Berlin Blockade
One of the first major crises of the Cold War.
The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies’ railway. Occurred during the multinational occupation of post World War II Germany. Their aim was to force western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food and fuel, so that the Soviets had practical control ever the entire city.
In response the United States and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in this year. They were providing up to 4700 tons of their daily necessities. Along with US and British personnel, the airlift involved aircrews from the Royal Australian Sir Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, and South Africa Air Force.
By spring of 1949, their effort was succeeding and, by April, the airlift was delivering more cargo than ever had been before by the city rail.
The blockade was lifted in May 1949 and resulted in the creation of two separate German states.