Summary
Political and economic differences between East and West caused tension over Berlin. In June 1948, the Soviet Union shut off the land routes in Soviet-controlled Germany, preventing Trizonia from accessing their zone in Berlin. Without supplies from Trizonia, people in West Berlin would run out of food and important resources. If Trizonia attempted to access West Berlin by land, this would be seen as an act of war by the Soviet Union, which had the Red Army on standby. If Trizonia did nothing, West Berlin would be forced to accept help from the Soviet Union, placing them under Communist control. |
Why Did the Soviet Union Begin the Berlin Blockade?
As with Germany, Berlin was split into two parts in March 1948:
The USA, Britain and France occupied the western zone
The Soviet Union occupied the eastern zone
After Trizonia introduced the Deutschmark in June 1948, Stalin wanted to demonstrate that Germany should not be divided
Causes of the Berlin Blockade
Why did the Soviet Union choose to blockade Berlin?
The Soviet Union decided that preventing Western access to Berlin would be the most effective way of gaining control of Germany
How did the Soviet Union Blockade Berlin?
Berlin was deep inside the Soviet-occupied zone
Members of Trizonia had to use the two agreed land routes and two air routes to access their western zone in Berlin
In June 1948, the Soviet Union closed road rail and canal links across Soviet-controlled Germany
Without access to West Berlin, the USA, Britain and France would not be able to send supplies:
West Berlin only had enough food for 36 days
West Berlin lacked important resources like fuel and medicine
Stalin hoped that the Western powers would give up their control of West Berlin, which would allow the Soviet Union to control the whole capital
It would also allow him to spread propaganda about the triumph of Communism over Capitalism
How did the West React to the Blockade?
The USA, Britain and France were in a very difficult position after the announcement of the blockade in June 1948
Control of West Berlin was important, but they had to balance the risk of going to war
How could the West respond to the Berlin Blockade?
The West had three options:
Withdraw from Berlin
Supply Berlin by land
Supply Berlin by air
Truman was not prepared to abandon the policy of Containment, especially so soon after his announcement of the Truman Doctrine
It was decided that supplies flown into West Berlin would be the most effective way to prevent West Berlin from falling into the hands of the Soviet Union and ensure that war between the two 'superpowers' was prevented
What followed was the Berlin Airlift
Worked Example
Source A is critical of the USSR’s actions in Berlin. How do you know?
[4 marks]
Source A: From an American newspaper, 12th September 1948
The activities of Russia in Berlin will convince any sensible person that Moscow is trying to drive the Western Allies to a declaration of war, in which they will be branded the aggressors. The longer the Western Allies remain in Berlin as targets of constant humiliation by the Soviet power, the greater the danger of plunging Europe into another war. The Western Allies can pull out of Berlin with dignity and get back to their own zones on the excellent grounds that co-operation with Russia is no longer possible. They can then establish their military, economic and political front along their Russian border and meet the Soviets on even terms.
Answer:
Source A is critical of the USSR’s actions in Berlin due to the content. The source claims that “Russia is trying to drive the Western Allies to a declaration of war,” showing that the USSR is being blamed for deliberately increasing tension (1). The creation of Trizonia in 1948 and the introduction of the Deutschmark convinced Stalin that the West was building a separate, Capitalist Germany. Therefore, the source presents the blockade as a deliberate attempt by the USSR to force the Allies out of the city and undermine their influence (1).
Another way Source A is critical of the USSR is because of the provenance. It is from an American newspaper in September 1948, during the Berlin Blockade (1). At this time, the USA was supplying West Berlin by air, and American public opinion was strongly against the USSR. Newspapers like this one were likely to be critical of Soviet actions, especially as tensions were rising and fears of war were increasing. This makes the source useful for showing how strongly the USA viewed the USSR's actions in Berlin (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When applying your knowledge to a historical source you should:
read the source carefully
read the source more than once, if you have time
focus on just the content and the provenance of the source
whilst reading the source, underline or highlight relevant pieces of text
annotate the source by attaching your knowledge to the content and the provenance of the interpretation
For further guidance on this question, you can read this revision note on how to answer the 4-mark “How do you know” question.
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