| Overview: | Berlin Airlift: A nearly forgotten event of the last century that shaped the course of the cold war and world history itself up to the present day.
The Berlin Airlift involved a clash between some of the strongest personalities of the twentieth century: Truman, Stalin and the American General Clay. When Europe is carved up between Western and Soviet powers at the end of World War II, there is one western outpost deep in the heart of Soviet-controlled territory. Although Germany has been literally torn down the middle, the former capital Berlin lies in the center of the Soviet occupied eastern sector--and Berlin is jointly administered by all four victorious Allies: France, Britain, America and Russia.
By 1948, the three western powers have considerable military forces stationed in their sectors of Berlin. Stalin tries to force them to leave. he mounts a massive land blockade, using a huge occupation army to physically prevent food, fuel and other essential supplies from reaching Berlin. In a word--blackmail, on an enormous scale...and involving the lives of millions of innocent people.
So now the crucial question is whether the Allies, led by the USA, will stand up to the Soviets or give in. A military response could trigger World War III and even lead to a nuclear challenge...
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