Berlin Airlift Not Best Decision, But Ended OK

Introduction
“Today is the day when the people of Berlin raise their voices. […] You people of the world!
You people in America and England, France and Italy! Look at this city and realize that you mustn’t
abandon this people, can’t abandon them!”1 West Berlin Mayor Ernst Reuter was concerned. When
he gave that speech on September 9, 1948, the roads from the western territories of Germany to
Berlin had been blocked for almost three months by the Soviet Union. No truck could supply the
inhabitants of the Western part of the old capitol of Germany with food and coal.2 How could it
come that far? The Soviet Union took a drastic step when it cut off access to the city, but in any
conflict usually more than one party is responsible: this situation was no exception. After 1945 the
Americans made some foolish decisions that led directly to the Berlin crisis, which otherwise maybe could have been prevented. Later they prudently were able to turn the situation around with the Berlin Airlift. The Berlin people survived and the western sectors did not fall into the hands of the Soviets, because of smart strategy. During 1948 and 1949 the United States managed to change a
bad initial situation, which it partially caused, to their advantage and thereby win the first “battle” in
the Cold War.